ESPN: Buss couldn't wait for Kobe to retire

[StrengthAndHonor]

In ESPN Magazine, Abbott cites multiple Laker sources claiming that the Buss family are finally done with Kobe and are waiting for him to retire. Claims his ego has rotted the Lakers brand and nobody wants to play with him (also cites multiple agents). Kobe is basically hurting the Lakers ability to rebuild.


I don't have access to the whole article since I think an Insider access is required. Take it with a grain of salt, since it is from Abbott, look him up and his Kobe articles. Personally, I don't think it makes any sense but it's been known Buss (Jim) isn't a huge fan of Kobe, so the leak could potentially come from him or someone close to him (Chaz, the bartender, perhaps)


I don't know how this story will unfold. It may simply just be another drama and controversy that will be swept under the rug once the season officially rolls, but assuming for a minute the story isn't fabricated, will this be the reason Kobe asks for a trade in his final season? Before you say no, keep in mind there are two other equally horrible big market franchise that may be willing to trade one bad contract for another (Knicks with Amare and New Jersey with Deron or Joe Johnson)

[lefty]

Sounds legit

[SupremeGuy]

Two more years of the 48.5 era :lmao

Thank you based Contract :cry

[ElNono]

http://a.espncdn.com/i/insider/insidermagindex/mag_10272014_289x350.jpg

[Spurs 4 The Win]

http://a.espncdn.com/i/insider/insidermagindex/mag_10272014_289x350.jpg

:lmao

[RD2191]

http://a.espncdn.com/i/insider/insidermagindex/mag_10272014_289x350.jpg
:lol

[Fabbs]

So Jim Buss as recently as 48.5 did agree to extend his primary actress but just now realizes what a mistake it was? Sounds fishy.

[RsxPiimp]

In ESPN Magazine, Abbott cites multiple Laker sources claiming that the Buss family are finally done with Kobe and are waiting for him to retire.

Tired of Kobe, yet offers him $48.5 million to stay with the franchise. Yeah, I'd say that's about right. :lol

http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/teamsites/images/legacy/lakers/ts_131125kobe_extension670.jpg

[Donkeybong]

you have to be one dumb nig to believe this.

[Clipper Nation]

Even if it's true, we all know that Fredo, like everyone else in that franchise, just bends over for Kirby anyway to the tune of 48.5, so they're stuck with him :lol

[UZER]

Don't need any sources. Anyone who can't see this is being purposely obtuse.

[ambchang]

This article can only be true if buss jr has any reasoning skills.

Buss jr doesn't have any reasoning skills.

Therefore, this article is made up.

[djohn2oo8]

Tired of Kobe, yet offers him $48.5 million to stay with the franchise. Yeah, I'd say that's about right. :lol

http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/teamsites/images/legacy/lakers/ts_131125kobe_extension670.jpg

Damn fool. You have to be dumb to not realize that move was about selling tickets.

[RsxPiimp]

Damn fool. You have to be dumb to not realize that move was about selling tickets.

You just insulted half of the ST members, since most of them actually believes Kobe was signed to extend for basketball reasons :lol

[DPG21920]

You just insulted half of the ST members, since most of them actually believes Kobe was signed to extend for basketball reasons :lol

You just insulted 100% of Laker fans because management is saying this is a good team and "Kobe is back!" and they are shelling out all that money for a horrific product :lol They have bought in hook, line and sinker.

[Clipper Nation]

You just insulted half of the ST members, since most of them actually believes Kobe was signed to extend for basketball reasons :lol

Nobody believes it was for solely basketball reasons, we just laugh at that contract because he is being grossly overpaid and hindering any possible rebuild....

[Warlord23]

The real nightmare for Fredo is if Kirby doesn't retire after 48.5 is up. What if he wants to play some more? If they sign him, he'll eat up salary and stink it up on the court. If they tell him to gtfo, their idiot fans will revolt. Mitch will probably fire himself and/or slit his wrists.

[Dex]

:cry But I'm the next Jordan, guys :cry

[DMC]

The Lakers will make more with Kobe even if they miss the playoffs than they'd make with a playoff contender sans Kobe because the Lakers fan base is predominately front running, player worshiping faggots who know jack shit about basketball.

[RsxPiimp]

You just insulted 100% of Laker fans because management is saying this is a good team and "Kobe is back!" and they are shelling out all that money for a horrific product :lol They have bought in hook, line and sinker.

Laker fans couldn't wait for Kobe to retire tbh. kobe fans otoh.

