Shaq or Kobe...who to keep??

by **MVP** on Fri Oct 31, 2003 12:28 pm

Assuming Shaq and Kobe are unable to co-exist....and you are the owner of the Lakers (Jerry Buss)...

Would you rather let Kobe opt out of his contract and look forward to a future around Kobe or would you trade Shaq?

If you keep Kobe you will have a good base to build around for the future. If you let Kobe go and trade keep Shaq you may have a uncertain future...as Shaq is in his 30's and he has a history of foot problems.

In my opinion I would keep try and keep Kobe and trade Shaq.

What are your thoughts?

by **Shep** on Fri Oct 31, 2003 12:39 pm

keep shaq. why? because he is better, more valuable, more dominant.

YouTube · by **Andrew** on Fri Oct 31, 2003 12:53 pm

Tough choice. As good as Kobe is, he's still easier to replace than Shaq. With the Lakers' current team, you could probably slot someone like T-Mac or Vince in Kobe's spot and still dominate, even if they aren't at Kobe's level. But as you mentioned, Shaq is over 30 and is bothered by foot injuries. If Shaq loses his mobility, he won't be nearly as dominant.

I would be firm with these two athletes. I would stress to them the important of team play, getting along, and keeping egos in check. I'd point out what could be achieved if the two players can co-exist.

If the conflict couldn't be resolved...I'm not sure. Kobe seems to want out anyway, while Shaq is more likely to stick around. But Kobe will be around longer, and he isn't bothered by injuries. Kobe seems more like the leader I'd want for my team (I'm not a fan of Shaq's comments, now or any other time during his career), but he's also got a lawsuit hanging over him that might (in the worst case scenario) end his career prematurely. And as already stated, Shaq is more difficult to replace.

I think I'll have to wait and see how Shaq plays this season, and what else transpires both on the court and with this whole Shaq/Kobe conflict. Right now, I couldn't make that choice.

by **MVP** on Fri Oct 31, 2003 1:09 pm

True, Shaq is more dominant at his position than Kobe is at his. On the other hand, Kobe has not reached his peak yet...he's still got potential to go further. Kobe's game is still evolving as he gets older...if his legal woes go away.

by **MC Hao** on Fri Oct 31, 2003 1:57 pm

i say get rid of both babies and promote Jannero Pargo and Luke Walton as their new franchise players. (Y)

by . on Fri Oct 31, 2003 6:21 pm

If I would be the GM, I wouldnt touch Shaq till his contract expires, but if I had to choose I would go with Kobe....why? because if he resigns with LA, he will be the future for a long time, Shaq has passed his prime already and he will not improve anymore. Meanwhile many say that Kobe is getting better and better

by **paul_pierce_the_truth** on Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:26 pm

http://www.kobetimes.com/kobevideo.htm

This is some video of a graphics thing made of a Kobe Rap about the case.

Look around the site, it has fake pictures of the victim's head from an above photo pasted to fan photos with Kobe, I don't know if anything from the site is real.

http://www.kobetimes.com

by **Amphatoast** on Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:56 pm

i think i'd have to keep shaq...there isn't many good big men that can replace shaq, but there are players that can come close to replacing kobe and finding a shooting guard isn't as hard as finding a big man these days.

by **Nel** on Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:58 pm

I'd pick kobe. He's young and can surpass the play of MJ. Shaq is full of talk and has not shown the interest to win ballgames anymore.

by **air gordon** on Sat Nov 01, 2003 6:46 am

shaq. a less then 100% healthy/interested shaq almost got the lakers to the finals championship. now that he's both...

also i think you can get more value back if you were to trade the adulterer because of his age. also i think GM's are more likely to take a gamble and possibly overtrade for him as well

by **Fresh8** on Sat Nov 01, 2003 10:31 am

Ok...say if you were to trade one of them...who would you get in return?

For Kobe...trading him for T-mac seems fair and it may happen....
Wat bout Shaq...who would you trade him for? there IS no OTHER 'shaq' in the league...don't get me wrong...there are good centers but none of them are as good/dominant as Shaq...who would the Lakers get?

I think that I would wait and see how the season progresses and what happens to Kobe wit his Legal matters. Shaq is old and Kobe is young but Kobe is in trouble with the law (at the moment) and Shaq is a free man right now who is playing without needing to worry about other things....i would wait and not rush things...maybe it will all end up fine!

by **Jackal** on Sat Nov 01, 2003 10:57 am

Shaq, why? simple, who can stop him? Yeah, keep thinking bout it. :doh:

by **Charlie Martel** on Sat Nov 01, 2003 7:06 pm

If I was looking for short-time success I'd choose Shaq. But since I mostly look for long-term benefits I'd choose Kobe.

by **Boyk** on Sat Nov 01, 2003 10:41 pm

Psycho Jackal wrote:Shaq, why? simple, who can stop him? Yeah, keep thinking bout it.

lol Dikembe Mutumbo according to some people lol.
i still laugh when i hear it :lol:

I'd go with kobe, hes the better scorer(coming from last year) better clutch player and better all-round. Also at the age of 25 hes got more of a future than big shaq.
The reason y sum would stay with sahq is coz hes prolly the most Valuable player in the NBA.
Theres no other centre as good.

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