LA Times drops the truth bomb early

[ElNono]

Kobe Bryant is the problem, not the solution for Lakers (http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-simers-20120624,0,3232144,full.column)

[lefty]

Of course

[dbreiden83080]

He is locked in for two more seasons and would be nearly impossible to trade because of his salary, and his skills are clearly in decline, so expecting him to be the team's catalyst is wishful thinking

Kobe is one of the best players in NBA history and they won 5 titles with him.. You ride it out until he has nothing left. Kobe just had a hell of a season.. I didn't hear anyone yelling for Magic to leave after Jordan kicked his teams ass in 1991.. Guys like Kobe and Duncan should be allowed to stay until they are ready to retire, not shoved out the door..

[Venti Quattro]

I'm not going to open the article and guess correctly that it was written by Plaschke or Simers.

Please somebody screenshot the article author to confirm/debunk.

[lefty]

He is locked in for two more seasons and would be nearly impossible to trade because of his salary, and his skills are clearly in decline, so expecting him to be the team's catalyst is wishful thinking

Kobe is one of the best players in NBA history and they won 5 titles with him.. You ride it out until he has nothing left. Kobe just had a hell of a season.. I didn't hear anyone yelling for Magic to leave after Jordan kicked his teams ass in 1991.. Guys like Kobe and Duncan should be allowed to stay until they are ready to retire, not shoved out the door..

:lmao

[lefty]

I'm not going to open the article and guess that it was written by Plaschke or Simers.

Please somebody screenshot the article author to confirm/debunk.

Simers


And he is right

[dbreiden83080]

:lmao

Yeah build around Bynum.. :lol

[Venti Quattro]

Simers

And he is right

Simers is a paid hack who deserves to die a slow and painful death. I never, ever read his or Plashcke's articles in the LAT.

Kobe is the problem? Jim Buss is the bigger problem. Why he would hire Mike Brown and center his campaign around Andrew Bynum still infuriates me.

[mavs>spurs]

kobe has a negative impact at this point imo, and his teammates dont dont like him. dude's right no matter how hard kobe fan refuses to let go.

[Venti Quattro]

kobe has a negative impact at this point imo, and his teammates dont dont like him. dude's right no matter how hard kobe fan refuses to let go.

Dirk has a negative impact too, tbh. He's too nazi.

[Calispursfan11]

Bynum acts like a baby. I have great respect for Kobe's past accomplishments but he is in decline IMO and about to really fall off a cliff soon as 34-35 is when it becomes noticeable that a Superstar has really taken a dive - unless of course you are Steve Nash who drinks virgin's blood to stay young.

[mavs>spurs]

just being truthful here bro if its too much to handle there's the exit

bryant is a net drag at this point his true shooting % and usage rates were ridiculous this year

[Venti Quattro]

I agree that Kobe has been shooting a lot this year and his usage rate is crazy, but it's largely because of Mike Brown's terrible offensive schemes. They always waste the shot clock and then give the ball to Kobe to bail them out when there's no shot available.

It doesn't help that Bynum and Gasol are being fronted easily in the post.

[SenorSpur]

It's about time someone addressed the "elephant in the room". I know Fakers fans don't want to hear this or even admit it, but the writer is correct. Kobe is the issue.

The Fakers problems are not much different than that of the Spurs or Mavs. They've got a major, dominant superstar player, who is now slowly starting his descent in production. The difference with the Fakers is Bryant, unlike Duncan or Nowitzki, is simply not willing to share the stage, spotlight or shots with his teammates. For whatever reason, he simply doesn't trust them very much - no matter who they are. Whenever he has, they've won big.

It doesn't matter who the coach is or what players they have surrounding him. Kobe has been simply unwilling or unable to alter his game in order to offset his own decline and help make the team more balanced and effective. And it's hurt the Fakers tremendously.

[DMC]

It doesn't make a fuck tbh, because Kobe will be gifted the All NBA team again, the all defensive team, the All Star game, everything else a player can be gifted without needing to win a game to do it.

All that and the money.

And you thought the chick in Colorado got split open.

[DMC]

It's about time someone addressed the "elephant in the room". I know Fakers fans don't want to hear this or even admit it, but the writer is correct. Kobe is the issue.