[Aremid]

That whole franchise can't carry his shitbag

[Clipper Nation]

524032119467933696

[spurraider21]

Kobe doing his thing, taking lots of shots, shooting 41%, etc

[Splits]

Kobe doing his thing, taking lots of shots, shooting 41%, etc

last i checked 7/19 is 37%

[spurraider21]

last i checked 7/19 is 37%
he was 7/17 at the time :lol

he probably took some of his patented high degree of difficulty shots since then

[Franklin]

the world's most expensive bag tbh, even more pricey than those made by Louis Vuitton :lol

[Sean Cagney]

Two more years of the 48.5 era :lmao

Thank you based Contract :cry

And some LA fan or fans were trying to justify to me at work before the year as to why he was worth that contract :lol. One fan tried to justify why Tim took a paycut and so on adn nobody saw Tim going good again after that one year but he tries to justify mr Achilles getting that much at his age, but said Tim was older. I swear man, Kobe stans.

[mkurts]

The Lakers will make more with Kobe even if they miss the playoffs than they'd make with a playoff contender sans Kobe because the Lakers fan base is predominately front running, player worshiping faggots who know jack shit about basketball.

Yep pretty much that

[Killakobe81]

Abbott is long-time Kobe hater whose defense of that hate is as flimsy as Amb's. I would respect him more (as a hater/not writer) if he would just admit it.
Amb though is right though I dont blame everything on Jimbo easy to point finger at Kobe when Magic, stephen A, Croussard colin and teh rest of the ESPN illumanti is blaming you instead. Lakers woes are due to: age, Kobe's contract, Gutting the scouting department, Mitch, not trading Dwight when he wouldnt sign the extension, the Stern veto, Senior buss passing, Fredo, the misuse and abuse of Pau and the new CBA.

This article though amusing and I am sure there is some truth to it, is still shitty. Dude had an article on how Lakers would be better off without Kobe had to scrap it when Lakers re-signed Kobe and spent a year digging dirt. This is after his annual Kobe is not clutch stuff.

If this was Zack Lowe, Simmons, Woj or someone I respected I would eat the article whole. Considering source Im guessing it's about 50% accurate.

[Raven]

You just insulted half of the ST members, since most of them actually believes Kobe was signed to extend for basketball reasons :lol

if he was signed for tickets, why not pay him his market value, that is the mini mid level exception?

[AaronY]

Its a free article: http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/11717596/is-kobe-bryant-reason-los-angeles-lakers-downfall

For whatever reaason I see a bunch of white space at the top but if I scroll down I can read it

[RsxPiimp]

Really though, that was. Really good article by Abbott. If it wasn't for the fact this was written before the coteCtbwas signed as Killakobe81 said, it would have more weight in it.

[RsxPiimp]

if he was signed for tickets, why not pay him his market value, that is the mini mid level exception?

:lol

[DMC]

The Lakers will make more with Kobe even if they miss the playoffs than they'd make with a playoff contender sans Kobe because the Lakers fan base is predominately front running, player worshiping faggots who know jack shit about basketball.
That's presumably part of the reason Kupchak has been outspokenly anti-tanking; his bosses won't tell him to outright tank because tanking costs them a fortune. Meanwhile, it's not as if Bryant didn't have his supporters. Lakers season-ticket holders are a who's who of power brokers and celebrities, and in what one Lakers insider believes was a coordinated effort, many called Jim to make clear they expected him to bring Bryant back.

[Kool Bob Love]

:rollin

[StrengthAndHonor]

Paul George @Yg_Trece ·

Now how crazy does that Kobe story sound to you ? #MediaReachingAgain

[Killakobe81]

Paul George @Yg_Trece ·

Now how crazy does that Kobe story sound to you ? #MediaReachingAgain

Wasnt media, just Abbott grinding his axe in Kobe's ass .... nothing to see here. But he did have a few good points. In the hand of a less biased writer that story could have been really good. We all know Kobe wasnt great at recruiting Dwight. But why not get something from Pau? Shaq even? Ramon Sessions? REALLY?! And if guys like Pau were unwilling to talk (since they are still playing) sit on the story. I think there is SOME smoke there but again when the source is tainted it makes the fruit sour.
PLUS almost everyone else is blaming Jimbo (though i think the other buss fam and Mitch should get blame too) they signed the extensions, cut the scouts, did not re-hire PJax let, Let Phil push out West, THE NASH TRADE!!! all of those are bigger issues than Kobe's ego and contract the real issues

[Killakobe81]

And almost signed Melo ... what a mess.

