I kind of find this whole thing funny, now I am not saying Kobe sucks or anything like that but how many people here actually think a team is going trade their teams best player and more players to get Kobe. Kobe is going to opt out of his contract after next season, which means the Lakers have to trade him besides losing any chance on getting any in return. Honestly I wouldn't do any deal that doesn't include Deng, Deng is going to be a superstar he is still only what 22 years old? Plus Kobe has a huge trade kicker and no trade clause. So the thought of getting the best player in the NBA isn't exactly a win win situation. Lakers wont get anything close to equal talent but holding on to him,is not going to help either, they need Young talent more than anything and rebuild, and hopefully for them Bynum develops into an Al Jefferson type of player.
Amazing story this AM on ESPN The trade was vetoed by Kobe's unwillingness to part with Deng. Yes, that is right, Kobe does not play for Chicago, but not only is he demanding a trade from the Lakers and excercising control over his trade destination - he is now exercising personnel control over his potential future employers What a joke. Really unbelievable. Wow, I try to avoid hating on the guy too much but jesus, this is unf-kingbelievable. Even worse that they let him get away with it. I hope that bad things happen to that douche in the future. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/colum...Deng_Bryant&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines
heard that this morning too..wutta joke..demanding a trade is one thing, but demanding who comes n goes..ridiculous
It makes sense. Kobe wants to be traded because he wants to contend for the title, not because he loves Chicago as a city. He will want to go on a team that has more talent than his current Laker squad.
I sincerely hope Kobe remains stuck with the Lakers. Heck, if I was the Lakers I'd do it just to spite his arrogant ass. "wah wah! I got exactly what I asked for and now I'm not winning! wah wah!" What a b****.
I understand where you (and others) are coming from but I am on Kobe's side on this. He has the contractural right to do as he is doing. Why rape the new team leaving him, and then, in the stuff? ANY team Kobe is on can win ANY game. Give him crap, ala LAL '07, and they are STILL dangerous, albeit not contenders. Give him a good supporting class and he could be playing when summer rolls around.
I doubt the Bulls mind this... It just weakens the Lakers position. Kobe is not going to let his "potential future employer" give up their whole team for him.
Kobe is going nowhere, no matter where he goes the other team will have to give up atleast one of their current star players. Which means Kobe will end up on a team with one other good player and a bunch of scrubs...kinda like where he is now. Kobe is stuck there. Lakers might as well start trying to get some good players to surround him with.
This is why no one in their right mind gives someone a no-trade clause in this league. At some point Kobe will have to realize that no one is so loaded that they can give the Lakers a fair trade for Kobe and still have a remaining cast more talented than Kobe's current one. ESPECIALLY not in the East. The Suns come the closest, and the Lakers aren't so stupid as to hand the best player in the league over to a division rival. That would assure them of being uncompetitive for the rest of Kobe's career. Kobe either needs to back down or resign himself to being a Laker and make amends...
Yeah, I believe No-Trade clauses need to be taken away from players. If that seems harsh...I guess it is.
If the Bulls were willing to give up Deng for Kobe - then that is what he is worth. Why does Kobe have the right to override their GM's judgment? It's a fundamental question as to who's better suited to make valuations on behalf of the Bulls franchise in the long term - something that I trust the Bulls are beter suited to do than Kobe - a no brainer. Kobe is essentially having things both ways - I'm the most valuable player in the NBA and should be paid as such but i have the right to ensure that you receive as little value as possible should you trade me as I demanded. If Kobe wants to be traded for nothing, then he should take a pay cut so he could be traded for scraps. The Lakers fault for putting their eggs in his basket, true, but still, I don't want to see him succeed because it will simply lead to more players doing this.
As per emjohn's post, I think actually this situation will make the scenario less likely in the future. I agree with you, Sam, and I think Kobe's being a tool. I am really biased by watching him on the court. With his constant foul-faking and pissing to the refs, he is one of the least fun to watch players in the league. He takes the fun right out of the gym, and you can see it on his teammates faces. Did one of them smile, all game long?
Kobe's the only guy in the league with one. Even trade kickers are tough to get, because you can't have a kicker that would result in a higher salary than you're allowed per the CBA. Evan
Wow, excellent analysis. Take a player with a lot of talent and have everyone else on the team suck and the team sucks. Take a player with a lot of talent and give him solid teammates and that team may be good. Amazing! You've just described pretty much every all-star type player in the league.
Lakers can only blame themselves. They are the idiots who gave him the no-trade clause. Now he has their nuts in his hands. He'll probably be the last one to get a no-trade clause as a result of this nut squeezing job he's doing to them. The ONLY recourse that the Lakers have is not to trade him. That has got to suck, because he can simply dog it for two seasons and leave them hight and dry. So their only recourse even sucks!
I think it's all mind games now... I told you to improve the team and you didn't, I want to be traded, I don't like the trade (for whatever reason...). Are you gonna listen to me now?!? Here's what I WANT... No trade clause is nothing new but when the table is turned and a player does not sign because of a "no trade", everybody would be saying "get it done", "its not a big thing"...
I think the Lakers should take a stand and say that Kobe is not being traded, and then take a very hard line on him by holding him to the absolute letter of his contract within CBA rules - that means fines, suspensions w/o pay, etc if he is late, absent, etc. Also drop him from all team marketing materials etc. Chances are he will be even more petulant allowing them to be even more aggressive. Lakers arn't going anywhere with or without Kobe if he is going to veto the acquisition of anything more than spare parts for him. So let him sit, collect his money, and have his reputation and have him waste two years if that is what he wants - or else he can acquiesce and waive his stupid no-trade veto power. If Kobe wants it all on him, then he will get it. Then Kobe will walk, the lakers will stink and have a huge cap space to play with. The last time that happened they landed Shaq - they will be able to rebuild fairly quickly.
Why are you putting everything on Kobe? Did he FORCE Buss into giving him that no trade clause? No, Buss willingly accepted so this is the price he will have to pay. KG had a similar no trade clause, and he vetoed the trade to Boston. He only willingly accepted the trade after Boston traded for Ray Allen. I dont see anyone beheading KG?
