LOS ANGELES LAKERS BASKETBALL TEAM

By Tim Brown, Times Staff Writer


SAN ANTONIO — A free, unencumbered, really free Kobe Bryant would draw a crowd of NBA general managers come July 1; the speculation already is lined up around the block.

Add the San Antonio Spurs, who could clear perhaps $12 million in salary-cap space next summer, to the potential suitors, assuming Bryant opts out of his Laker contract — as he says he will — and then goes franchise hunting.

A San Antonio Express News columnist, under a front-page tease that said, the "Spurs want Kobe," outlined the chain of events that could lead the Spurs to sign Bryant. The Clippers, Memphis, Miami and Chicago, among others, are believed to have the interest, cap room or trade potential to try to land Bryant, assuming he'd give any of them a sniff as a free agent.

A few people close to Bryant predict some scenario will arise — in free agency or by trade — that would have Bryant play for the New York Knicks, which would give Bryant his large market and his on-court freedom.

According to a report in Orlando, Magic management has said it would not consider trading for or signing Bryant because of lingering character doubts.

Laker owner Jerry Buss said Sunday that he would not trade Bryant and that he believed Bryant would re-sign with the club, declarations that have not slowed the speculation even slightly.

After Thursday's shoot-around, Bryant smiled at the mention of the Spurs' interest.

"I saw that this morning in the paper," he said. "It was interesting. I don't really have any comment about it, either way. I don't really think about that stuff till the end of the season."

Assuming his legal difficulties have been settled, Bryant would be the most attractive free agent in a field that would include Antonio McDyess, Steve Nash and Rasheed Wallace.
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Well, that looks like something to maybe look foward to. I can only hope

Can't imagine how we'd land Kobe, given that we've already got the highest payroll in the league, but I'd give up anything we need to -- including picks and team ownership -- to get him. If Layden could pull that off, he'd be forgiven all his prior sins.

Kobe's still the player I'd look to first to build a roster around (Shaq if I were looking short-term). Funny how he seemed to take more heat than Shaq for their blowup. Far as I can see, they each upped the tension with each response.

Kobe's got MJ-like talent and drive. He'd be super motivated on his own team. I don't care if he doesn't like to ride the bus with the other guys. I don't care if he doesn't want to kiss up to Shaq. I care if he's a rapist, but he's still innocent til proven guilty in my book.

HOUSTON & KT for KOBE & DEVAN GEORGE..... thats how the proposal stated the trade would go down !!

H20 on that team would be fundamentally very sound. Best backcourt in the NBA. Kobe is amazing, but very selfish.

Kobe is isolating himself from everybody, he parents, agent, teamates, management, an owner whom loves him, and im sure his wife can't be too thrilled with him.

Maybe kobe's offended because nobody is giving him enough love, but "the love you get is equal to the love you make".

Could be nobody really in love with Kobe, except his sponsers......They are fleeing.

What are we now? We're one very good healthy overpaid player and one very good injured player, surrounded by a lot of good, mediocre and downright lousy players. Not one of the guys on the team is a great value for what we're paying them. So no one's untouchable.

There are a lot of guys who are maxed out, but only a few superstars who are clearly worth it. Kobe's one of them.

He may be moody and not the best teammate off the court. But he'll hit the open man on the court ... especially if he's on a team that's clearly his and he's in a position where to prove his greatness he has to show he can make others around him better. (He can't get credit for making Shaq, Malone, Payton better ... they're already seen as great.)

End of the day, I'd take Orlando's situation over the Knicks'. They get one more star and get the young guys to develop as role players and they have a chance to do something. What realistic scenario is there for the Knicks to have a real chance?