Phil saved the day for Lakers fans

[TheNextGen]

Kobe just said that Phil is telling him to be optimistic and that the Lakers is not doing the long term plan anymore. He seems like he will be saying.

No Kobe in Texas! :dramaquee

[Purple & Gold]

I heard that. He's on am 570 right now trying to gain public support again.

This is way too funny. He's so hurt the Laker FO hasn't even called him. :lol

[Purple & Gold]

Kobe is begging Dr. Buss to call him. :lmao

[dknights411]

Is this the NBA or the Young and the Restless? I mean, Geez!

[Amare_32]

As Kobe turns

[LEONARD]

There was no way in hell he was ever going to Tx... :lol

Dirk for Kobe for would a be terrible trade for the Mavs...

[Spurminator]

What a fucking train wreck.

[Kori Ellis]

Where's that "Who Gives A Fuck?" troll when you need him.

I like Kobe, but got damn. Just STFU, Kobe.

[Sec24Row7]

I think the lakers should buy him out and we should sign him for the MLE...

heh

[Budkin]

God I love seeing Kobe and the Lakers in turmoil...

[TheNextGen]

God I love seeing Kobe and the Lakers in turmoil...

Who knows...this might be the wake up call to get another superstar alongside with Kobe :dramaquee

[boutons_]

May 31, 2007

Lakers’ Saga Takes Another Turn as Bryant Demands a Trade


By HOWARD BECK NYTimes

Kobe Bryant, one of the N.B.A.’s most dazzling players and the star of three straight Los Angeles Lakers championship teams, has asked to be traded.

Bryant, who has grown disillusioned with the Lakers’ direction and its front-office leadership, made the request Wednesday in a radio interview.

“I would like to be traded, yeah,” Bryant told Stephen A. Smith on ESPN Radio. “Tough as it is to come to that conclusion, there’s no other alternative, you know?”

The Lakers do not seem inclined to grant the request. Although team officials did not comment publicly, the owner Jerry Buss issued a statement that conveyed the franchise’s desire to keep Bryant.

“We are aware of the media reports. However, Kobe has not told us directly that he wants to be traded,” Buss said in the statement. “We have made it very clear that we are building our team around Kobe and that we intend for him to be a Laker his entire career. We will speak directly to Kobe, and until we do that, we will not comment publicly about this.”

An 11-year veteran, Bryant is widely regarded as the most talented player in the league, and one of the greatest shooting guards of all time. He has been named to the All-N.B.A. first team nine times.

For eight seasons in Los Angeles, Bryant and center Shaquille O’Neal formed one of the greatest tandems in league history, winning three straight championships from 2000 to 2002. They made a fourth trip to the finals in 2004. A month later, the Lakers traded O’Neal to the Miami Heat. It was framed as a financial decision — Buss was unwilling to meet O’Neal’s contract extension demands — but Bryant was blamed in some quarters for the breakup because he and O’Neal had feuded throughout their years together.

Bryant was a free agent that summer and re-signed with the Lakers shortly after the team traded O’Neal. Bryant has bristled at suggestions that he was responsible for the breakup. He fumed after reading in Monday’s Los Angeles Times that a person described as a “Lakers insider” said, “It was Bryant’s insistence on getting away from Shaquille O’Neal that got them in this mess.”

In the radio interview, Bryant sounded despondent as he discussed that subject and a number of other issues.

“It’s rough, man, but I just don’t see how you can rebuild that trust,” Bryant said.

That article came in the wake of a report indicating that Bryant wanted Jerry West, the Lakers’ former top executive, to return to the team. Bryant has been frustrated since the Lakers’ first-round playoff exit in April and has been demanding major changes to put the Lakers back in title contention.

The Lakers’ general manager Mitch Kupchak has said he is committed to improving the roster this offseason. N.B.A. teams can not make trades until the finals conclude next month. Free agency opens July 1. Bryant apparently is not in a mood to wait.

“You know what, I just want them to do the right thing,” Bryant said, reiterating the desire to be traded. “I resigned because of what you promised me. The blame that you’ve cast upon me, you know that stuff. They know that stuff. So just step up and do the right thing.”

[itzsoweezee]

Phil played Kobe as a chump.

I think Abbott hit the situation on the head:
"Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant apparently have similar goals here: Both want big-name talent on that roster so they can win a title in the next couple of years as Bryant and Jackson cling to their primes.

In getting the front office moving, however, Bryant the superstar has ten times the leverage of Jackson the coach.

If you look at the course of events -- Bryant's rage was reportedly born in a conversation with Jackson yesterday morning -- is it possible that Jackson intentionally riled up Bryant as a tactic to turn up the heat on the front office?"

http://myespn.go.com/nba/truehoop

jackson doesn't want to be stuck in rebuilding mode either. so what does he do? he gets in kobe's head (it's easy b/c kobe is a mental case) and has kobe whine about it to everyone that will listen. then when kobe's done his job and has gotten the lakers' attention, he reels kobe back in.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

Phil played Kobe as a chump.

I think Abbott hit the situation on the head:
"Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant apparently have similar goals here: Both want big-name talent on that roster so they can win a title in the next couple of years as Bryant and Jackson cling to their primes.

In getting the front office moving, however, Bryant the superstar has ten times the leverage of Jackson the coach.

If you look at the course of events -- Bryant's rage was reportedly born in a conversation with Jackson yesterday morning -- is it possible that Jackson intentionally riled up Bryant as a tactic to turn up the heat on the front office?"

http://myespn.go.com/nba/truehoop

jackson doesn't want to be stuck in rebuilding mode either. so what does he do? he gets in kobe's head (it's easy b/c kobe is a mental case) and has kobe whine about it to everyone that will listen. then when kobe's done his job and has gotten the lakers' attention, he reels kobe back in.

The whole retracted statement reflected poorly on Kobe.

He's truly a pawn.