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Lakers still need some more help though. wish they would have gotten Kidd last season.
Even though Kobe is still easily the best in the NBA, he needs more around him if the Lakers are going to contend for a le.
Kobe says he's ready to put aside issues, get to work
Associated Press
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Where's Kobe?
There was some uncertainty regarding Kobe Bryant's presence at media day Monday, and it increased after the entire Los Angeles Lakers' roster except Bryant hit the floor for preseason promos and interviews shortly after the scheduled 10 a.m. start.
As it turned out, there was no mystery.
"He's running late. He had a doctor's appointment this morning," said Bryant's spokeswoman, Catherine Sebring, who lent a bit of intrigue last week by declining comment when asked about Bryant's plans.
Sure enough, with all eyes on the training room door, Bryant emerged at 10:34, and all was right in the Lakers' world -- at least for the time being.
Bryant hadn't said much about the Lakers since late May after calling the team's front office a mess and requesting a trade.
Adande: Kobe OK … Now
Kobe Bryant's displeasure with the Lakers appeared to be a thing of the past on Monday, but that doesn't mean Los Angeles doesn't have issues, writes J.A. Adande. Story
The two-time defending NBA scoring champion said he decided to keep a low profile after that, and the team did the same.
"We purposely didn't say anything because we wanted to keep things to ourselves," he said. "There was just too much going on -- things get misconstrued. We don't need that. We don't need any distractions for the season. There was never a doubt I was coming to camp. They knew that, I knew that.
"I was frustrated, so I blew up. Now, it's about taking this team that we have and take it to new heights. I think the important thing for everybody to understand is I want to bring a le back to L.A.
"I'm ready to play. I'm in shape, guys look good. I'm ready to go. My job is to come out here on the floor, help us win ballgames."
I'm ready to play. I'm in shape, guys look good. I'm ready to go. My job is to come out here on the floor, help us win ballgames.
--Kobe Bryant
The Lakers left later Monday for Honolulu, where they'll begin training camp Tuesday and play their first two exhibition games before returning home Oct. 12.
Bryant pushed for an upgraded roster after the Lakers were eliminated by Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year.
It hasn't happened, but four months after blowing up, Bryant said all the right things.
"I'm a soldier. It's not my decision to say whether or not we should fight the war," he said. "My focus and my mind has to be on this team. We have an uphill battle. I'm going to do all I can to help us win."
Unrestricted free agents Luke Walton and Chris Mihm were re-signed, and Derek Fisher, a former Laker, was added, which should improve the backcourt. But an attempt to land Kevin Garnett from Minnesota was unsuccessful, and nothing developed regarding Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal.
"I know they tried," Bryant said. "It wasn't a lack of effort. That means a lot to me."
The Lakers won three championships and reached the NBA Finals four times in five years before Shaquille O'Neal was traded to Miami in July 2004. They haven't won a playoff series since O'Neal left.
Bryant apologized to general manager Mitch Kupchak early in the summer for criticizing him and bemoaning the fact that Andrew Bynum wasn't traded in a video recorded by three fans last spring and sold on the Internet.
Bryant said he text-messaged an apology to Bynum, but the 19-year-old center said the two hadn't talked.
"I thought it was kind of messed up," Bynum said. "The only thing it really did was make me work harder. I really didn't think it was that big a deal.
"He's definitely a great teammate, a great player. I just hope that everything's cool, we go out and play basketball together. He wants to win more than anyone. I'm good with everything. I just know I want to come out and be a great player, be as good as I can be."
Several other Lakers said it would be easy to put the whole brouhaha behind them.
"He's a great guy -- he's the best in the business," Brian Cook said of Bryant. "There's a lot of love here. I'm going to try to be positive, pull all the guys together. I'm one of the older guys now."
Walton said he's heard 15 versions of what happened regarding Bryant.
"We'll let all this stuff be under the bridge and we'll move on," he said. "I'm 99 percent positive that by the end of camp, nobody on our team is going to be talking about it. I don't think it's as big a deal as people are making it out to be.
"He wants to win championships. This is the team we have. We had a very strong team last year before everyone got hurt."
The Lakers won 26 of their first 39 games before losing 27 of 43 to finish 42-40. Walton, Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown all missed extensive time with injuries, and Mihm sat out the entire season.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson said the injuries were too much for the Lakers to overcome.
When asked if the current roster had what it takes to compete for a championship, Jackson replied: "I don't know. We'll have to be awfully good in the middle. We've got two guys [Brown and Mihm] who were injured and one guy [Bynum] who was a novice."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Lakers still need some more help though. wish they would have gotten Kidd last season.
Even though Kobe is still easily the best in the NBA, he needs more around him if the Lakers are going to contend for a le.
Well, I'm happy they all made up...just wish they have an relatively injury free season. He's hoping Mihm can get back to form, and Bynum making that 3rd year in the league leap. A lot of ifs...but having D-fish back brings a smile to my face.
Bynum is still a teenager, or earlier, emotionally.
He will be dangerous if/when he ever starts taking responsibility for the outcome of the game, rather than just running up and down the court perfunctorily. He has shown NO compe ive spirit, no matter what his age is.
I think fish is going to make a big difference, but we shall see.
Hopefully with Kobe talking about him, it will change his at ude and commitment to winning. He's been working hard over the summer.
I agree...Bynum is the key this season to their chances at a mid seed in the West. If he makes the step up...then you never know....but the dude is only 19....damn.
Kobe is all about T.E.A.M.
Lakers in mid season form already...
Kwame Brown arrested last weekend for interfering with the police as they busted his friend for drunk driving while he was a passenger...
Kupchak was forthcoming when asked about the "Kobe thing." "What Kobe thing?" Kupchak asked...
Question for Southern California Lakers Fans:
The Orange County Register has a Laker's beat reporter named Kevin Ding.
Anyone got an opinion on him?
I like him! Never met him but I do read his articles. He's very thorough on his coverage of games. I think a good beat reporter is one that makes you feel like you were there after reading their takes on the game. He covers the little things that might go unnoticed or unprinted by a lot of beat writers. A lot of times I prefer the OC to the Times because of their coverage.
I love how they can paint it so it looks like a guy getting paid 18 million dollars is doing something magnanimous for the good of the team. At least Kobe's finally saying all the right things, and Bynum seems to have handled the situation very maturely. That's definitely a good sign.
I actually agree with you OV.....
I want to see how far Kobe can take HIS team through the playoffs
Alert the media.
They haven't made up. Kobe lied and said he text Bynum and apologized, and when the media told him Bynum said he didn't recieve that text Kobe insulted him. I don't think the young man knows how to answer his phone is an insult unless i'm re ed (Which may be the case).This classless maggot lied to serve his purpose, and when his young teammate didn't cover his lie he insults him. I feel for his teamates having to bite their lips for this cancerous who has never gotten along with anyone. I think Kobe is an excellent individual talent, but as a teammate or friend he is lacking horribly. The front office didn't get help so what does he do? Attack his 19 year old teammate in public but people are crying poor Kobe. Bynum should accidental elbow that es teeth out in practice then text him an apology!!!
The next time Bynum gets aggressive will be the first time...... hey, at least there's room for improvementBynum should accidental elbow that es teeth out in practice then text him an apology!!
I agree. I only get the Times on Sundays, so Ding is the one I get most of my Lakers news from.
He does seem to have a different feel than most reporters.
I get the feeling that he really likes his job and it comes through in his writing.
Talk is for es.
I'm going to bump this thread finals week when Lakers have been sitting at home for a month and Kobe wants to take some spotlight away from the final two contenders.
When are lakerfans going to realize that creating issues is Kobe's work?
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