Kobe to Dallas Heating Up Again???

[Medvedenko]

He should go to Toronto...that would be sweet....he could play with Bosh and TJ Ford....trade everyone else away....Barnagni, Garbajosa, whomever....still I don't think the Salaries work...maybe you'll have to include TJ....

[mavsfan1000]

Well I watched the interview with Phil on the Lakers website and he fielded a bunch of questions regarding Kobe.....all I heard was No comment this and no comment that.....just looking at his face you could tell that Kobe's laker days seem to be behind him now...the inteview is very telling and Phil is keeping it close to the chest. Who knows for you consiparcy nuts, maybe it's all ruse to get Jermaine Oneal in LA...who knows for sure.

Still I like the Bulls offer better than the Dallas one.

You just hate the mavericks. Admit it.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

He should go to Toronto...that would be sweet....he could play with Bosh and TJ Ford....trade everyone else away....Barnagni, Garbajosa, whomever....still I don't think the Salaries work...maybe you'll have to include TJ....

you just want him in toronto so you could see him play more often in person


(you do live in toronto, right?)

[Holmes_Fans]

It's not so much that I value Stack as an individual that much, I just think in general it's too much to give up 3 of our 4 best scorers for him.

Obviously I'd be down with JHo+Stack+filler or Jet+Stack+filler, but I don't think either of those are viable.

No way we get him without sending JHo. I would not mind Jet+Jho+stack+draft picks we will misuse anyways.


Stack I could definetely live without until he gets over the fact he is an average 6th man now and not a superstar. Jet has to go to make the money work

[Obstructed_View]

I'm sure he said that somewhat tongue in cheek since so many say they never talk sports, which isn't even close to true...

You're right. They must talk about sports almost 30 percent of the time. That's not even close to never.

[Medvedenko]

I don't live in Toronto anymore, but if Calgary ever gets an expansion...than Kobe come on down...

Time will heal all......that's what I keep telling myself. If the lakers can't get by the first round with this group, then blow it up.....too many soft injury prone guys on the team anyway....

Oh, and I don't hate the mavs, I would just rather get the package of players from the bulls....

[mystargtr34]

Lakers are getting ripped badly if its a Howard + Terry + Stackhouse deal.

They are better off trying for Deng + Gordon + Thomas

[Trainwreck2100]

Chi won't get rid of Deng. Like Miami wouldn't part with Wade in the Shaq deal

[slayermin]

WTF? Why would the Lakers help out the Mavericks? I don't get it.

[B and P Cats]

I can see Kobe wanting to go to the Mavs, but I can also see Stern hoping he goes to the Eastern Conference somewhere. I think he would like to balance the two conferences more so they are more compe ive. KG just landed in the East and having Kobe there too with a good team would help out the East as well. Time will tell on this one.

[slayermin]

I can see Kobe wanting to go to the Mavs, but I can also see Stern hoping he goes to the Eastern Conference somewhere. I think he would like to balance the two conferences more so they are more compe ive. KG just landed in the East and having Kobe there too with a good team would help out the East as well. Time will tell on this one.

It makes sense to me. If you can get equal value in the East, it's a no-brainer. You send Kobe to Chicago or New Jersey? I would much rather have Richard Jefferson or Vince Carter than Josh Howard.

[B and P Cats]

It makes sense to me. If you can get equal value in the East, it's a no-brainer. You send Kobe to Chicago or New Jersey? I would much rather have Richard Jefferson or Vince Carter than Josh Howard.

I think I would agree with that, but I'm not sure Jackson would. He seems to like to develop young talent and neither Jefferson or Vince Carter are particularly young I don't think. If he went looking to the Bulls to replace a guard like Kobe it would probably be Deng or Hinrich. But, I'm not sure whether Chicago would part with either. Plus probably neither earn enough to match Kobe (I don't keep up with salaries, though). But, who knows, maybe something can be worked out with them. They seem the most likely good team. Maybe the Cavs could make a deal too. I don't know anything about their players other than LBJ, though. Even after the last Finals!

[Kent_in_Atlanta]

I wouldn't put too much stock in these reports. There are going to be a lot of teams that will be able to offer a return package at least as good as Howard/Terry.

