# OT: Kobe wants out of LA



## Mr_B (Mar 6, 2004)

Bryant told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that he wants the Lakers to bring West back to the organization and give him full authority. If the Lakers don't want to do that, Bryant said he wants to be traded.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2884339


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## ColinBeehler (Oct 14, 2003)

*Re: OT:Kobe wants out of LA*

Let's get him.. trade them... Ford, Rasho and Garbo... genius I think... hehehe


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## speedythief (Jul 16, 2003)

*Re: OT:Kobe wants out of LA*

He had his team in a game 7 against the Suns not so long ago, and he **** the bed, seemingly intentionally. What is he, a secondary star? Now he wants somebody to carry him, too?

West did such a bang-up job with the Griz, as well...


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## Mr_B (Mar 6, 2004)

*Re: OT:Kobe wants out of LA*

He sounds very selfish almost Vince like its going to be hard to sign good players and compete when you got such a monster deal that ties up your team cap usage 7 years for 130 million? good luck getting better as a team


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## Junkyard Dog13 (Aug 9, 2003)

Where ya'll think he wants to go, I think he may wan t to go play for a team like the Suns, I'm sure they are gonna get rid of Marion but Bottom feeders with tons of cap room are probebly the best trading partners.

Only swap I can see goin would be Kobe for KG.


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## dirtybird (Mar 16, 2007)

Let the crazy trade proposals begin...:banghead:


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## Mr_B (Mar 6, 2004)

Junkyard Dog13 said:


> Where ya'll think he wants to go, I think he may wan t to go play for a team like the Suns, I'm sure they are gonna get rid of Marion but Bottom feeders with tons of cap room are probebly the best trading partners.
> 
> Only swap I can see goin would be Kobe for KG.


I hate to say it but I think the Nets have the best shot to get it done they can do a S & T with Vince toss in Kristic, Willams or Moore on top of it and pull this off easily, Other teams that come to mind is Chicago,Suns, and Boston who have to do something to keep Pual happy they got the space and youngsters to pull it off


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## ballocks (May 15, 2003)

i've long thought of kobe as the sport's top player but if the reports are true, even i wouldn't want him on my team right now. i just don't understand people- whether they're athletes, politicians or otherwise- who come to the table with that sort of logic. in kobe's case, he wants to be traded, #1, but he also wants to tell the team how to make its management decisions, #2, and it's like, "you know you have to draw the line somewhere, kobe- right?"

i don't know. i totally prefer the humble superstar in chris bosh (but humble for how long? we'll see) to this sort of distraction. in this league, you're not entitled to anything, imo. if you ever start reading the press clippings and opinions from fans who care primarily about celebrity and almost not at all about the game, you're heading down the wrong path. that's your first mistake. you're becoming cheap.

there are 30 teams in the league today. this is not the 6-team nhl. not everyone can win a championship. if you continue to think that you're not the problem, that your _scene_ is the problem preventing you from reaching your goal, you have it all backwards (imo). at that point you've become almost delusional.

with kg, i'm hoping he can be the first: stick with a team through the highs and lows, and if it means retiring without a title, so be it. "i wasn't good enough, i guess. i don't regret a minute of it. i had my shot." i don't expect him to survive much longer but i sure hope he does. there's integrity and leadership in that, imo. if bosh reaches the same point, i'd want him to follow suit- just ride it out. if you're the franchise player and you can't win a title with your team, don't listen to the distractions, just swallow your pill and retire. that's so much more admirable.

i think the media gondolas in the big cities cause a lot of these players to make the decisions they do- which could also explain how relatively quiet kg's been in minnesota- but these are big boys. they should know _what_ they're handling, and _how_ to handle it by now. making demands- be them through the media or otherwise- just makes you (or anyone) look like a fool.

and i mean, speedy made an excellent point: look at how jerry west is leaving the grizzlies. the media has turned him into a star, too, to the point that 'people' no longer see that his recent performance has indeed been sub-par. calling for jerry west in los angeles, to me, symptomizes a player who's been listening to the media- and other distant fans- too much of late. he's a big name but, in my world, that means virtually nothing: his recent failures far outnumber his recent coups. a focus on bringing in the biggest available names has truly worked for the new york knicks, for example. in other words, it's a media show- it doesn't necessarily bring you any closer to the ultimate goal (the championship). you have to know that when you're a star in professional sports (no matter where you are)- it's almost rule #1 for me.

peace


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## firstrounder (Oct 31, 2004)

great post ballocks!