The Fakers problems are not much different than that of the Spurs or Mavs. They've got a major, dominant superstar player, who is now slowly starting his descent in production. The difference with the Fakers is Bryant, unlike Duncan or Nowitzki, is simply not willing to share the stage, spotlight or shots with his teammates. For whatever reason, he simply doesn't trust them very much - no matter who they are. Whenever he has, they've won big.

It doesn't matter who the coach is or what players they have surrounding him. Kobe has been simply unwilling or unable to alter his game in order to offset his own decline and help make the team more balanced and effective. And it's hurt the Fakers tremendously.

You are correct, he doesn't trust them, and that's because, at almost any given juncture, he's only just met them. They wholesale the team every year, even championship years, and Kobe ends up playing with new people again except for a couple regulars.

So Kobe knows the score, that he's playing for a corporation who would stab him in the back in a heartbeat if it meant they make one more dollar than they would otherwise. He knows he's got them by the short and curly hairs, and he's turned winning focus to himself instead of the Lakers. If he is successful, he wins, period. Fuck the Lakers, fuck teammates, fuck the NBA. It's about Kobe getting his. That's how he will be remembered.

[ElNono]

BTW, the author should know he's impossible to trade because he has a no-trade clause... besides his contract, he would need to agree to be shipped...

[Killakobe81]

Quoting Simers on the Lakers player I refuse to speak on, is akin to quoting Skip Bayless on LeBron.

[mavs>spurs]

Quoting Simers on the Lakers player I refuse to speak on, is akin to quoting Skip Bayless on LeBron.

ask me then i know more than the both of them and i'll still say the same thing you confirmed kobist :lol

[LkrFan]

Simers burned a major bridge with Kobe 8 years ago (Shaq's last year with the Lakers). Notice no quotes from Kobe in this article.

Now, I'm not here to dispute what he wrote here because a lot of what he wrote is spot on. Because of Kobe's behemoth contract we can't really sign up some quality depth players. However his FG% is two sided. On one hand, Kobe's teammates (even when Shaq played) would pass him the ball late in the shot clock looking for him to bail them out. OTOH, Kobe's ultra-confidence that he can make damn near any shot is to the Lakers' detriment when he misses. How many successful fastbreak run outs have there been after a missed 25 foot bomb? Teams would play his miss (or others') and outrun our 7-footers or other plethora of Laker TOSBs for a million fast break points.

Kobe needs to recognize that we have advantages other teams don't have: versatile 7-footers who can and will control the game. I believe the Lakers were damn near unstoppable when Kobe had > 25 FGAs. We don't need 30+ ppg from him no more. He does need to coast during the RS like, TD does. For all the shit I talk on TD, POP, managed his mpg brilliantly these last few years (he has lost a step or two though). His reward? TD was easily a top 5 big during the 2012 playoffs. Why? Because he had something left in the tank from a few DNP-OLD games, and reduced minutes when he did play during the RS.

Kobe no doubt read what Simers wrote before the LAT editor did (sarcasm). Just like any other scathing article written about him. But will he listen? Time will tell tbh. I don't have a good feeling about it because he has found success 5xs doing it his way. I don't see him changing, but he needs to tbh.

[ElNono]

^ bro, what happened to your avatar and sig?

:lol

[SamoanTD]

I think age hits harder on guards because the age will slow you down. Big's like Timmy and Dirk can still play there game because there fundamentals and Dirk shot is still hard to guard. Shit happen's nobody like's seeing there teams superstar decline but it happens.

[m>s]

kob has been in decline since 07 imho and he should be glad to win 2 more rings with pau on the downhill. if he accepts a smaller role and trusts his teammates more, starting to play the game the way duncan does, he's still a positive rather than negative impact but we know he ain't doing that for team's good. he's bigger than the team

[LkrFan]

^ bro, what happened to your avatar and sig?

:lol

It was a schtick that no longer applies. But I still got Kobe: 5, TD: 4. :lol

[SenorSpur]

:lmao

Kobe is a very smart guy, but sometimes an athlete's intelligence is clouded by his own ego. Kobe knows the financial score with his team. He knows how hamstrung that franchise is. I just believe that he's expecting the FO to work miracles around the albatross that it is own contract.

