Knicks Should Give Kitchen Sink to Land Kobe

How long do you think it took Isiah Thomas to telephone Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak after hearing that Kobe Bryant told ESPN-Radio in New York that he wants to be traded?



Or maybe Isiah’s first call was to Magic Johnson to ask his old friend to convince Lakers owner Jerry Buss to send Kobe to Madison Square Garden. Isiah has to do everything he can to try and land Kobe, who I still believe is the best player in the league.

A lot still has to happen before the Lakers even considering dealing Kobe. Buss has already said that Kobe is a Laker for life and since Kobe is still under contract for two more seasons, Los Angeles doesn’t have to trade him. There is plenty of time for reconciliation.

Kobe sounded resigned to the fact that his days with the Lakers are numbered but what if the team convinces him that they are in the market for Kevin Garnett? I get the feeling that Kobe, who is beloved in L.A., could still have a change of heart.

If the Lakers decide that enough is enough, they will have plenty of suitors, particularly in the Eastern Conference. Every team in the Atlantic Division – New York, New Jersey, Boston, Toronto and Philadelphia – would be in the running. (Don’t you wish the Knicks had a high lottery pick now?)

Atlanta, Chicago, Orlando and Charlotte would make plenty of sense as well. If I’m the Rockets I’d offer McGrady and anyone else other than Yao Ming for Kobe but I believe it’s unlikely that the Lakers would want to trade their best player to a team in the West.

I’d have to think that the Knicks would be willing to give up anyone on their roster – including Eddy Curry – to get Kobe. Thomas would try to throw in someone like Steve Francis but that’s not going to get it done. It wouldn’t hurt to have a high lottery pick and young players, which is why Atlanta and Chicago could be serious players.

Posted by TrueBlue:

dj with him coming otu saying this Lakers aren't in the hunt anymore to get any big chipper out there. What's the incentive for other teams to give their pieces away when Kobe wants out?

This has only 2 endings PERIOD. Buss doesn't buckle under pressure and waits till the storm settles some or they move quickly on trading KOME.

During the interview he said there's nothing they can say and of the 2 main reasons he wants a trade 1 of them has to deal with Trust. So why would Kome trust them that they could land K.G., J.O., ect etc

if i'm the lakers, there's no way i trade kobe. and i make a big time move packaging odom + bynum.

Wow this is nuts. I would trade anyone and everyone on this roster to get Kobe to the Knicks. If I had my druthers, we'd hold on to Lee and let him be the guy who cleans up underneath for Kobe. I think the most likely deal from a Laker standpoint is: Curry/Crawford/Frye or Lee

I'd do it in a heartbeat.

I don't see us going anywhere with Kobe if we trade both Curry and Frye. We would be all perimeter.

On the other hand, I don't think keeping Curry would be imperative. In a scenario where Curry goes but Frye stays, Frye could re-inherent the blocks and be a pretty nice second option on the post.

From what I'm hearing, Kobe is already backtracking......Said West would help and he needs to talk to Phil etc. He aint getting traded!

hearnig Kobe on SAS it sounds very concrete. Hes going

Posted by bigbeast:

From what I'm hearing, Kobe is already backtracking......Said West would help and he needs to talk to Phil etc. He aint getting traded!

either you are a day behind or something.

Yeah, I heard him talk too. He did not flinch and sounded very serious. Where is that report coming from that he's backtracking?

For what it's worth, I think we need to keep as a minimum:
- one of Frye or Curry, preferably Curry
- one of DLee or Balkman, preferably DLee
- Mardy Collins

The rest of the current roster I would make available in any combination. And if we keep the pick, draft Marco Belinelli as a designated sharpshooter. All the best teams inteh league have EUrope-trained players on their rosters,and there is a reason for that.