http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp...n?coll=la-headlines-sports&ctrack=3&cset=true an article about kobe from latimes
I don't care where Kobe Bryant is traded, as long as it's not to Houston. Regardless of his enormous talent and playoff success, I can't stand his behavior either on or off the court, and I'd prefer to lose without him than win with him.
Buss appears ready to show Kobe the door Lakers owner has always said what he meant and meant what he said, so when he says he's open to trading Bryant, it is not to be taken lightly. October 12 2007 Those who have examined Jerry Buss' few public utterances over the years have come to understand one of the paradoxes of Hollywood's swashbuckling sports owner. He doesn't act. ADVERTISEMENT He doesn't posture, he doesn't pose, he means exactly what he says. What Buss said in Thursday's paper about Kobe Bryant, then, was breathtakingly clear. He said goodbye. He said he was weary of Bryant's ridiculing his family and degrading his organization. He said he was tired of living with Bryant's consistent and vocal unhappiness. He said he would listen to trade offers, which means he will eventually take one. Maybe Bryant won't be traded this minute. Maybe he won't even be traded this winter. But it is obvious the minute the Lakers can acquire anything that even resembles fair value, Bryant is gone, and Buss won't much miss him. Hey, Kobe, turns out you're not the only one in the organization who feels betrayed, huh? To understand the impact of Buss' statements in his annual interview with the team's beat writers on Wednesday, one must contrast them with his previous comments about his star. Buss saying he would trade Bryant was like his coach suddenly announcing that the triangle had become a square. Never has Buss shown anything but unconditional admiration for Bryant. Never has he even hinted at anything other than wanting him to remain a Laker forever. Go back to Feb. 22, 2004, when Bryant's rivalry with teammate Shaquille O'Neal erupted in nastiness. Buss flatly told ESPN that he backed Bryant. "I believe he will be a Laker for life," Buss said. In the same interview, Buss questioned Coach Phil Jackson by saying, "There are times when it seems he doesn't want to coach." Four months later, Jackson was gone. Later, he also questioned O'Neal's attitude, saying, "We have to talk and see if he wants to stay here." Five months later, O'Neal was gone. Although Buss is an avid poker player, when it comes to talking basketball, he rarely bluffs. Fast forward to later that summer, during free-agent negotiations with his favorite son. On July 13, 2004, his public message to Bryant was, "Stay with the people who love you." A year later, that love was still going strong. On May 4, 2005, Buss said, "I don't want to trade Kobe. And I really think somebody would have to give me their franchise, their arena and the city in order to get him." At that point, with Bryant firmly in control of the franchise, acting as both coach and assistant general manager, he and Buss were seemingly joined, swaggering hip to swaggering hip. On Oct. 29, 2006, Buss said his relationship with Bryant "is closer now than it has ever been." Even as recently as May 31, shortly after Bryant began his trade demands by implying that Buss was a liar and ripping the entire Lakers front office, the owner backed him during a phone conversation. "We will continue to pursue every avenue possible to improve our team with him as the cornerstone," Buss said. That was then. This is holy cow. Maybe Buss finally lost his patience when, in June, an audiotape surfaced in which Bryant referred to Buss as an "idiot." Maybe Buss lost his cool when he heard Kevin Garnett say this week that he didn't want to become a Laker because of their front office problems. Maybe, then, Buss realized the incredible damage Bryant's public whining had done to the Lakers' reputation and brand. Whatever the reason, when Buss sat down with the beat writers this week, you could hear how everything had changed. "I would certainly listen," he said. The question was about trading Bryant, and the key words were "certainly" and "listen." Never have they been used together in a sentence on this subject. "You can't keep too many loyalties," Buss said. While witnesses said he used a matter-of-fact tone here, can't you just feel the sarcasm? Is there a more loyal owner anywhere than Jerry Buss? His staff is filled with longtime employees. Even some of the ballboys have seemingly been there forever. This was a direct shot at Bryant's vindictiveness in the face of unconditional support. "You've got to look at it like a business," Buss said. Again, check the sarcasm here. Buss is a good businessman but, c'mon, does any owner in basketball use the word "family" more than he does? Buss was clearly mimicking Bryant's mantra, his cold approach to a team that has spent the last decade wrapping him in a warm hug. "[Bryant] looks at it the same way I look at it," he said. Indeed, after an confusing summer, they are finally seeing the same two things. Kobe Bryant, and the Lakers' front door. Thankfully, finally, the owner of the joint is grabbing him by the collar and ushering him there now. Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Plaschke, go to latimes.com/plaschke.
salary does not work. and la would never do that trade. my trade woudl be Randolph Morris Jamal Crawford David Lee Nate Robinson Eddy Curry draft picks for kobe doubt la might happen, but may be the better offer than anyone else offers... unless la is stupid enough to trade kobe to denver...
keep in mind one thing, kobe wants to be traded cuz he doesnt wanna be on a bad team anymore, so i think the destination would be an above average ball club with at least another super-stars AND young talents (to get traded to lakers)... so my guess would be chicago or dallas
Kobe Bryant + Brian Cook + matching salary for Joe Johnson + Marvin Williams + Josh Childress + Draft picks + matching salary Kobe + Cook make ~ $23.5 million this year JJ + MW + JC make ~ $22 million this year
That trade would not happen. Why would Kobe want to go to the worst team in the league? If Atlanta made that trade, Kobe gonna op out 2 years later anyway. The only realistic choice would be Chicago. They have enough young talent to interest LA. And they have a decent core which after adding Kobe can compete right away.
Trade Machine: Houston gets: Kobe Bryant LA gets John Lucas Justin Reed Bob Sura Rafer Alston Mike James Luther Head Kirk Snyder +cash +picks Thinking about it removes hunger.
I don't know why people keep thinking/hoping that Kobe might come to Houston. It's never gonna happen. I think Kobe will blow this team's chemistry out the window. People said we might need 2 balls with Tmac and SF3 on the team.. if Kobe's here.. we might need 3. But hey, who knows.. I also said Steve would never come back.
After pennies on the dollar the lakers got back for shaq if they were to do this deal i sincerely believe lakers fans should take out a hit on kupchak. Seriously. A souped up shane battier and luther head with handles can score you kobe? Thats just ridiculous
Yeah, thats ridiculous.. Josh Howard is good but we're talking about KOBE. Only way Laker accept a trade from Dallas is one including Dirk. Even then they'll have to throw in a couple players like a Devin Harris or Jason Terry.
I don't think we should necessarily underestimate the stupidity of Kupchak, you would think in the shaq trade he would have gotten d wade back too so i really hope dirk is included in any kobe deal cuz otherwise you have the two best offensive weapons in the league on the same team and thats really scary.
Ya but instead the Lakers were the fools for trading one of the greatest centers of all time who was not that much past his prime without even getting a legitimate allstar much less an equivalent superstar in return.
On LakersGround they are talking about a rumor from an LA radio station that a deal with the Mavs is in place and will be completed any day. The price is supposedly Terry, Howard, and 2 first round picks.
I just tried the trade and it doesn't work in the RealGM Trade Checker, so there would have to be more filler involved.
If this happens I will honestly kill myself. That is just ****ing ridiculous. Howard and terry for the best player in the league? At least when we got tmac we gave up our two top players. This is just nuts.
