12/21/24
May 30, 2007
Kobe Bryant Demands Trade: "I would like to be traded, yeah," Bryant said on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York. "Tough as it is to come to that conclusion there's no other alternative, you know?"
posted by justgary to basketball at 01:03 PM - 56 comments
I heard the interview Kobe Bryant had with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN Radio and I must say, it's going to be a very interesting offseason for the Lakers. I would love to see who the highest bidders will be. From the sound of it, he is done with the Lakers as a whole and just wants to move on to another team. One that'll provide him with decent enough talent that at least he'll have a chance to win another championship.
posted by BornIcon at 01:26 PM on May 30, 2007
They were talking about trade scenarios on Mike & Mike yesterday morning. They had some "trade generator" type of thing spitting out possibilities. The "rumor" that engendered the most discussion was Kobe for Nowitzki straight up.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 01:32 PM on May 30, 2007
The "rumor" that engendered the most discussion was Kobe for Nowitzki straight up Yeah, I was hearing that too. It was an actual program where they can determine money-wise what would be the best case trade scenerio and that's where the Kobe for Dirk trade came from. That'll never happen though. If anything, let's say Kobe is traded, it'll more than likely be to the east. A Dwayne Wade for Kobe trade was brought up as well to reunite Kobe with Shaq but likely that won't happen.....but you never know.
posted by BornIcon at 01:51 PM on May 30, 2007
Lot of talk up here in Seattle. It makes sense from Seattle's standpoint because the team desperately needs to generate some excitement to even stay here. Plus we have the #2 pick and Rashard Lewis is opting out of his deal. I think Seattle may be too small of a pond for Kobe but then again only Chicago, LA, and New York might be big enough ponds to contain him. Mostly it's wishful thinking up here, which is apt to happen when your team is short-timing and you back into a high draft pick.
posted by vito90 at 01:52 PM on May 30, 2007
Kobe Bryant of the Issaquah Supersonics. Has a nice ring to it.
posted by THX-1138 at 02:02 PM on May 30, 2007
Kobe is going to lose the only fans that appreciate his talent. He is right though, the Lakers haven't been shit since Jerry West left. Fuck Shaq. Also, it's obvious that it wasn't directly Kobe's fault that Shaq was traded, but indirectly it was. By him shopping around for a new team, instead of signing with LA in the first place, he put Management in a position that they couldn't afford to give both of them long-term deals. So they decided it was better to keep the guy that was just reaching his prime instead of the guy that was well past his. There is no way in hell that the Lakers will get fair trade value. I was thinking that someone would have to trade their #1 or #2 pick but then again, I doubt the Lakers would trade Kobe to a Western Conference opponent, and definately not one in the same division. I wouldn't be too sad if we got the #2 pick, Rashard Lewis and Luke Ridinour for Kobe. Nowitzki is good but he ain't 1/2 the man Kobe is (on the court). It would have to be Nowitzki and Terry. This shit is killing me to even have to think about...
posted by yay-yo at 02:03 PM on May 30, 2007
Someone hide the sharp objects from yay-yo.
posted by tommybiden at 02:27 PM on May 30, 2007
My bet is on Kobe to New Jersey for Jason Kidd and a Number 1. Best trade would be Kobe to Denver for AI straight up. Kobe returns to Denver! Won't happen.
posted by graymatters at 02:34 PM on May 30, 2007
The following is from an SI online article: Bryant, the NBA's leading scorer the past two seasons, said he spoke with Phil Jackson on Tuesday, and the coach told him he was being let go because the Lakers were committed to reducing payroll and rebuilding long term. Does this mean Phil Jackson is gone as well?
posted by cjets at 02:50 PM on May 30, 2007
ya ya ya he is good. But he is like the T.O of the NBA. He will go to the highest bidder and I bet he still wont win a ring.
posted by ogt92 at 02:52 PM on May 30, 2007
Here in Big D everybody is gaga about a Nowitzky Bryant deal. On paper last year their records are pretty close, but some how I don't see the Lakers trading Kobe straight up for Dirk. Kobe is arguably the best player in the NBA.Dirk is on the next tier.
