Seems like he is dictating where he wants to go (Chicago), but I wouldnt give up those 4 guys for him. Sorry...
la management has their proverbial balls in a vice-grip right now due to 'the chokers' no-trade clause. they have absolutely no leg to stand on in negotiations and the bulls know it. no need for anyone to rush to make a trade for w/ la. la is in no position to make demands as far as what they get in return. i have a feeling that any trade that goes down for kobe is going to make shaq-for-lamar seem like a bargain. kobe has single handedly destroyed that franchise! da da da da da - im luvin it!
Yeah its really strange. Kobe can actually demand that the Lakers take less talent in the trade through the no trade clause and he has every incentive to since the package that the Lakers are demanding would basically gut the heart of the Bulls.
If the Bulls are "bidding" for Kobe only with themselves, the best the Lakers can get from them is Gordon (who the Bulls know is overvalued; he's been getting the same honeymoon period as Jamaal Crawford). Only if Dallas competes with its own package will something close to equity be reached.
Say whatever you want about Kobe and I will most likely agree with you. He is an arrogant prick who created this whole mess he is in by forcing Shaq out of town in the first place and he doesn't deserve anyone's sympathy. He dug his own grave, right? None of that is relevant though. He's the best player in the game, maybe the best scorer in NBA history, and as a fan of the game, I simply do not want to watch him rotting away the prime of his career on that lame excuse for a team they have assembled out there in LA. Please, get this guy out East and make this league interesting again. I'm willing to overlook everything else.
Detroit should throw their name into the mix. Some kind of deal centered around Rip Hamilton/Tayshaun Prince for Kobe makes sense for both sides. LA would be competitive with Rip/Tayshaun/Odom Detroit would be an instant contender with Kobe/Billups/Sheed
Kobe has no-trade clausule on his contract so if he doesn't like Chicago he may not go there. He has options,it's all on him.
He does want to go to Chicago. He just doesn't want to go if the roster's cleaned out. Ultimately, he realizes that he's got to weigh how much he wants out versus how ideal a situation he wants to go to. It's a song and dance. Kupchak finds a deal he likes and can get to happen, presents it to Buss for approval, then presents it to Kobe for approval. If it's good enough for Kobe, it happens. If Kobe doesn't like the place or how the roster will look post-trade, it doesn't happen. Either Kobe gets so tired of this hanging over his head that he agrees to trade that's not perfect but good enough to end the drama, or Kobe ends this by making amends with Buss. This train is so out of control, it's hard to picture him staying for too long. It's uncomfortable for all involved - sort of like Payton in his last two years in Seattle. Evan
100% agreed. Call him selfish or whatever, but he nearly singlehandedly beat us yesterday. Forget about his constant whining, watching someone impose his will on the game is special. The second best player on that team (with Odom hurt) is either Luke Walton or Derek Fisher!
Kobe needs to go for his own good and the Lakers future. Reality is Lakers are never gonna get to an NBA Finals with the team they have assembled and especially the way the West is shaped right now. Spurs, Mavs, Suns, Rockets, Jazz, Warriors and even Nuggets are better than the Lakers right now. Add to that in 2-3 years the Blazers will be a force. You already have 7-8 teams better than the Lakers and so they will be stuck at being 8th seed at best from now on. The have no pieces to trade without giving up too much young talent. If not now then in 2 years Kobe will opt out of his deal and become a free agent. Lakers might be left with nothing and LA never likes to rebuild from scratch. this is time to make the move and get some young talent and 1st round picks for Kobe while he is still in his prime. My suggestion, swallow your pride and package him to Phoenix for Shawn Marion, either Barbosa or Diaw and Atlanta's 2008 1st round pick (unprotected) which means it could easily be a top 3 pick for OJ Mayo, Derrick Rose or Micheal Beasley.
Watching someone who constantly whines impose his will on the game isn't special, it's annoying. If he wasn't constantly whining and alienating his fans, then it would actually be special. I don't like Carlos Boozer, or Tim Duncan, or Amare or Steve Nash in the sense that they're our competitors in the West. But I respect them as players. I can't stand Kobe, and can't stand his whining. The fact that he is undoubtedly the best player in the NBA today makes it worse. The Rockets are the team that theoretically improved dramatically over the off-season. Yao continues to be one of the most intriguing stories in the NBA. But Doug Collins was wearing a freaking yellow and gold tie last night. Kobe's trade demands, where can he go, if he stays what will his role be, what does Phil think, great start by the Lakers, the Rockets are lucky to be this close, long season ahead for the Lakers, what a comeback...blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Seriously, how many people would have been surprised if Kobe was still the immediate post-game interview after the game ended last night. Nobody. The best, most talented player in the NBA today, and his team can't make the playoffs or get out of the first round? A storied organization with an ownership group which has won across multiple generations of players, and they're the problem, not Kobe? Watching him play makes me want to throw things at my television and listen on mute. Makes me feel bad for the Waltons, Browns, Bynums, Farmars of the world...not great, never will be, but to have to put up with Kobe as a teammate...yikes. Watching him play is not something special. Watching the Suns offense is special. Watching Golden State upset Dallas in the playoffs is special. Watching Kobe play is a trainwreck. I hope he gets traded to Charlotte, or Memphis, or Minnesota, but since he's the only player in the NBA "special" enough to have a no-trade clause in his agreement, he'll get traded to the Bulls or the Mavs, those teams will go on to have success in the playoffs (maybe not ultimate success), and watching Kobe play will be oh so much more "special", and when the Mavs or Bulls lose in the 2nd round it will be "Dirk just didn't bring his a-game and isn't clutch" or "Hinrich and Deng couldn't keep up with Kobe to get them through this series", or, when the Mavs or Bulls win it all it will be "The Mavs were a great team led by a great player, but they needed a player of Kobe's talent to finally win that championship" or "MJ reborn, Kobe leads the Bulls over the top!"....but I'll know the truth... blah, that's it, rant over. I hate Kobe.
www.670thescore.com Breaking News, a 3 team trade between Kings/Lakers/Bulls and according to these guys that all three teams agree with the deal pending Kobe's approval since he has a no trade clause It seems like the Bulls are dealing both Kirk and Ben Gordon and I'm sure more players and Kings dealing Ron Artest to the Lakers and Lakers obviously trding Kobe to Chicago I'm not sure if these guys are reliable though
the bulls get to keep Luol Deng and get Kobe. Damn that's a monster combo right there. The Bulls will be screwed at the PG spot but I think they can live.