[da_suns_fan]

Remember when Simers labeled Kobe "the tanker" after he quit in game seven back in 2006?

Boy, was Kobe MAD!

[TampaDude]

I think age hits harder on guards because the age will slow you down. Big's like Timmy and Dirk can still play there game because there fundamentals and Dirk shot is still hard to guard. Shit happen's nobody like's seeing there teams superstar decline but it happens.

Apostrophe's for sale! :lol

Seriously, though...you're right.

[Koolaid_Man]

Kobe Bryant is the problem, not the solution for Lakers (http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-simers-20120624,0,3232144,full.column)



Jerry Buss:"Kobe Bryant Is Worth About $70-75million/yr to my franchise"

that's it and that's all

[Clipper Nation]

Wow... Simers finally right about something... even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while, tbh....

[Ace]

:lol Kobe is still effective, the only issue with him is that contract...

[DMC]

The Lakers just have deferred payments for success, however the huge cable contract they just acquired is mostly because of Kobe Bryant.

They are by no means losing money on Kobe. They are sacrificing cap space, sure, but they are not losing money. Quite the contrary actually.

And because of sharing, other franchises are profiting from it. Everyone should hope Kobe stays in LA and that he continues to sell tickets.

[Clipper Nation]

I hope that ballstopping selfish chucker stays on the Lakers stealing money for at least 5 more years tbh... they deserve each other......

[DMC]

Dude, the way Lakerfan suckles his loin teat, Kobe will be making money for the Lakers even if his salary was 100m a year.

[pass1st]

Kobe prevents the team from doing major rebuilding until his contract is up, but in return he's basically the sole reason LAL was able to get a cable deal for billions of dollars over the next few decades. He sells tickets, time warner has no problem writing off a big check.

The pros outweight the cons, tbh. LAL will have the biggest wallets in the league for years to come.

[Venti Quattro]

I hope that ballstopping selfish chucker stays on the Lakers stealing money for at least 5 more years tbh... they deserve each other......

He is earning the Lakers more money than he is stealing from the Lakers.

[FkLA]

:lol kobefan refusing to see the light

[weebo]

He is earning the Lakers more money than he is stealing from the Lakers.

Well let's see how long that last after the lakers become first round fodder (if at that :lol). No one wants to watch a shitty team that can't win, especially a team with an abundant number of fair weather fans.

[Josepatches_]

One more reason why he's not close to MJ

Jordan never was the problem in Chicago. He retired being the best player of the league at 35.

[DazedAndConfused]

Kobe has 5 NBA championships. Enough said. There is no other player I'd want in a Laker uniform at the SG spot. He is definitely not the problem with this team.

The problem is lackadaisical play from the bigs and a shitty head coach that doesn't know what he's doing.

[ElNono]

:lol the article doesn't claim that Kirby is losing LA money, simply that his albatross contract and Kirby's decline and ego prevent the team from being a contender-caliber team...

[lefty]

Kobe has 5 NBA championships. Enough said. There is no other player I'd want in a Laker uniform at the SG spot. He is definitely not the problem with this team.

The problem is lackadaisical play from the bigs and a shitty head coach that doesn't know what he's doing.
Great avy TBH

But Kareem was an asshole TBH

A lot of players wanted to punch him

Someone finally did it, and boy, Kareem really derserved it

[djohn2oo8]

Great avy TBH

But Kareem was an asshole TBH

A lot of players wanted to punch him

Someone finally did it, and boy, Kareem really derserved it
:lol

[djohn2oo8]

Kobe has 5 NBA championships. Enough said. There is no other player I'd want in a Laker uniform at the SG spot. He is definitely not the problem with this team.

The problem is lackadaisical play from the bigs and a shitty head coach that doesn't know what he's doing.
He's a problem because Bynum wants to be the number 1 option, and Kobe won't allow it.

[DMC]

:lol the article doesn't claim that Kirby is losing LA money, simply that his albatross contract and Kirby's decline and ego prevent the team from being a contender-caliber team...