[djohn2oo8]

Wasnt media, just Abbott grinding his axe in Kobe's ass .... nothing to see here. But he did have a few good points. In the hand of a less biased writer that story could have been really good. We all know Kobe wasnt great at recruiting Dwight. But why not get something from Pau? Shaq even? Ramon Sessions? REALLY?! And if guys like Pau were unwilling to talk (since they are still playing) sit on the story. I think there is SOME smoke there but again when the source is tainted it makes the fruit sour.
PLUS almost everyone else is blaming Jimbo (though i think the other buss fam and Mitch should get blame too) they signed the extensions, cut the scouts, did not re-hire PJax let, Let Phil push out West, THE NASH TRADE!!! all of those are bigger issues than Kobe's ego and contract the real issues

Lol how is it biased if those quotes from Laker insiders are true?

[baseline bum]

:cry But I'm the next Jordan, guys :cry

But he is like Jordan now. Like when Jordan got lit up by Charles Smith in that game on national TV in 2002.

[RsxPiimp]

Lol how is it biased if those quotes from Laker insiders are true?

No its biased :lol

Abbott cited Sessions as one of the FA who was turned off playing with Kobe when we all know, the Lakers didn't go after Sessions to sign Steve Nash :lol


The Lakers didn’t want Ramon Sessions back as a free agent, at least not for what he was asking. That’s a rough thing to deal with, but they wanted to land a difference maker, they were gearing up for one more run with Kobe and Pau, and Sessions had a rough playoffs. They got Steve Nash..
“It was one of those situations I looked at like, ‘If I do come back what if they trade me?’ ” Sessions said. “There were talks about getting Deron. They always wanted the bigger-named guy. What if I get traded to a team and it’s my contract year? It was one of those things that I can’t say if I opted in, [Nash] wouldn’t have come. They still might have tried to get him. You just never know.”



Abbott said Paul George was one of the FA the Lakers couldn't land while purposely failing to mention George is a RFA, meaning the Pacers would just match any offers on the table :lol


So who else is left? Lebron? He's leaving Miami for Cleveland, it fits his "coming home" narrative, and anyone who isn't dumb knows he's not playing anywhere else.

The article did had some valid point, I'll give Abbott that but he was definitely going for another character assassination as if hating on a player trying to come back from a serious injury playing for an irrelevant team is worthy of hits. :lol

And unnamed sources :lol

[djohn2oo8]

No its biased :lol

Abbott cited Sessions as one of the FA who was turned off playing with Kobe when we all know, the Lakers didn't go after Sessions to sign Steve Nash :lol


The Lakers didn’t want Ramon Sessions back as a free agent, at least not for what he was asking. That’s a rough thing to deal with, but they wanted to land a difference maker, they were gearing up for one more run with Kobe and Pau, and Sessions had a rough playoffs. They got Steve Nash..
“It was one of those situations I looked at like, ‘If I do come back what if they trade me?’ ” Sessions said. “There were talks about getting Deron. They always wanted the bigger-named guy. What if I get traded to a team and it’s my contract year? It was one of those things that I can’t say if I opted in, [Nash] wouldn’t have come. They still might have tried to get him. You just never know.”



Abbott said Paul George was one of the FA the Lakers couldn't land while purposely failing to mention George is a RFA, meaning the Pacers would just match any offers on the table :lol


So who else is left? Lebron? He's leaving Miami for Cleveland, it fits his "coming home" narrative, and anyone who isn't dumb knows he's not playing anywhere else.

The article did had some valid point, I'll give Abbott that but he was definitely going for another character assassination as if hating on a player trying to come back from a serious injury playing for an irrelevant team is worthy of hits. :lol

And unnamed sources :lol

What sources are ever named? If they are named then it could ruin their career. The fact remains this is the SECOND time an ESPN contributor has put a story out of how no one wants to play with Kobe. How many of Kobe's former teammates have anything good to say about him? Agents are the source of this. And it is holding up true. No one is flocking to LA to play with him nor will they ever.

[djohn2oo8]

Also, it is downright pathetic Kobestan calls the article biased after years of ESPN giving the chucker excuse after excuse.

[RsxPiimp]

What sources are ever named? If they are named then it could ruin their career. The fact remains this is the SECOND time an ESPN contributor has put a story out of how no one wants to play with Kobe. How many of Kobe's former teammates have anything good to say about him? Agents are the source of this. And it is holding up true. No one is flocking to LA to play with him nor will they ever.