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

> "My feeling on Jerry West is I trust him completely," Bryant said. "I don't want to get into people believing me to be bashing anybody. Mitch is a great guy. All I can go by is what has happened with this team the last two years, and I know Jerry West is a guy who's great at what he does.
> 
> "He wants to win and he wants to win right now. I can roll with that, even if we don't have the complete turnaround we're hoping to have this summer. Just having him back in the nucleus will help."
> 
> *"I would love for him to be a part of this," Bryant said. "But it's not something where I demand he comes here. All I can do is offer my thoughts. I love being a Laker. I want to retire a Laker. I want to fix this thing, or at least help any way I can."*


http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers28may28,1,3711739.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers

Since everyone seems to think he demanded a trade if West doesn't come...read that. I've already posted it a few times in other team boards. He's not demanding a trade; he's just voicing his frustrations, and rightfully so. He was promised when he signed with the Lakers as a free-agent that they would try their hardest to make the team good and get the Lakers in great shape for the playoffs and a title. As of right now, not only have the Lakers not tried hard, but it seems like they haven't tried at all.

Ric Bucher is just trying to stir the pot, and it apparently worked. Don't buy into everything you read/hear.


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## lucky777s (Nov 13, 2003)

The Lakers haven't don their part?

Kind of overlooks the fact that Kobe tore apart a team that went to 4 straight finals and probably would have won 2 more with Shaq there.

Kobe went nuts with the whole rape scandal and then the free agent power madness. He lost focus on winning and let his ego grow out of control. He wanted his own team and now he is paying the price.

Lakers had Caron Butler but Kobe couldn't play with him. Like Iverson couldn't play with Stackhouse and other wings. Lamar Odom is just getting used to playing with Kobe. Lakers have a nice big man trio of Kwame, Mihm, and Turiaf when healthy. Walton and Odom are great complimentary players on the wing. Really only missing a PG but good ones are hard to find. Lakers are just in a tough conference with PHX, DAL, SAS, and UTA. Even HOU. Tough to get an edge on all those good teams. Shaq was their big edge and Kobe was the closer.

He would definitely be the final piece for us here in Toronto but no way we have the assets to interest the Lakers.


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## ballocks (May 15, 2003)

Basel57 said:


> http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers28may28,1,3711739.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers
> 
> Since everyone seems to think he demanded a trade if West doesn't come...read that. I've already posted it a few times in other team boards. He's not demanding a trade; he's just voicing his frustrations, and rightfully so. He was promised when he signed with the Lakers as a free-agent that they would try their hardest to make the team good and get the Lakers in great shape for the playoffs and a title. As of right now, not only have the Lakers not tried hard, but it seems like they haven't tried at all.
> 
> Ric Bucher is just trying to stir the pot, and it apparently worked. Don't buy into everything you read/hear.


good to see. thanks.

peace


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## Mr_B (Mar 6, 2004)

Basel57 said:


> http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers28may28,1,3711739.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers
> 
> Since everyone seems to think he demanded a trade if West doesn't come...read that. I've already posted it a few times in other team boards. He's not demanding a trade; he's just voicing his frustrations, and rightfully so. He was promised when he signed with the Lakers as a free-agent that they would try their hardest to make the team good and get the Lakers in great shape for the playoffs and a title. As of right now, not only have the Lakers not tried hard, but it seems like they haven't tried at all.
> 
> Ric Bucher is just trying to stir the pot, and it apparently worked. Don't buy into everything you read/hear.


This is just damage control to calm the situation we see this all the time in sports, a player gets pissed and voices his true feelings then he when has a chance to sleep on it he comes back out and sings a different tune


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## seifer0406 (Jun 8, 2003)

I remember watching post game interviews during the playoffs where Kobe voiced his frustrations with the current team. I think it's quite clear that he is not happy with the current situation. I'm sure the Lakers are trying to put the best product on the floor but if they continue to fail, you would think that Kobe is going to want out of LA. We've seen this with AI and our very own VC. This kind of rumor is usually how it starts.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Mr_B said:


> This is just damage control to calm the situation we see this all the time in sports, a player gets pissed and voices his true feelings then he when has a chance to sleep on it he comes back out and sings a different tune


But there was never a direct quote with Kobe saying he wanted out. That's just what Bucher said. Everything else is being quoted by Kobe.