And you know Buss would prefer to send him to the East.

[Kent_in_Atlanta]

Anyone here pay for the ESPN Insider stuff? What teams are they speculating as possible destinations? Just curious.

[Humble Billy Hayes]

Let's Go Mavs!
Let's Go Mavs!
Let's Go Mavs!
Let's Go Mavs!
Let's Go Mavs!
Let's Go Mavs!
Let's Go Mavs!

[Humble Billy Hayes]

does Kobe go to the free throw line a lot? i don't pay attention to anybody that isn't a member of the Dallas Mavericks.

i better be able to say -

"Kobe Bryant, twoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo shots!"

[lurker]

Anyone here pay for the ESPN Insider stuff? What teams are they speculating as possible destinations? Just curious.

On Monday, our ESPN.com panel debated what's going on with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

Let's take it a step further today and explore exactly what L.A. could get in return for its superstar.

First, three points:

1. The Lakers aren't giving Bryant away. In other words, they won't take back another team's junk.

They need at least one All-Star-type player, young players with potential, draft picks and expiring contracts. I don't think Jerry Buss is in the mood for a fire sale.

2. Bryant's not going to approve a trade to a team that can't compete for a championship with him on the roster. So if the trade depletes a team, he's not going to approve it. At the same time, I think we shouldn't get too hung up on what we think Bryant wants in terms of market size and other factors. Sure, in a perfect world, he'd love to play in New York. But the Knicks have little of value to give back in return. I think that Bryant is looking for a chance to win a le.

(One side point: I think both Bryant and Buss would prefer that Bryant go to the East. But that's not set in stone if the right deal comes along.)

3. Bryant makes roughly $19.5 million this season, and any team over the cap that does a deal with L.A. has to get within 25 percent and $100,000 of that amount to make it happen.

Given these three points, it won't be easy to trade Bryant. Only a few teams have what it takes to get him.

Who are they? Here are the five teams that have the best shot at landing Bryant, based on the criteria above.


The Favorite
Chicago Bulls
This is no surprise. It's well-known Bryant wants to play in Chicago, and the Bulls have the roster to get a deal done.

After passing on Pau Gasol, losing in the conference semifinals decisively and missing out on Kevin Garnett, you have to believe that the Bulls and GM John Paxson are feeling some pressure.

So who would they give up? From the sound of things, they won't part with Luol Deng (which could turn out to be a deal-breaker).

Without Deng involved, they have two basic packages to offer:

Option 1: Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Joakim Noah, Viktor Khryapa and Adrian Griffin.
(View the deal in our Trade Machine.)

This deal would work, even though Hinrich is a base-year compensation player.

It would give the Lakers a new backcourt and a player in Noah with the personality and star appeal to thrive in L.A.

But would the Bulls lose too much? Who would play point guard for them? Would a combo of Bryant, Deng and Ben Wallace trump Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce in the East?

Option 2: Ben Gordon, Joakim Noah, Viktor Khryapa, Adrian Griffin, P.J. Brown (in a sign-and-trade) and two first-round draft picks.

This deal probably would work better for the Bulls. They would have a core that would make them the favorites to win the East.

The question is whether it would be enough for the Lakers. Gordon and Noah are nice pieces, but the draft picks would likely be low first-rounders. Adding Brown (in a deal that would allow the Lakers to release him after Year 1) would give them roughly $14 million in cap relief next summer. But with Gordon looking for a long-term extension, he could make much of those savings go away.

Note: The Bulls could throw in Andres Nocioni to sweeten the deal, but he can't be traded until mid-December per league free agent rules. And of course, players like Chris Duhon and Tyrus Thomas could be used in other versions of the options above.


The Contenders
1. Washington Wizards

Could the Wizards get both MJ and Bryant in the same decade?

The Wizards' package: Gilbert Arenas, Nick Young, Darius Songaila and a first-round draft pick.
(View the deal in our Trade Machine.)

The Wizards would immediately become Eastern Conference contenders. And with Arenas expected to opt out of his contract next summer, the Wizards would remove the risk that he bolts for another destination … while getting Bryant right now.