posted by sickleguy at 03:01 PM on May 30, 2007
ya ya ya he is good. But he is like the T.O of the NBA. He will go to the highest bidder and I bet he still wont win a ring. He already has three. I think you probably meant to say he won't win another ring.
posted by tommybiden at 03:03 PM on May 30, 2007
I say WASH, NY, or maybe CHI. However, I think NJ (Brooklyn) will get him. He is out. I live in L.A. Phil might stay, but odds are he's out. Seattle is a small pond, but he is going to KC actually, which is a little bigger. NJ is tied to a very large area and Brooklyn is as well.
posted by Joe188 at 03:11 PM on May 30, 2007
This is the trade machine link to espn.com if anyone was lookng for it. I bet its getting a lot of hits right now...
posted by Hornsfan817 at 03:13 PM on May 30, 2007
Naaa I don't think the Bulls would take Kobe. He wouldn't fit in the Bulls style of play. They really don't need a one man team. Plus they would probably have to give up one or two of the "Core four" which would destroy the teams foundation.
posted by TelamarketersBeware at 03:27 PM on May 30, 2007
Oh, the link I posted is in the article isn't it? I should read these things first instead of skimming them. I'm just so excited! This is better than the playoffs!
posted by Hornsfan817 at 03:33 PM on May 30, 2007
I suspect the Lakers will move Kobe for a lesser player and a pick, but at least there's some good news -- this time he let the other party involved know before he stuck it up their ass.
posted by wfrazerjr at 03:43 PM on May 30, 2007
Kobe to Toronto for Chris Bosh, a Number 1, Anthony Parker and my girlfriend. (C'mon honey, you like the Raptors. Don't you want to see them do well?)
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 04:28 PM on May 30, 2007
Here's my prediction; Kobe to New Jersey for Jason Kidd. The Nets move to Brooklyn, Kobe becomes a Hasidic Jew and refuses to play on Sundays.
posted by MGDADDYO at 04:56 PM on May 30, 2007
As a born and bred Philly phan would love to see him return home. For who? ugh....I also like daddyo's and weedy's scenarios.
posted by GoBirds at 05:23 PM on May 30, 2007
The Nets move to Brooklyn, Kobe becomes a Hasidic Jew and refuses to play on Sundays. wrong day of the week, daddyo.
posted by goddam at 05:28 PM on May 30, 2007
I guess I'm rotting in Hell
posted by MGDADDYO at 05:49 PM on May 30, 2007
Kobe comes to Cleveland. NBA finals tickets on sale for the next four years.
posted by fourthreeforty at 05:51 PM on May 30, 2007
On LA radio talk show this morning Kobe told Vic the brick that he didn't want to be traded out of LA and that the Laker management was in a long term rebuilding program. He mentioned to Vic that it would have been nice to know about the long term program but said that he had talked to Jackson earlier and that he had told them that they were looking into something right now. Talk about bullshit, where in the hell does Bryant think he is the one running the team....Shaq is and was an ass slow, couldn't shoot, and doesn't rebound anywhere near his abilities. If the Lakers are stupid enough to get rid of their young talent then everything that they have worked for will go up in smoke. Like the Shaq trade that netted them nothing will basicly tell the fans money is the bottom line...... Bryant to New Jersey for Kidd you got to be kidding me....For whatever reason Bryant will be a hard sell to any team because of his rep and the fact that it looks from the outside in that he wants to run the show...He just signed a multi year contract and if Buss has any brains tell him to shut up and play basketball and bring back Jerry West to run the company...
posted by The Old Man at 05:54 PM on May 30, 2007
You have to admit, it would be great to hear Marv Albert call it; "Here he comes, Kobe with the curls, YEESSS!! Hasidum, but I don't believe um!!"
posted by MGDADDYO at 05:54 PM on May 30, 2007
I like Weedy's scenario except replace Anthony Parker with Peter Parker, have Kobe get bit by the radioactive spider, and then he becomes the web-slinging wall-crawler that rains the threes on all the Hasidic Jews who attend Matisyahu concerts on Saturdays. Or send him to Seattle for Lewis, Allen, and a Starbucks franchise.