But the owners are worried about money. They have enough rings for now. They want to make back the money they are paying Kobe, and winning rings probably doesn't net them that much more income than not winning rings. Look at Dallas, it wasn't even worth a contract for TC to make Dallas a b2b contender, so it's obviously not that much of a windfall for the team.

Brown is probably working on the cheap, those scrubs they brought in aren't high dollar guys, and with that lucrative deal they inked not long ago, they are set just like NY (even more so it seems). Like NY, they can afford to go a few years without fielding a championship team. They will likely take a cue from the Spurs and appear to be fielding one just to fall short every year because, in reality, they aren't nearly as interested in winning as they are in making a profit. They are a business after all.

[DMC]

Kobe has 5 NBA championships. Enough said. There is no other player I'd want in a Laker uniform at the SG spot. He is definitely not the problem with this team.

The problem is lackadaisical play from the bigs and a shitty head coach that doesn't know what he's doing.

His balloon of a contract is absolutely a hindrance to building a championship level team. He's making more than Lebron and Wade combined. No one wants to go to LA just to "win a ring" because, unlike the Shaq/Pau days, it's pretty much not going to happen now. So good players would only go for the money, since playing along side Kobe probably isn't on anyone's bucket list (except Jack Nicholson)

At least Tim's contract is up this year, else it would be the same way in SA. He's good, but he's not so good that he can carry the weight of two players. Neither can Kobe, certainly not two 15m a year guys.

[DMC]

One more reason why he's not close to MJ

Jordan never was the problem in Chicago. He retired being the best player of the league at 35.
Jordan played for a couple million a year for many years. His balloon payment came at the end, and they didn't have the penalties in place today.

[ElNono]

But the owners are worried about money. They have enough rings for now.

Sure, but that's a tough sell to the fans... especially the kirby fans...

[DMC]

Sure, but that's a tough sell to the fans... especially the kirby fans...

The Kirby fans are already sold. Service after the sale has been lacking for decades.

[weebo]

The Kirby fans are already sold. Service after the sale has been lacking for decades.


Only the die hards will stick around for kirby and the fakers. The rest of the bandwagon will bail and proclaim that their favorite team has always been the clips, bulls, or heat.

:lmao:lmao

[urunobili]

Venti Quattro in full denial mode :wow

[kobe4life]

You spur fans are idiots I laugh :lol at your lack of knowledge when it comes to the game. Kobe will be fine next year and I expect him to win the MVP just like MJ did after losing to the Magic in '95. I have been hearing that the Mamba is pissed and you don't want a pissed mamba because the last time he was pissed the lakers won the title. I expect Kobe to be celebrating his sixth championship in south beach next year.

[ElNono]

You spur fans are idiots I laugh :lol at your lack of knowledge when it comes to the game. Kobe will be fine next year and I expect him to win the MVP just like MJ did after losing to the Magic in '95. I have been hearing that the Mamba is pissed and you don't want a pissed mamba because the last time he was pissed the lakers won the title. I expect Kobe to be celebrating his sixth championship in south beach next year.

:lol I thought he was gonna come out firing on all cylinders after The Skunker... he's old and he's only getting older... deal with it.

lol pissed

[Koolaid_Man]

You spur fans are idiots I laugh :lol at your lack of knowledge when it comes to the game. Kobe will be fine next year and I expect him to win the MVP just like MJ did after losing to the Magic in '95. I have been hearing that the Mamba is pissed and you don't want a pissed mamba because the last time he was pissed the lakers won the title. I expect Kobe to be celebrating his sixth championship in south beach next year.

I don't even waste time anymore..I just tell them assholes to:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a68/Koolbreezey/S%20Faces/eatmamba.jpg

[SenorSpur]

You spur fans are idiots I laugh :lol at your lack of knowledge when it comes to the game. Kobe will be fine next year and I expect him to win the MVP just like MJ did after losing to the Magic in '95. I have been hearing that the Mamba is pissed and you don't want a pissed mamba because the last time he was pissed the lakers won the title. I expect Kobe to be celebrating his sixth championship in south beach next year.

:lol @ the misplaced optimism.

OKC will have something to say about that.