For the Lakers, Arenas would return home to add some sizzle to the roster, and Young, another local product, is an athletic 2-guard who would eventually take Bryant's spot in the lineup.

Another possibility would be a three-way deal that would send Bryant to the Bulls, Arenas, Young and Noah to the Lakers, and Gordon, Tyrus Thomas, Viktor Khryapa, Griffin and a re-signed Brown to the Wizards.



2. Phoenix Suns
The Suns flirted all summer with making a blockbuster trade. While Shawn Marion's name dominated the headlines, sources told both Marc Stein and me this summer that the Suns were willing to give up Amare Stoudemire to get Garnett.

So would they be willing to let Stoudemire go to get Bryant? If the answer is yes, can the Lakers really say no to that?

The Suns' package: Stoudemire and Raja Bell.
(View the deal in our Trade Machine.)

The deal would make the Suns the smallest team in the league. But with the trade of Kurt Thomas this summer, they're already heading in that direction. This would make the Suns even more extreme, but still a serious contender.

On the Lakers' side, Stoudemire is probably the best talent that they could get in return for Bryant. Pair him with Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom, and the Lakers have an outstanding front line. But what would they do in the backcourt?


3. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are the most screwed-up franchise in the business, and they've missed the playoffs eight straight years. So this one's a long shot.

But the Hawks have the pieces to make the Lakers look long and hard at a deal: namely All-Star Joe Johnson and potential All-Star Josh Smith, along with expiring contracts.

The Hawks' package: Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Lorenzen Wright and Anthony Johnson.
(View the deal in our Trade Machine.)

Now, would Bryant want to go to Atlanta? And would the Hawks have enough talent to win the East with Bryant?

It's questionable. Josh Childress is a very good role player, but is he ready to be Bryant's Scottie Pippen? Al Horford, Marvin Williams and Acie Law IV have potential, sure -- but they would have to meet the high expectations that come with being lottery picks.

Then again, in the East, Bryant could take this team to the Finals. The questions would be whether Bryant sees it that way and whether the Lakers see this as their best offer.


4. Memphis Grizzlies

I know the mention of the Grizzlies -- a team some seem to believe isn't really in the NBA -- may cause you to scratch your head, but hear me out.

First, they have the kind of young, exciting athletes the Lakers would be looking to rebuild around. Second, the Grizzlies would still have a strong enough core to be contenders, even in the West. Finally, Jerry West -- a Bryant confidant -- moved from the Lakers' front office to Memphis, and his dream was always to have Bryant join him. Maybe he would come out of retirement to make it happen.

The Grizzlies' package: Mike Conley Jr., Rudy Gay, Mike Miller and Hakim Warrick.
(View the deal in our Trade Machine.)

This would have to work for the Lakers. They would be set at the 1, 2 and 3 with this deal. Conley and Gay have the potential to be stars. With Miller and Odom providing veteran balance, the further development of Bynum would make the Lakers one of the best teams in the West.

The deal would also be a slam dunk for Memphis. With Pau Gasol and Bryant, the Grizz would have two legit All-Stars. Kyle Lowry and Damon Stoudamire could man the point, and Darko Milicic projects to be better than what Bryant's had in the middle since Shaq left.


The Long Shots

Pretty much everyone else falls into this category.

We know Bryant would like to go to Dallas, but unless the Mavs are willing to put Dirk Nowitzki in a deal, I don't see it happening. And if Dirk is in the deal, what's the point for Bryant?

Some mention the Knicks, but who are they offering? David Lee and … ?

Listen, Lee is a nice player, but you don't trade Bryant for him straight up. Anyone else the Knicks could throw into the deal would bring the value down, not up. I guess they could claim that Zach Randolph would be an asset for the Lakers, but is L.A. really trading Bryant for Randolph? I don't think so.

The Jazz could use Andrei Kirilenko as bait. But unless Deron Williams is also in the deal, it's tough to see the Lakers' biting. And Utah would probably be one destination Bryant would veto regardless of whether he has a chance to win a le there.

There's speculation about Michael Jordan and Bryant finally coming together in Charlotte. But any deal that would work for all parties would probably have to include Raymond Felton, Adam Morrison and Gerald Wallace, and it's not clear that would get it done.