posted by THX-1138 at 05:57 PM on May 30, 2007
...and a Starbucks franchise. There's already plenty of those in L.A.
posted by purp at 06:23 PM on May 30, 2007
Ok, Ivars then.
posted by THX-1138 at 06:27 PM on May 30, 2007
They might have to offer the Starbucks to Bryant in lieu of his signing bonus or trade clause, whatever it's called.
posted by purp at 06:32 PM on May 30, 2007
A local TV station here in L.A. is running an online poll right now titled "Kobe wants to leave--do you care?"................In other words, Kobe, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. Old Doc Buss is too busy losing money at the poker tables and getting nabbed for DUI with his twenty-something starlets at his side to even notice that his once-prized team is about to become the new Boston Celtics. But that's life in L.A. Plenty of other things to see and do, life will go on and soon no one here will even care. Don't believe me? Ask Al Davis.
posted by eccsport78 at 07:41 PM on May 30, 2007
A local TV station here in L.A. is running an online poll right now titled "Kobe wants to leave--do you care?"................In other words, Kobe, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. Guessing by people's willingness to partake in the poll and the media attention the issue has gotten, I'd say yes, people do care! I'm not much of a Kobe fan, but without him, the Lakers wouldn't have even sniffed the playoffs the last 3 years. Love or hate him, the man can straight-up ball and will be a major asset to a team out there.
posted by jmd82 at 08:54 PM on May 30, 2007
Stop the presses: Lakers' Bryant backs off trade demand.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 09:15 PM on May 30, 2007
On LA radio talk show this morning Kobe told Vic the brick that he didn't want to be traded out of LA That's probably because Vic was sobbing uncontrollably and threatening to end it all. His beloved Yankees struggling and now "Ocho" has said he wants out of LA? I only wish I was still in California so I could hear that clown blubber about his woes every day. Ah, schadenfreude.
posted by Venicemenace at 12:38 AM on May 31, 2007
Here's my prediction; Kobe to New Jersey for Jason Kidd. The Nets move to Brooklyn, Kobe becomes a Hasidic Jew and refuses to play on Sundays. So does that mean he'll be with Shawn Green of the Mets at Temple? Hey Kobe! Can you please pass me the baklava.
posted by BornIcon at 07:46 AM on May 31, 2007
Trade demands? How about if they don't trade him? He is under contract and they have no obligation to meet his trade 'demand'. Ok, I hope the Kings are offering Ron Artest and the number ten pick. Just sayin'
posted by geekyguy at 09:11 AM on May 31, 2007
No doubt Kobe is a good basketball player. However, his ego holds him back from greatness. Even now while the playoffs are going on without him, he feels he needs the spotlight so he comes out and makes ridiculous statements. First, he wants to be traded because everyone blames him for wanting Shaq gone. Shaq has been gone for a few years now and has won a championship without Kobe. So why is Kobe going back to that now as a reason he wants traded? Makes no sense. Oh wait, Kobe doesn't really want to be traded. He's said the whole front office is messed up, but now he wants to stay for his whole career. Kobe, figure out why you're not winning championships, it could be that YOU are not the only person on the team. Kobe wasn't happy winning championships w/ Shaq because the whole spotlight wasn't on him. Kobe, sit back and enjoy the playoffs on your HDTV and enjoy the view, you'll be there awhile!!!
posted by Familyman at 09:49 AM on May 31, 2007
No doubt Kobe is a good basketball player. However, his ego holds him back from greatness. Ummm...? Excuse me but correct me if I'm wrong here. I could've sworn that Kobe Bryant is in fact the best player in the NBA right now, no? Didn't he win 3 rings? Isn't he the one that is in 2nd place for having the highest, single game points with 81? Those things and the fact that he's only 29 and has many more great years in front of him, that doesn't make him great? Damn! What else does the man need to do? Climb Mt. Everest? Meet the Dhali Llama? I mean, the kid is just incredible and is one of the greatest of all time.....but not THE greatest. We all know who that is, now don't we? MJ anyone?
posted by BornIcon at 01:07 PM on May 31, 2007
We all know who that is, now don't we? Oscar Robertson.
