What’s Kobe thinking?You saw this coming. Anyone who watched the Lakers/Suns series — actually, the last two Lakers/Suns series — saw Kobe Bryant, conspicuously in his pissed-tivity (word to the late Mr. Robin Harris), silently saying with his body language what everyone’s been saying ever since Shaq was traded and Kobe was handed the keys to the franchise: He needs help.
This past weekend, the skit (kinda) hit the fan. An ESPN report said Kobe wanted the Lakers to bring Jerry West back into the fold and give him full personnel authority. And if the Lakers didn’t want to do that, Kobe wanted to be traded. Kobe has since said he was making “a suggestion, not a demand.”
Over the weekend I read in Peter Vecsey’s New York Post column that Kobe told L.A.’s front office that — citing his trade clause where he’s have to approve any trade involving him — he’d only agree to go to one specific team. Vecsey’s source didn’t know which one. Who is that team? Let’s break down the candidates:
Hawks, Pacers, Bucks, Grizzlies: HELL NO.
Jazz: They’re good and all, but Kobe in Utah? No way.
Sixers: Hometown team always gets minimal consideration, but it’s not like Kobe is Rocky Balboa in Philly. He’s more like Drago mixed with Apollo Creed.
Cavs, Heat, Nuggets, Wizards: They’re all out. Kobe wants to run his own show, and those cities belong to ‘Bron, Wade, ‘Melo and Gil, respectively.
Wolves: Kobe playing with KG in L.A. has been talked about for years. Why not in Minnesota? Ask Steph why not.
Blazers, Sonics — Basically in the same boat as Minnesota, just switch an established superstar in KG for soon-to-be-stars in Oden and Durant. Even I have to admit my hometown isn’t very appealing to pro athletes, and Portland is a step down from that.
Celtics: They have the tradition and some young talent. But Kobe wants to win now, so they’re out.
Pistons, Spurs: If Mamba wants to play for a winner, these two organizations have to be on his radar. But would either team break up their (aging) nuclei for a shot at Kobe? Probably not.
Magic, Raptors: They’d also have to be in the discussion. Who wouldn’t want to play with Dwight Howard or Chris Bosh? Both teams also have talented young point guards in Jameer Nelson and T.J. Ford who will get Kobe the rock.
Knicks: In the media capital of the world, Kobe could never worry about not being center of attention. And Isiah definitely has enough huge salaries on his hands to pull off a trade (maybe not the talent, though). But again, if Kobe wants to win now, this isn’t the place to do it.
Mavs: Put them on the short list, although there might not be enough room in the arena for Kobe and Cuban’s egos. Can you say “acrimonious relationship”? The Mavs would have to give up Josh Howard or Dirk to have a chance at landing Kobe, and after the Warriors series, maybe Dirk isn’t so untouchable.
Warriors, Clippers, Kings: Kobe wouldn’t have to leave Cali, if that matters to him, and each of these teams has the parts to be a playoff contender. Championship contenders, though? Not really.
Rockets: In the office the idea has actually been floated of the Rockets trading T-Mac this summer. Is he enough by himself to get the Lakers to bite? Kobe and Yao would be a killer combo, and KB has to miss playing with a dominant big man.
Suns: Everyone has asked the question, “What if you switched Nash and Kobe?” You might not have to. Marion, Diaw and the rights to Atlanta’s first-rounder next year could be enough to bring in Kobe and form the most devastating backcourt ever. Even for someone with Kobe’s Alpha Dog mindset, this has to look very appealing.
Bobcats, Bulls: The kid who mimicked everything from Mike’s moves to his walk to his speech (Who else says “The game of basketball?”) would have to be interested in playing either for MJ or in MJ’s old stomping grounds. The Bulls would become legit contenders with Kobe, even if it means giving up Gordon or Deng, Tyrus Thomas and a draft pick.
Nets: Or maybe Kobe and J-Kidd is the most devastating backcourt ever. Can’t you see a sign-and-trade with Vince Carter, and Kobe becoming the centerpiece of the move to Brooklyn in a couple years? The Nets have what it takes to contend, especially if they get Nenad Krstic back at full strength.
If I had to make a pick as to which team is Kobe’s mystery team, I’d say Chicago. He’d be going to a team that has a chance at winning a championship right away. He’d dominate in a weaker Eastern Conference, but at the same time Kobe would be challenged in big-money matchups with guys like D-Wade, LeBron, Pierce and Arenas on the regular. And how many times do you think a young Kobe Bryant envisioned himself ballin’ in a Bulls uniform?
It almost seems like destiny.
May 29th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
John Basedow FC says:
Glad you wrote this column. Of course, you could have just quoted Vescey directly: “My source is oblivious to its identity. Logic dictates that team is the Bulls.”
May 29th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Austin Burton says:
What fun would that be? Besides, Vecsey has his logic; I have mine.