Plus, what would that leave Charlotte with? Bryant, Jason Richardson and Emeka Okafor. And if the Bobcats are including Wallace in a trade, they have to wait until Dec. 15.

The Pistons could offer Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince for Bryant. I think it would be a great deal for Detroit, but I don't see the Lakers' wanting two very good but bland players back for Bryant. I'm also pretty sure he's not ready to do Detroit any favors.

[Kent_in_Atlanta]

On Monday, our ESPN.com panel debated what's going on with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

Let's take it a step further today and explore exactly what L.A. could get in return for its superstar.

First, three points:

1. The Lakers aren't giving Bryant away. In other words, they won't take back another team's junk.

They need at least one All-Star-type player, young players with potential, draft picks and expiring contracts. I don't think Jerry Buss is in the mood for a fire sale.

2. Bryant's not going to approve a trade to a team that can't compete for a championship with him on the roster. So if the trade depletes a team, he's not going to approve it. At the same time, I think we shouldn't get too hung up on what we think Bryant wants in terms of market size and other factors. Sure, in a perfect world, he'd love to play in New York. But the Knicks have little of value to give back in return. I think that Bryant is looking for a chance to win a le.

(One side point: I think both Bryant and Buss would prefer that Bryant go to the East. But that's not set in stone if the right deal comes along.)

3. Bryant makes roughly $19.5 million this season, and any team over the cap that does a deal with L.A. has to get within 25 percent and $100,000 of that amount to make it happen.

Given these three points, it won't be easy to trade Bryant. Only a few teams have what it takes to get him.

Who are they? Here are the five teams that have the best shot at landing Bryant, based on the criteria above.


The Favorite
Chicago Bulls
This is no surprise. It's well-known Bryant wants to play in Chicago, and the Bulls have the roster to get a deal done.

After passing on Pau Gasol, losing in the conference semifinals decisively and missing out on Kevin Garnett, you have to believe that the Bulls and GM John Paxson are feeling some pressure.

So who would they give up? From the sound of things, they won't part with Luol Deng (which could turn out to be a deal-breaker).

Without Deng involved, they have two basic packages to offer:

Option 1: Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Joakim Noah, Viktor Khryapa and Adrian Griffin.
(View the deal in our Trade Machine.)

This deal would work, even though Hinrich is a base-year compensation player.

It would give the Lakers a new backcourt and a player in Noah with the personality and star appeal to thrive in L.A.

But would the Bulls lose too much? Who would play point guard for them? Would a combo of Bryant, Deng and Ben Wallace trump Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce in the East?

Option 2: Ben Gordon, Joakim Noah, Viktor Khryapa, Adrian Griffin, P.J. Brown (in a sign-and-trade) and two first-round draft picks.

This deal probably would work better for the Bulls. They would have a core that would make them the favorites to win the East.

The question is whether it would be enough for the Lakers. Gordon and Noah are nice pieces, but the draft picks would likely be low first-rounders. Adding Brown (in a deal that would allow the Lakers to release him after Year 1) would give them roughly $14 million in cap relief next summer. But with Gordon looking for a long-term extension, he could make much of those savings go away.

Note: The Bulls could throw in Andres Nocioni to sweeten the deal, but he can't be traded until mid-December per league free agent rules. And of course, players like Chris Duhon and Tyrus Thomas could be used in other versions of the options above.


The Contenders
1. Washington Wizards

Could the Wizards get both MJ and Bryant in the same decade?

The Wizards' package: Gilbert Arenas, Nick Young, Darius Songaila and a first-round draft pick.
(View the deal in our Trade Machine.)

The Wizards would immediately become Eastern Conference contenders. And with Arenas expected to opt out of his contract next summer, the Wizards would remove the risk that he bolts for another destination … while getting Bryant right now.

For the Lakers, Arenas would return home to add some sizzle to the roster, and Young, another local product, is an athletic 2-guard who would eventually take Bryant's spot in the lineup.