I Just cited reasons why the players above won't play in LA and none has nothing to do with Kobe or the market :lol

Kobe has a lot of issues. He had ups and downs throughout his career, so this not breaking news. :lol

[RsxPiimp]

Also, it is downright pathetic Kobestan calls the article biased after years of ESPN giving the chucker excuse after excuse.

no, no, no, what's pathetic is flying and hooking up kaepernick's high school sister :lol

http://www.brothersonsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/underagejumpoff.jpg

http://mzalldat.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Dwight_Howard_minors5.jpg

http://images.kpopstarz.com/data/images/full/173635/dwight-howard.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BpYU6YlIgAAX2-7.jpg

[Clipper Nation]

Wasnt media, just Abbott grinding his axe in Kobe's ass .... nothing to see here. But he did have a few good points. In the hand of a less biased writer that story could have been really good. We all know Kobe wasnt great at recruiting Dwight. But why not get something from Pau? Shaq even? Ramon Sessions? REALLY?! And if guys like Pau were unwilling to talk (since they are still playing) sit on the story. I think there is SOME smoke there but again when the source is tainted it makes the fruit sour.
PLUS almost everyone else is blaming Jimbo (though i think the other buss fam and Mitch should get blame too) they signed the extensions, cut the scouts, did not re-hire PJax let, Let Phil push out West, THE NASH TRADE!!! all of those are bigger issues than Kobe's ego and contract the real issues
:lol Get real, Killa.... the media was lodged firmly up Kirby's ass for a decade, they made every excuse in the book for him, and they sold the fraud image of him as a "tough guy" and a "clutch, cold blooded killer"....

Your boy's ego finally caught up to him when he threw the media that had done nothing but coddle him under the bus, and now the floodgates have opened.... get used to it, tbh....

[Clipper Nation]

Is Kirbystan going to be consistent in their criticism of ESPN when Kirby inevitably does his 30-part Stephen A. interview on SportsCenter every night to try to spin this shit?

[RsxPiimp]

Is Kirbystan going to be consistent in their criticism of ESPN when Kirby inevitably does his 30-part Stephen A. interview on SportsCenter every night to try to spin this shit?

Honestly tho, he can't spin this shit anymore. Summer of 2012 was the year he should've really passed the torch to Dwight. I really hated how he handled Dwight's FA and even tho most Laker fans doesn't like him, DH was the best player available to build your team around. Kobe's ego totally ruined the Lakers chance of being decent for the next 3-5 yrs. He really did brought all of this to himself. I know its not in his genes, but that was the perfect opportunity to bow down gracefully and end your career on a high note.

[djohn2oo8]

I Just cited reasons why the players above won't play in LA and none has nothing to do with Kobe or the market :lol

Kobe has a lot of issues. He had ups and downs throughout his career, so this not breaking news. :lol
Lol right. Who has Kobe ever attracted as a free agent besides Crazy ass Artest? I'm talking a prominent free agent?

[ElNono]

The Lakers didn’t want Ramon Sessions back as a free agent, at least not for what he was asking. That’s a rough thing to deal with, but they wanted to land a difference maker, they were gearing up for one more run with Kobe and Pau, and Sessions had a rough playoffs. They got Steve Nash..

:lol this is the kind of braindead thinking that put the franchise in the situation it's in. Nash has never been a difference maker. He plays to have fun. He was already broken and missing games before landing in LA, and he largely ended up there because he basically was the D'Antoni system, at a terrible cost, both caps-wise and picks-wise. Sessions was a actually a damn good player for the Lakers (granted, he shat the bed in the playoffs, but it was his first season with the team). Young, with upside, a solid complementary player.

[RsxPiimp]

:lol this is the kind of braindead thinking that put the franchise in the situation it's in. Nash has never been a difference maker. He plays to have fun. He was already broken and missing games before landing in LA, and he largely ended up there because he basically was the D'Antoni system, at a terrible cost, both caps-wise and picks-wise. Sessions was a actually a damn good player for the Lakers (granted, he shat the bed in the playoffs, but it was his first season with the team). Young, with upside, a solid complementary player.


Ramon Sessions hasn't been a difference maker since leaving the Lakers. he's been a jouryneyman since.

And Nash didn't land there to run D'Antoni's system. They acquired him when Mike Brown was still the coach.

[RsxPiimp]

Lol right. Who has Kobe ever attracted as a free agent besides Crazy ass Artest? I'm talking a prominent free agent?

Attract who? The Lakers never had cap space :lol, players like Gasol, Bynum, Kobe and Odom occupied their capspace since Shaq left :lol. Do I have to really break it down for you? FA 2014 was the year they were supposed to splurge, and most "prominent FA" stayed with their team.