posted by tommybiden at 01:13 PM on May 31, 2007
MJ anyone? MJ has six rings, was a better defensive player, and was a less selfish player. So no.
posted by kirkaracha at 01:26 PM on May 31, 2007
Theres no way Kobe is getting traded. The Lakers can't get enough value in return for Kobe, and if he did get traded the team he went to would be worse than the Lakers cuz they'd have to give up everyone they had to get him.
posted by Grndizzle at 02:55 PM on May 31, 2007
No MJ wasn't a better defensive player they just let him get away with more because according to the league at the time he was the NBA..But that is just one's opinion..If you think Jordan didn't get away with more than look at some of the highlight films of him pushing people out of the way to go to the basket, steal the ball and in one of the best examples showing Jordan push the player in front of him to the side and then shoot the winning basket. Rings don't mean crap if the teams you played against weren't some of the best but lets' not get in that disagreement....Bryant is a overpaid, self-centered, ego loving player, no question he is the best in the NBA night in and night out but if BUSS had any kind of balls he would tell him to shutup and do what he does best play basketball and stop crying about this or that. Yes, he is right about alot of it, the refs this year were the worst and missed a lot of call for whatever reason, but he should have been to the line at least 500 more times. We watched games this year with him doing things that only Elgin Baylor was doing in the 60's and most of the time the refs let him get beat up and didn't call the foul or called the wrong foul. To say do this or I want to be traded is the action of a child along the lines of if you don't do this I will take my ball home.....
posted by The Old Man at 02:58 PM on May 31, 2007
MJ anyone? MJ has six rings, was a better defensive player, and was a less selfish player. So no. More championships do not make someone a better player than another player. By this rational, Bill Wennington is a better player than Oscar Robertson. 3 rings to 1. Using the same logic, Bill Russell is almost twice as good as Michael, he won 11 championships to Michael's 6. Both Michael and Oscar were terrific defensive players. Statistically, while M.J. averaged 30.1 pts to 25.7 for O.R., Oscar averaged 7.5 assists compared to 5.3 for M.J. and averaged 7.5 rebounds to M.J.'s 6.2. Whether a player is selfish or not is subjective, though . We'll just have to agree to disagree. Neither player has to take a back seat to anyone.
posted by tommybiden at 03:23 PM on May 31, 2007
What else does the man need to do? Well for my money, sling webs and climb buildings. And defeat bad-guys.
posted by THX-1138 at 03:34 PM on May 31, 2007
BornIcon, what he has to do is shut up, play better defense and be a part of the team. He won championships with Shaq in his prime. Great Players don't just run up their point totals. Kobe is not "in fact" the best player in the NBA. There could be others who could claim that title, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Dwayne Wade just to name a few.
posted by Familyman at 04:10 PM on May 31, 2007
Hey, I'll take Kobe in Houston now that we have a new coach!! Although we'd have to give up the whole team to get him. Wouldn't mind seeing Yao go but the organization makes too much money off of him. Why does everyone come down on Kobe's attitude/ego? Does anyone know him personally? Come on, he is one of the greatest players of all time - why is it so hard for y'all to accept? Maybe if he had talented teammates he wouldn't have to carry the whole show. This will be very interesting to see! And everyone needs to get over the whole Shaq thing--who cares!? One more thing- Nowitzki as MVP? Whatever!!
posted by redrowdy67 at 04:42 PM on May 31, 2007
Did you see SportsGuys take? (Of course you did.) I want to see that Phoenix Lineup. I really do. It'll never happen.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:10 PM on May 31, 2007
Paying attention to Kobe in the hour of LeBron James. Bryant will have to be satisfied with that. The Lakers will not trade him. I wonder how Stephen A. Smith feels about Kobe just now.
posted by Newbie Walker at 04:02 AM on June 01, 2007
Near as I can tell, Stephen A. posted just before you.
posted by yerfatma at 05:50 AM on June 01, 2007
Kobe is the best player in the NBA, and with a guy in the middle like Shaq unstoppable. He would be even better if his big head didn't slow him down so much. The Lakers snatched him up as a kid and won't let him go. He will cry until his contract is up. Shaq was the better cornerstone of a team. Kobe is just a highlight reel without support or the desire to contribute on a team level. Its all about Kobe. I'd take Magic Johnson in his prime anyday. Best all around ball player ever. Made everybody around him look great. Kobe just makes Kobe look good. All this coming from a discusted Laker fan.