Another possibility would be a three-way deal that would send Bryant to the Bulls, Arenas, Young and Noah to the Lakers, and Gordon, Tyrus Thomas, Viktor Khryapa, Griffin and a re-signed Brown to the Wizards.



2. Phoenix Suns
The Suns flirted all summer with making a blockbuster trade. While Shawn Marion's name dominated the headlines, sources told both Marc Stein and me this summer that the Suns were willing to give up Amare Stoudemire to get Garnett.

So would they be willing to let Stoudemire go to get Bryant? If the answer is yes, can the Lakers really say no to that?

The Suns' package: Stoudemire and Raja Bell.
(View the deal in our Trade Machine.)

The deal would make the Suns the smallest team in the league. But with the trade of Kurt Thomas this summer, they're already heading in that direction. This would make the Suns even more extreme, but still a serious contender.

On the Lakers' side, Stoudemire is probably the best talent that they could get in return for Bryant. Pair him with Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom, and the Lakers have an outstanding front line. But what would they do in the backcourt?


3. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are the most screwed-up franchise in the business, and they've missed the playoffs eight straight years. So this one's a long shot.

But the Hawks have the pieces to make the Lakers look long and hard at a deal: namely All-Star Joe Johnson and potential All-Star Josh Smith, along with expiring contracts.

The Hawks' package: Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Lorenzen Wright and Anthony Johnson.
(View the deal in our Trade Machine.)

Now, would Bryant want to go to Atlanta? And would the Hawks have enough talent to win the East with Bryant?

It's questionable. Josh Childress is a very good role player, but is he ready to be Bryant's Scottie Pippen? Al Horford, Marvin Williams and Acie Law IV have potential, sure -- but they would have to meet the high expectations that come with being lottery picks.

Then again, in the East, Bryant could take this team to the Finals. The questions would be whether Bryant sees it that way and whether the Lakers see this as their best offer.


4. Memphis Grizzlies

I know the mention of the Grizzlies -- a team some seem to believe isn't really in the NBA -- may cause you to scratch your head, but hear me out.

First, they have the kind of young, exciting athletes the Lakers would be looking to rebuild around. Second, the Grizzlies would still have a strong enough core to be contenders, even in the West. Finally, Jerry West -- a Bryant confidant -- moved from the Lakers' front office to Memphis, and his dream was always to have Bryant join him. Maybe he would come out of retirement to make it happen.

The Grizzlies' package: Mike Conley Jr., Rudy Gay, Mike Miller and Hakim Warrick.
(View the deal in our Trade Machine.)

This would have to work for the Lakers. They would be set at the 1, 2 and 3 with this deal. Conley and Gay have the potential to be stars. With Miller and Odom providing veteran balance, the further development of Bynum would make the Lakers one of the best teams in the West.

The deal would also be a slam dunk for Memphis. With Pau Gasol and Bryant, the Grizz would have two legit All-Stars. Kyle Lowry and Damon Stoudamire could man the point, and Darko Milicic projects to be better than what Bryant's had in the middle since Shaq left.


The Long Shots

Pretty much everyone else falls into this category.

We know Bryant would like to go to Dallas, but unless the Mavs are willing to put Dirk Nowitzki in a deal, I don't see it happening. And if Dirk is in the deal, what's the point for Bryant?

Some mention the Knicks, but who are they offering? David Lee and … ?

Listen, Lee is a nice player, but you don't trade Bryant for him straight up. Anyone else the Knicks could throw into the deal would bring the value down, not up. I guess they could claim that Zach Randolph would be an asset for the Lakers, but is L.A. really trading Bryant for Randolph? I don't think so.

The Jazz could use Andrei Kirilenko as bait. But unless Deron Williams is also in the deal, it's tough to see the Lakers' biting. And Utah would probably be one destination Bryant would veto regardless of whether he has a chance to win a le there.

There's speculation about Michael Jordan and Bryant finally coming together in Charlotte. But any deal that would work for all parties would probably have to include Raymond Felton, Adam Morrison and Gerald Wallace, and it's not clear that would get it done.

Plus, what would that leave Charlotte with? Bryant, Jason Richardson and Emeka Okafor. And if the Bobcats are including Wallace in a trade, they have to wait until Dec. 15.

