Maybe they are really trading Kobe for T-Mac. Seriously, the LA media is talking about this. Dallas is definitely in the mix in terms of rumors.
it's not THAT easy. we beat the jazz w/ tmac and no yao. and yet we lost to them with them both. u need to know the chemistry. dirk needs the ball in his hands (hence why nash wasn't as good when he was w/ dallas but suddenly looks like god w/ the suns). kobe REALLY needs the ball in his hands. terry and howard play off the ball more so. u just can't think of basketball like that.
if they trade terry, our PGs are much better than theirs. tmac and kobe believe it or not cancel each other out in terms of impact in most games they play. we can SHUT OUT dirk if we want (put battier on kobe and tmac on dirk) who on their team can stop yao? then our bench destroys theirs now. so no. IF kobe goes to dallas AND howard stays w/ dirk, then you have a case.
hell no kobe is awesome, i dont want to have to hate him just b/c he plays for the mavs. can you imagine kobe in a mavs jersey, he would like a douche.
its 8:45 here in Cali, listening to 570 AM now, they're talking to Elton Brand now. Kobe only mentioned once in 20 minutes I listened. Dallas gets WORSE if they get possibly the best player in the game? We've seen the difference on the Rockets with McGrady on it. Francis+Mobley for Tmac with Yao already being there = Howard+Terry for Kobe with Dirk already being there.
Forget position matchups for a sec, since basketball is a team game after all. Dallas won 67 games last season, and their roster's intact. And if all they're giving up for Kobe is Howard/Terry/Spare-parts/picks, there's no way that's a drop off in talent. However, that is not as important as the fact that Dirk is a p***y when the pressure comes, and Dallas had no other go-to guy to make up for Dirk's crappy play. This has been the recurring theme in all Dallas playoff exits. There is absolutely no player in the league who can correct this problme more than Kobe. And as Dirk is someone who shrivels up in crunch time, this guarantees that Kobe gets all the spotlight in Dallas. So I think this will keep Kobe happy, as he finally can play on a great team, but doesn't have to share the limelight with anyone.
dallas is great for its versatility and depth. u underestimate terry but he's GREAT shooter (50%+) and that keeps defenses honest. howard is just an all-around player. so if u give them up, harris is forced to start at PG and he's ATROCIOUS at shooting. stackhouse or george has to start at SF and now their bench is completely gone. kobe def. will make them better just by its presence alone, but in today's game, u need VERSATILITY and DEPTH. that's why the freakin' spurs are so good. they have scorers at every position AND off the bench. same w/ the suns. dallas had that w/ harris and stack off the bench (now u bring up to the lineup you lose that). like i said again, dirk is a posession player. he's not a great passer nor can he read defenses to make a great pass. he's a guy u give the ball to and get out. that's why for a team w/ so many weapons, he averages so little assists despite playing on the perimeter so much. again, having a shaq is completely from having a dirk. shaq solves SO MANY problems back then b/c u don't need playmakers playing with shaq. u need guys who can basically spot up and shoot (dfish, fox, horry were great at that). dirk doesn't draw that kind of double teams. so that's why having terry AND howard AND harris AND stackhouse were so crucial at their positions. if u get kobe, it's basically kobe and dirk and a few other pieces. they lost their depth. they lost their bench. they lost their versatility. we have a 2-man superstar tandem too. but we have depth. we have versatility.
You cant compare the regular season vs the playoffs. In the playoffs, teams have time to adjust, and that is exactly what the jazz did to win. The Jazz also lost to us early in the season if I remember correctly, and then went on to beat us in a crucial game late in the season. Chemistry is important, but when you have the chance to add arguably the best player in the game, you better do it. Would you trade Howard/Terry for MJ? I bet many on here wouldnt even hesitate for a second. I am not saying Kobe is MJ, but he is DAMN close.
I kinda hope Kobe does get traded to the Mavs. It will just make the rivalry of the Texas triangle even better.
i really really don't like dirk, at all. i absolutely loved watching him suck up the court in the playoffs but i'd have to be a true homer to deny his skills. the dude is very talented. and kobe, we all know his thirst for 'ships is unquenchable. any half-decent team surrounding kobe, i'm scared of, at least a little. i'm not at all a kober hater, i just want him to gtfo of our conference...
If Kobe goes to Dallas for Josh Howard, Jason Terry, and a couple of LATE first round picks, everyone will understand why Kobe wants out. After all, this is the same front office that passed on getting Jason Kidd in order to keep Bynum. P.S. - If Richard Justice's blog about the Rockets front office wanting to be involved in the Kobe Sweepstakes, then I don't see how a package involving T-Mac will be rejected by the Lakers. If Josh Howard, Jason Terry, and a couple of late first round picks catch their attention...Tracy McGrady, Rafer Alston, Luther Head, and a couple of late (if not earlier) first round picks from the Rockets should have them jumping for joy. Of course, Kobe would have to want to come here, so that might be a good reason. Send Kobe to the east if you don't give him away to Houston.