posted by Atheist at 10:26 AM on June 01, 2007
The problem with these who the best player arguments is that everyone argues for their choice based on different criteria. Maybe we should decide what are the most important criteria are before we have at it, b/c if not we are simply talking past each other. For example, i highly value the intangibles, like the ability to make your team better, your desire to win, and one's ability to lead. For me this is why MJ gets the nod over Kobe for me. While both have the same obsessive, insatiable desire to win, MJ was a tremendous leader and definitely made his teammates better. I just don't see this with Kobe. I think that this is where MJ's 6 rings to Kobe's 3 comes into play. While the rings don't automatically mean Jordan was better (this point has been established above), it does provide some solid evidence that MJ was in fact someone who made his teammates better and who was their leader (see the two year Jordanless Bulls inbetween the threepeats). Kobe's lack of a ring since Shaq has left, where Kobe has been the clear "leader" communicates something i think, like how the Bulls weren't able to win with Pippen at the helm. Obviously this could change, Kobe could develop into an amazing leader, but we're arguing today and not in the distant future. So what is everyone else criteria?
posted by brainofdtrain at 10:27 AM on June 01, 2007
I'm in agreement with you, especially since the goal of every team that plays in the NBA is to win a championship. You hear players all the time saying a MVP award or an All-Star appearance is nice but the only thing that really matters is a championship. Teams don't draft players so they can win scoring titles, they draft them so the team can win a championship. I believe that until a player wins a title they cannot be truely considered as the best player in the NBA. Though after last night I will admit LeBron James is fucking amazing.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 10:38 AM on June 01, 2007
My criteria changes regularly. I like the criteria "if you were starting a team right now, who would be chosen first, second, etc." If at any point in your career, you weren't first, then you can't be the best ever. In terms of measurables, I don't know how you can compare perimeter players and post players.
posted by bperk at 10:48 AM on June 01, 2007
That's a great point YYM. While we all argue about what makes a player great, let's listen to what the actual players value. This isn't another much-maligned appeal to authority (although i think that to reduce the only way to know information to logical reason is untenable). It doesn't establish as fact (like an appeal to authority would attempt to do) that championships matter in considering great players, but it is a piece of evidence that adds to my argument that championships matter. If you play to win the game (thanks herm), then why wouldn't the fact that some have won more than others be taken in conjunction with intangibles and statistics to build a cumulative case for the best player? I think that this is how we can best discern who is great. I think that if all of these factors are allowed to come into play, Jordan at the very least belongs in the elite class of all time greats, if not the greatest ever. However, at this point i don't see Kobe in the same light. He is a great player, a Hall of Famer for sure, but even among HoF some rise to the top, and he isn't one yet.
posted by brainofdtrain at 11:39 AM on June 01, 2007
Great Players don't just run up their point totals So why is Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point game considered to be the greatest, single game production by one player? One doesn't accumalate 100 points in a single game if you don't 'run up their point total.' So what is everyone else criteria? I'll still take MJ. I'm not going to base my decision on the fact that MJ has 6 rings but more for him being able to elevate even the most obscure player and put them in a spot to excel (i.e. John Paxson, Steve Kerr, BJ Armstrong, ect..) and still continue to dominate a game.
posted by BornIcon at 12:32 PM on June 01, 2007
I'd take Tim Duncan over Kobe Bryant any day. Kobe is the best perimeter talent in the league but he lets his emotions get the best of him on and off the court. Have you ever heard of anyone on the Spurs in legal troubles or having locker room troubles???? Thats because San Antonio is the most respectable franchise in all of sports.
posted by Grndizzle at 05:08 PM on June 01, 2007
I can't tell if his gripe is legitimate or if he is having a temper tantrum because someone in the organization blamed him for the Shaq trade. How would the Lakers get equal value for Kobe? They need to throw lots of money at West and see if he can come in as a consultant to make Kobe happy.