May 29th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
James Wright says:
As a lifelong Bulls fans, I’ve always seen Kobe someday ending up in a Bulls uni. And from what I’ve read in the past, it was already close to happening before L.A. gave up on the Big Aristotle. Gordon would be a good fit in the west where he could tear it up offensively and his limitations defensively wouldn’t be such a liability. Obviously this is a big “if”, but damn there would be some excitement in Chi-town.
May 29th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
dank says:
i said this in a previous post and i’ll say it again: if kobe gets traded from the lakers, i will lose all respect and interest for the game of basketball. my life will not be the same again. its not fun for me right now, or for any laker fan, to stomach the idea of a sunday night game at staples with no kobe. as a matter of fact, i havent even been to staples to watch kobe yet. but i want to, and i dont want to see him on the visiting bench.
besides, i disagree. i think no team has the pieces to trade for kobe. there is no one that matches up to him, so 4 players minimum to be offered by any team, and that means that whatever team kobe goes to, he would be the ONLY valuable player left on that team, so it would be useless unless you’re the GM who is trying to sell tickets. Kobe knows, he’s not gunna win anywhere else but LA. and if he wants to be like MJ, he should know by now, that when shaq was in LA, he was given free rides to the finals, now its time to show the world that without shaq, kobe can do it himself. MJ only had himself and his team mates, Kobe had himself and thats it. if the lakers make the right moves, he can win. and i dont think the lakers need garnett and oneal or anyone else for that matter. they just need healthy guys who know how to play ball.
May 29th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
George says:
@ dank:
“if the lakers make the right moves, he can win. and i dont think the lakers need garnett and oneal or anyone else for that matter. they just need healthy guys who know how to play ball.”
WTF are you talking about?! They don’t need KG or Shaq or anybody else for that matter, but if they make the right moves, they can win?! So, without acquiring any new players, what are the “right moves” the Lakers have to make?! They just need “healthy guys that know how to play ball?” Everybody in the NBA knows how to “play ball” to some degree! And, even if their current roster could stay healthy for the entire season they still wouldn’t make much noise in the West. Clearly, the Lakers have to make some big moves to be contenders.
May 29th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Kianoosh says:
first the fat boys break up, now this…
actually, it wouldn’t shock me to see kobe get traded. If AI can get traded, and I seriously believed he would be the one playa who could pull off playing in one city his whole career, then anyone can get traded.
Who’s left among the top tier superstars in the NBA that can never get traded from their original team (yes i remember kobe getting traded originally to LA, but he’s only played for LA)? who’s left? Duncan? …. crickets… who else? Melo and Wade? they’ll get traded eventually. That “something” that made Magic and Bird great, individually, as competitors, and as part of Boston vs LA, isn’t there anymore.
May 29th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Andrew says:
Ditto that.
Kobe is not being traded anywhere. He is the Lakers + he is the most marketable basketball player in the world (they sell more Kobe jerseys in China than Yao jerseys).
Aside from the business case, there isn’t another player available (key word “available” -Dwight? not available, Oden? not available) who you would trade for him.
May 30th, 2007 at 8:53 am
jay says:
this sounds all fine and dandy…and yeah, i could see kobe rock a bulls jersey but you forgot one very important point which is non-hoops related..after his stunt in 2003….nessa calls the shots on where if anywhere they go….she is a so cal girl from huntington beach and no way is she going to a winter in chi-town…if he goes anywhere it is down the hall to the clip joint..a more logical solution would be the lakers bring in kg with a trade or jo as a free agent..end this and you have kobe, odem and jo with guys like luke and see what you can do! that is my gut…sorry!
May 30th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Gary says:
I am a huge Laker fan and would hate to see Kobe go, but I don’t think the idea is very far fetched. The Bulls, Clippers and Suns all have the parts to put a decent trade together. I am not against the Lakers trading Kobe for some young talent (Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas, Luol Deng, Elton Brand); especially if we can acquire some draft picks and maybe dump Kwame in the process. Kwame’s expiring contract will spark a lot of interest in NBA GMs.
Here are a couple of trades I wouldn’t mind….not sure if the salaries work out.
With the Bulls
Kobe Bryant and Kwame Brown
for
Ben Wallace, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas, and some other player (with an expiring contract) to make the salaries work.
That would give the Lakers this starting lineup
PG - Jordan Farmar (or hopefully whoever we bring in to play this spot.
SG - Ben Gordon
SF - Lamar Odom
PF - Tyrus Thomas
C - Ben Wallace
Bench - Luke Walton, Andrew Bynum, Vladimir Radmonovic, Rony Turiaf, Maurice Evans, Brian Cook, and Sasha Vujacic.
Trade to the Clippers:
Kobe Bryant
for
Elton Brand and Corey Maggette
If we don’t trade Kobe, we definitely need to make some moves. Our current roster is NOT enough to compete in the West and definitely will NEVER win a championship for the Lakers.
KG would be the perfect fit for the Lakers. Would you do this trade? I am not sure Minnesota would.
Kevin Garnett
for
Kwame Brown, Andrew Bynum