The Pistons could offer Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince for Bryant. I think it would be a great deal for Detroit, but I don't see the Lakers' wanting two very good but bland players back for Bryant. I'm also pretty sure he's not ready to do Detroit any favors.

Thanks man!

[Obstructed_View]

It's a good thing for Dallas fans that the deal looks unworkable for the Mavs. It would be a shame for Mark Cuban to be able to break up a 67 win team just so he can play with his human baseball card collection.

[LakeShow]

Diop and Dampier are our last line of defense, not Dirk. Look at a depth chart once in a while.

Uh, what the does the depth chart have to do with Dirk playing the 4 in the playoffs? In the playoffs Dirk at the 4 is your last line of defense. Damp and Diop are too busy trying to guard Dirkies man and often can not leave their man to help, that's where Dirkie comes in, and players will light up just seeing him back there and attack the rim at will with little to no resistence. It happens every year!

I think you should do like your fellow moron mavs fans. Rather than take a risk of being OWNED on your basketball knowledge. Just call me a Rockets fan!

[Findog]

In the playoffs Dirk at the 4 is your last line of defense.

You've never watched a Mavericks game, have you?

Damp and Diop are too busy trying to guard Dirkies man and often can not leave their man to help, that's where Dirkie comes in, and players will light up just seeing him back there and attack the rim at will with little to no resistence. It happens every year!

The Mavs signed Diop and Dampier for Tim Duncan, Yao Ming, Carlos Boozer and Amare Stoudemire, not Lamar Odom's vagina or Ronny Turiaf's bum ticker. They anchor our defensive frontline, not Dirk.

I think you should do like your fellow moron mavs fans. Rather than take a risk of being OWNED on your basketball knowledge. Just call me a Rockets fan!

I could care less what team you root for, you don't have any a en for basketball if you think Dirk is our "last line of defense." I don't think even you know what the that means.

[stretch]

Uh, what the does the depth chart have to do with Dirk playing the 4 in the playoffs? In the playoffs Dirk at the 4 is your last line of defense. Damp and Diop are too busy trying to guard Dirkies man and often can not leave their man to help, that's where Dirkie comes in, and players will light up just seeing him back there and attack the rim at will with little to no resistence. It happens every year!

I think you should do like your fellow moron mavs fans. Rather than take a risk of being OWNED on your basketball knowledge. Just call me a Rockets fan!

lol, fake lakers fan

[stretch]

You've never watched a Mavericks game, have you?



The Mavs signed Diop and Dampier for Tim Duncan, Yao Ming, Carlos Boozer and Amare Stoudemire, not Lamar Odom's vagina or Ronny Turiaf's bum ticker. They anchor our defensive frontline, not Dirk.



I could care less what team you root for, you don't have any a en for basketball if you think Dirk is our "last line of defense." I don't think even you know what the that means.

dont argue with him. just make a one-line smartass reply to everything he says. it pisses him off, and he will call you a " !!!" or something like that, thus proving that he's an idiot that doesn't know what he's talking about. he is an ignorant rockets fan, that came on this website posing as a Lakers fan, just so he can talk crap to the Spurs fans about "his lakers" 14 rings or whatever. and he will never get a clue when it comes to Dirk and the Mavs. he is just a blind hater. you can never get anywhere with those guys. its like talking to a wall. ing pointless.

[Findog]

he is an ignorant rockets fan, that came on this website posing as a Lakers fan, just so he can talk crap to the Spurs fans about "his lakers" 14 rings or whatever. .

Uh, I don't even know where to begin with that. The word "sad" comes to mind.

[LakeShow]

dont argue with him. just make a one-line smartass reply to everything he says. it pisses him off, and he will call you a " !!!" or something like that, thus proving that he's an idiot that doesn't know what he's talking about. he is an ignorant rockets fan, that came on this website posing as a Lakers fan, just so he can talk crap to the Spurs fans about "his lakers" 14 rings or whatever. and he will never get a clue when it comes to Dirk and the Mavs. he is just a blind hater. you can never get anywhere with those guys. its like talking to a wall. ing pointless.

Especially from es like you that don't know ! Dumbass mavs fan!