Kobe addresses media issue

[Isaiah]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-plaschke27may27,1,5437531.column?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers

Interesting column by Bill Plaschke of the LA Times.

[[Q]]

I think it might be to the point where it might turn out to be like Philly trading Iverson. if they get solid vets in return, the vets teaming with Lamar could get them into the next round.

Honestly, I didn't think Caron needed to go (especially for a "krummy" Brown) and him with Odom would've made a solid lineup without Kobe.

[Dean]

Doesnt Kobe have a no trade clause in his contract?

[grusom]

Doesnt Kobe have a no trade clause in his contract?

yup, so don't bother reading the article.

[shadowgrin]

No trade clause doesn't mean they can't trade Kobe. They can't trade him without his consent. If Kobe wants to be traded and the management wants to trade him, then that clause doesn't apply anymore.

[Dean]

Well that would contradict what the entire article is saying anyways.. The writer believes Kobe wants to be traded but wont say it to save face, agreeing to being traded would imply he wants to be traded.

[shadowgrin]

Implied consent is not explicit consent.

[Isaiah]

Doesnt Kobe have a no trade clause in his contract?

yup, so don't bother reading the article.

he has a no trade clause, but he has the right to waive it.

[Sauru]

i dont think trading kobe is the answer. like him or hate him he is the best player in the game today and you dont give that up. the lakers are not a terrible team like alot of people seem to think they are. if they could land the right player or 2 then they can easily compete for the title again. the fact that the lakers play in LA and have had past success is why i think people are so fast to jump on them and say how they suck.


BTW: agreeing to a trade is not even saying he wants to be traded, its just saying that he will allow the team to do what they feel is the best. he will have a say in where he goes but by no means is agreeing a way of saying he wants out.

[Cornerthree]

Well there were some serious talks about Jason Kidd goin' to L.A., but because Kuptchak didn't give up Bynum it was all over. But right before the season, they mentioned that now they'll be trading no matter what player(except Kobe), just to get what they want...

[Riot]

Trade him to Minnesota so he can pair up with KG.

[maes]

Riiight...because LA really wants Kupchak to pull another one of his brilliant moves, like trading all-star Caron Butler for Kwame, or signing a fabulous star like Radmanovic.

If this were to happen i'd imagine LA would get for Kobe, Theo Ratliff & Brian Scalabrine & a 1st round draft pick.

[Axel]

Plaschke is probably right. Especially on the notion that the West will be even harder next year with Portland and Seattle presumably on the rise. The Lakers may not even make the playoffs next year. I think New Orleans will be a playoff team if healthy, and with the rest of the top teams remaning consistent, the Lakers appear to be the ones pushed out of the top 8...

[Patr1ck]

Mark my words. Kobe won't be traded this coming offseason or next season. Many people are forgetting that the Laker unit was playing very well and it all messed up when some of their key players got injured.

[Sauru]

like i said, the lakers dont really have a problem like people keep saying. a couple key pieces and they are back in contention.

[Amphatoast]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/stor ... NHeadlines


no jerry west, kobe would want out...could be rumors but the west ain't easy

[1CenT]

Wow i just saw the article on ESPN, kobe wants out if West isn't in..

I think even if Jerry West isn't in, he'll play at least 1 more season with the lakers.. given that all basketball fans probably want to see him go sumwhere else other than Laker fans..

Lets see what can happen next season.

Best case scenario for LA, worst for others.
Full Roster

C - Kwame, Milm, Bynum
PF - Odom, Cook, Turiaf
SF - Walton, Radmanovic,
SG - Kobe, Sasha, Maurice Evans, Aaron Mckie
PG - Farmar, Smush, Shammond Williams


Lets predict their lineup.. in a best case scenario..

C - Kwame at full strength ( 12 points, 7 boards , 1.5 blocks)
get about 25-30 mins a game, plays some PF as well.
C - Bynum giving them 6th man minutes.. 20 minutes, productive per 40 minutes stats.. maybe like 8 points 5.5 boards and 1 block..
C - Milm can give them productive minutes as well..
PF - Odom in his prime, 22points, 9 boards, 5 assists,
PF - Cook giving them minutes here with good 3point shooting
PF - Also Kwame can play like 10 mins here as well

They have enough size upfront, i have to say their center/pf are kinda soft, Kwame is soft, Bynum is inexperienced.. Milm isn't that good, Odom isn't the biggest guy for a PF... Cook is soft.