For you to even ask this is mind boggling considering Houston went after Melo and Bosh and both turned Morey's Max offer down :lol All the major players stayed with their respective team for more money.

[djohn2oo8]

Attract who? The Lakers never had cap space :lol, players like Gasol, Bynum, Kobe and Odom occupied their capspace since Shaq left :lol. Do I have to really break it down for you? FA 2014 was the year they were supposed to splurge, and most "prominent FA" stayed with their team.

For you to even ask this is mind boggling considering Houston went after Melo and Bosh and both turned Morey's Max offer down :lol All the major players stayed with their respective team for more money.

You don't need cap space to get a verbal commitment from a FA. Just like Cleveland got the verbal from LeBron to create cap space. If anyone wanted to sign with the Lakers, they could have created the space. And yeah they had room this summer, max space yet no one still wanted to play with Kobe. Also, Dwight played 30 million to not play with Kobe :lol

[RsxPiimp]

You don't need cap space to get a verbal commitment from a FA. Just like Cleveland got the verbal from LeBron to create cap space. If anyone wanted to sign with the Lakers, they could have created the space. And yeah they had room this summer, max space yet no one still wanted to play with Kobe. Also, Dwight played 30 million to not play with Kobe :lol

That's ignorant talk. I just said, Gasol, Kobe, Bynum and Odom were taking majority of the Lakers capspace with Artest, Fisher and other MLE taking the rest for the most part. And when they finally had capspace, there were no realistic FA other than Melo who was going to sign with the Lakers. Do you mind explaining which prominent FA could the Lakers get in 2014? Dwight obviously picked the Lakers and Kobe, only to realize no one is kissing his ass in L.A. so he took the easy way out.

Like I said, the marquee players all stayed with their respective teams for more guaranteed money. Bosh and Melo chose a lesser team to get away from a talented duo like Harden and Dwight, what does that tell you? :lol

[djohn2oo8]

That's ignorant talk. I just said, Gasol, Kobe, Bynum and Odom were taking majority of the Lakers capspace with Artest, Fisher and other MLE taking the rest for the most part. And when they finally had capspace, there were no realistic FA other than Melo who was going to sign with the Lakers. Do you mind explaining which prominent FA could the Lakers get in 2014? Dwight obviously picked the Lakers and Kobe, only to realize no one is kissing his ass in L.A. so he took the easy way out.

Like I said, the marquee players all stayed with their respective teams for more guaranteed money. Bosh and Melo chose a lesser team to get away from a talented duo like Harden and Dwight, what does that tell you? :lol

So you choose to pick one year instead of focus on the entire span of Kobe's career that no one came? He can't even attract role players :lol

[ElNono]

Ramon Sessions hasn't been a difference maker since leaving the Lakers. he's been a jouryneyman since.

He wasn't a difference maker with the Lakeshow either, but neither was Nash, and getting Nash cost a whole lot more than retaining Sessions, a player that could've actually played.


And Nash didn't land there to run D'Antoni's system. They acquired him when Mike Brown was still the coach.

Mike Brown already had the axe above his head (princet:loln offense). Nobody was surprised when they kicked him out like 6 games into the new season.

[StrengthAndHonor]

Phil Jackson ✔ PhilJackson11 (https://twitter.com/PhilJackson11)
Follow (https://twitter.com/PhilJackson11)
“@flea333 (https://twitter.com/flea333): henry abbott your @espn (https://twitter.com/espn) kobe article is absolute garbage and a blatant irresponsible attack. "Go get'em, Flea

[StrengthAndHonor]

So you choose to pick one year instead of focus on the entire span of Kobe's career that no one came? He can't even attract role players :lol
FYI: The Lakers never had a cap space for max free agents via Free Agency since 97, which is the year prior to Shaq signing with the Lakers.

[StrengthAndHonor]

no, no, no, what's pathetic is flying and hooking up kaepernick's high school sister :lol

http://www.brothersonsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/underagejumpoff.jpg

http://mzalldat.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Dwight_Howard_minors5.jpg

http://images.kpopstarz.com/data/images/full/173635/dwight-howard.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BpYU6YlIgAAX2-7.jpg
:lol Dwight is so dumb tbh.

[djohn2oo8]

FYI: The Lakers never had a cap space for max free agents via Free Agency since 97, which is the year prior to Shaq signing with the Lakers.

If anyone wanted to play with Kobe, the Lakers could have and would have moved the necessary contracts to make it happen.

[djohn2oo8]

Also, even if you say they didn't have cap space, who was willing to take less toplay with him?