TripleThreat wrote:NardDogNation wrote:The Lakers have looked positively putrid in the preseason and I suspect that this won't change when the regular season starts. They lack any real kind of identity and can't seem to get any kind of rhythm on either side of the court. I think that it's only a matter of time before the Kobe rumors start but I wonder how serious they'd be. Would Kobe want to change teams this late in his career? Could he handle not being "the man"? And more importantly, how well a fit would he be with Melo? What would a potential deal look like? Should we even entertain including Tim Hardaway Jr in the discussions? Discuss...
The Lakers, like the Knicks, have to support a TV network. Kobe is their featured player and there is an implied marketing value to having Bryant break Jabbar's scoring record in a Lakers jersey.
For the Lakers and Knicks to pull off this kind of trade, it would be like two GMs playing a game of chicken to see who would get fired first ( both would get fired)
In order to get salaries matching, you'd need to move STAT. He has ZERO TRADE VALUE except for the rumored Philly deal to work around the salary floor requirement. The Lakers already have a glut at power forward. Also their top pick, Julius Randle, can only play PF, he has zero ability to shift over to center. They picked up Boozer in amnesty. Unless Kupchak is collecting power forwards like Hot Wheel cars, I don't see it happening.
Besides that, Bryant chasing the Jabbar record means he will be an offensive black hole, even moreso than he has been before. Once you pass him the ball, that's it, no one will ever get it back again. His shot selection is even worse than Melo's. He gives a flying **** about defense even less than Melo. He's coming off a major injury and he's on the wrong side of 30. He's also known to use the media to attack other team mates and trash his franchise/coach/host city. With the rabid NY media, do you want a chucking selfish rapist to poison guys like Early, Larkin, etc like that?
Do you think Fisher wants him? The Lakers traded Fisher and dumped him. You see his best bud Kobe fight hard to keep him? You think Zen Master wants a repeat of a guy subject to TWO BOOKS where he said the guy was pretty much uncoachable.
Kobe Bryant is like a woman who was once a hot chick who is now broken down, fat, got a bunch of stray kids, has bad credit, is bleached out and pumped out, but still wants a good looking rich husband who will treat her like a princess.
Bryant attacks his team mates in public. You have to be a true **** to do some sad pathetic anti team horse**** like that.
Zero basketball value.
Zero value as basically a human being and team leader
Zero fit for a practical trade considering "assets"
Zero incentive for the GM and coach in place, with a history with the guy, to want to deal with him again
Zero incentive by his existing team to jettison the marketing value left in him in a Lakers jersey, despite all his drawbacks
If you shoot 9-36 while freezing out your team mates and then blame them later for losing by 25, but it pumps up your stats and that's enough for you, then you are a **** of a player.
That's the long form version of NEVER.