However they do have size... and shooting from Cook and Odom... Should be able to hold the fort...

SF - Luke Walton, he seems like a hard worker, if he continues to improve, he can be a very solid role player... (13 points, 6 boards, 4 assists)
SF - Vladi, if he played like he was in Seattle, giving them nearly double digit points off the bench and good 3 point shooting, it'll be great
SF - Odom can play here depending on opponent.
SF - Maurice Evans is a nice athletic player here as well.

SG - Kobe - nuff said, he had like the same group for 3 years, should be able to play his best now.. (32 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists)
SG - back up by Sasha and Evans.. If Sasha can be like Palovic on the Cavs, he'll be great..

Main mins goes to Kobe.. they are really horrible after that, i don't think Mckie will play much...

PG - Farmar - if he continues to develop and play solid, like 6 points, 5 assists with some good def, they'll be "fine"
PG - Parker.... i think he might be better off with some scoring off the bench...

They are really weak here, maybe they will draft a PG... but i doubt it'll be anything good, given the fact that the triangle is hard to learn... and the pressure from playing in LA under Phil, beside Bryant.. it usually doesn't come so easily to find a PG that can handle everythign and be productive.. he wouldn't be picked in the late 20s range...

Given every1 stays healthy, they are are 50win team..... PG troubles will be okay as long as Kobe, Odom, Walton does the distributing...

They have some size upfront, if Milm, Kwame is healthy and Bynum plays well, they are fine as well..

Shooting of Farmar, Vladi, Sasha and Cook is critical...

If they win 47+ games.. i think Kobe won't think bout the trades anymore...

Also expect them to add a key veteran thru free agency, trade or a good player in the next 2 drafts...

However, i don't think they can win 1st round in the West...

We have about 5 teams in the west, that i would say is better than the Lakers...
Suns,
Spurs,
Dallas,
Rockets,
Jazz,

Also, Warriors, Nuggets are just as good as Lakers..
We also have up and coming Blazers(should be a top 6 team in 2 yeras time), Sonics(not yet, i think they are 2 years away from playoffs)...

I don't see Lakers beating Suns, Spurs or Dallas...
say 1 of the elite teams fall cuz of injury.. we still got quite a few teams definately a level beyond the best of the Lakers...

soo, lets hope Kobe gets traded to the East.. to the bulls or something lol...
Or put him on the Pistons, and pistons will be near invincible..

[LakersRule24]

Trade him to Minnesota so he can pair up with KG.

Or trade KG to LA.

[Gundy]

Trade him to Minnesota so he can pair up with KG.

Or trade KG to LA.

Or go suck Kobe's dick.

[Sauru]

tell the lakers we will send over the 5th pick for kobe straight up.

[Patr1ck]

tell the lakers we will send over the 5th pick for kobe straight up.

ahem....and Pierce, and then some....

Edit - Kobe has made it clear that in no way shape or form did he give the Lakers an ultimatum of 'Bring back West or trade me.' He wants the managment to improve the Laker team while he is in his prime.

[magius]

as long as the lakers build around kobe this team, its record, and success imo will remain utterly stagnant.

that said, i doubt he'll be traded because he is still a top 3 player in terms of individual talent, and you really can't get anything of fair value in return in the market today. but in the long run it does seem that they are just prolonging the inevitable lottery years, and mitch's foreseeable firing.

hindsight is a bitch, but like i said before, they should've kept shaq and traded kobe for some other wing player of comparable talents when they had a chance. oh well.

[Matt]

ahem....and Pierce, and then some....

Sebastian Telfair & Kandiman!!!

[shadowgrin]

they should've kept shaq and traded kobe for some other wing player of comparable talents when they had a chance

Or go cheap then and go for someone like a Dwyane Wade.

[Andrew]

I can't help but think Plaschke is reading a bit too much into Kobe's words, though he does have a point. Still, I'd be very surprised to see Kobe moved at this point, frustrated as he may be. That has little to do with the clause in his contract though; if he truly wants out or would welcome a move elsewhere then he's unlikely to veto a move he finds satisfactory.