hater
09-07-2011, 10:22 AM
http://www.hoopsworld.com/did-kobe-cost-the-lakers-garnett/
Was Kobe Bryant the reason the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t land Kevin Garnett?
Back in the summer of 2007 the Lakers were in disarray. Bryant fumed at owner Dr. Buss and General Manager Mitch Kupchak, declaring the team wasn’t willing to make the necessary moves to win. Kobe went on a radio campaign, blasting the team and ultimately demanding a trade.
As first reported by HOOPSWORLD, Bryant was captured on video ridiculing the team for not trading Andrew Bynum for Jason Kidd.
“Ship his [rear end] out. We’re talking Jason Kidd,” said Bryant using more colorful language than bracketed here. “They didn’t want to do that. That’s why we’re in this [messed up] position.”
The Lakers had been ousted by the Phoenix Suns for the second-straight year in the first-round of the playoffs and Kobe was frustrated with his team’s lack of progress after the Shaquille O’Neal championship era.
What Bryant must not have known was that the Lakers had been silently trying to acquire Garnett from the Minnesota Timberwolves dating back to 2006.
The topic eventually rose above the heads of General Managers Kevin McHale and Kupchak to owners Glen Taylor and Dr. Buss, who nearly cemented a deal to trade Garnett for Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum and other considerations.
This past Wednesday, Garnett opened up to Dan Patrick about the possibility of becoming a Laker nearly half a decade ago.
“I was pretty close to be honest,” said Garnett. “What disturbed me about the whole Lakers’ situation was just Kobe and Phil at the time. They were at each other pretty bad.”
In truth, Bryant and Coach Phil Jackson were rarely at odds. While it was never an easy job for Jackson to get Bryant to balance his elite individual talent to the team concept, Kobe’s issues at the time had to do with management, not coaching.
Nonetheless, Garnett wanted nothing to do with it.
“A new situation, full of uncertainty, wasn’t something I wanted to get into,” said Kevin after a number of disappointing years in Minnesota.
“It was your choice not to go to the Lakers?” asked Patrick.
“It was my choice, yes,” answered Garnett. “There was a lot going on and I didn’t want to be a part of it.”
Was Kobe Bryant the reason the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t land Kevin Garnett?
Back in the summer of 2007 the Lakers were in disarray. Bryant fumed at owner Dr. Buss and General Manager Mitch Kupchak, declaring the team wasn’t willing to make the necessary moves to win. Kobe went on a radio campaign, blasting the team and ultimately demanding a trade.
As first reported by HOOPSWORLD, Bryant was captured on video ridiculing the team for not trading Andrew Bynum for Jason Kidd.
“Ship his [rear end] out. We’re talking Jason Kidd,” said Bryant using more colorful language than bracketed here. “They didn’t want to do that. That’s why we’re in this [messed up] position.”
The Lakers had been ousted by the Phoenix Suns for the second-straight year in the first-round of the playoffs and Kobe was frustrated with his team’s lack of progress after the Shaquille O’Neal championship era.
What Bryant must not have known was that the Lakers had been silently trying to acquire Garnett from the Minnesota Timberwolves dating back to 2006.
The topic eventually rose above the heads of General Managers Kevin McHale and Kupchak to owners Glen Taylor and Dr. Buss, who nearly cemented a deal to trade Garnett for Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum and other considerations.
This past Wednesday, Garnett opened up to Dan Patrick about the possibility of becoming a Laker nearly half a decade ago.
“I was pretty close to be honest,” said Garnett. “What disturbed me about the whole Lakers’ situation was just Kobe and Phil at the time. They were at each other pretty bad.”
In truth, Bryant and Coach Phil Jackson were rarely at odds. While it was never an easy job for Jackson to get Bryant to balance his elite individual talent to the team concept, Kobe’s issues at the time had to do with management, not coaching.
Nonetheless, Garnett wanted nothing to do with it.
“A new situation, full of uncertainty, wasn’t something I wanted to get into,” said Kevin after a number of disappointing years in Minnesota.
“It was your choice not to go to the Lakers?” asked Patrick.
“It was my choice, yes,” answered Garnett. “There was a lot going on and I didn’t want to be a part of it.”