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## Mr_B (Mar 6, 2004)

Basel57 said:


> But there was never a direct quote with Kobe saying he wanted out. That's just what Bucher said. Everything else is being quoted by Kobe.


I guess time will tell how this plays out


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## narrator (Feb 11, 2006)

Holy overreaction. Kobe's not going anywhere. Ever.


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## speedythief (Jul 16, 2003)

narrator said:


> Holy overreaction. Kobe's not going anywhere. Ever.


Sorry, I used my Jump To Conclusions Mat. Its never wrong.


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## Junkyard Dog13 (Aug 9, 2003)

Carter wont last in la.


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## JuniorNoboa (Jan 27, 2003)

Basel57 said:


> But there was never a direct quote with Kobe saying he wanted out. That's just what Bucher said. Everything else is being quoted by Kobe.


It's not like Kobe has ever tried to play GM before, right???


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## Mr_B (Mar 6, 2004)

anybody hear Kobe on the radio today? he sounds pretty pissed


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## Mr_B (Mar 6, 2004)

http://www.am570radio.com/cc-common/podcast/single_podcast.html?podcast=interviews.xml

Thats the interview you can tell Kobe pissed and from Kobe standpoint Buss is a snake


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## Mr_B (Mar 6, 2004)

Kobe just said on steven A smith radio show that he wants to be traded its official now


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## seifer0406 (Jun 8, 2003)

hey, Ford+Rasho+Mopete(s&t)+Dixon+first rounders for next 2 years for Kobe.


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## seifer0406 (Jun 8, 2003)

Basel57 said:


> But there was never a direct quote with Kobe saying he wanted out. That's just what Bucher said. Everything else is being quoted by Kobe.


I guess life isn't what you thought it would be lol.


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## ballocks (May 15, 2003)

seifer0406 said:


> hey, Ford+Rasho+Mopete(s&t)+Dixon+first rounders for next 2 years for Kobe.


just to clarify for everyone, you can never trade two-first rounders at a time. well, i guess you can if they're not in back-to-back years, but otherwise you can't.

part of the reason we were so hamstrung on that front in recent years was because of the conditional first-rounder owed to charlotte. we couldn't trade any because the one we'd already traded did not have a specific year assigned to it. for example, we couldn't trade an '06 in '05 because how would we know that the pick we owed wouldn't go to charlotte in '07 (= consecutive years)- or worse, '0_6_?

(now, that doesn't mean you can't trade your draft pick every year. you can, you'd just have to ensure you'd have at least one coming in the _following_ year. it doesn't matter if that second year never comes.)

it used to be easier to 'clarify' things. 

peace


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## JuniorNoboa (Jan 27, 2003)

seifer0406 said:


> hey, Ford+Rasho+Mopete(s&t)+Dixon+first rounders for next 2 years for Kobe.


That's alot of crap.

TJ Ford as the centerpice is not going to get it done..not even close.

Stop putting MoPete in trades - he would have to agree to sign in LA which at this point makes little sense.


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## JuniorNoboa (Jan 27, 2003)

If you go to the main screen, 13 of the 30 team boards, have a kobe / kobe trade idea as there top thread.


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## seifer0406 (Jun 8, 2003)

JuniorNoboa said:


> That's alot of crap.
> 
> TJ Ford as the centerpice is not going to get it done..not even close.
> 
> Stop putting MoPete in trades - he would have to agree to sign in LA which at this point makes little sense.


It was just a half-*** attempt at a trade, chill out. Pretty much every Raptors fan knows Kobe isn't coming to Toronto.

If BC can pull that off the Raptors win the East easily with that roster. Personally though I don't think Kobe is going anywhere. LA has too much to lose to let him go and Kobe would probably change his mind after things settle down. He's just talking out of anger right now.


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## JuniorNoboa (Jan 27, 2003)

seifer0406 said:


> It was just a half-*** attempt at a trade, chill out. Pretty much every Raptors fan knows Kobe isn't coming to Toronto.
> 
> If BC can pull that off the Raptors win the East easily with that roster. Personally though I don't think Kobe is going anywhere. LA has too much to lose to let him go and Kobe would probably change his mind after things settle down. He's just talking out of anger right now.


Seem to get a little pissy there after being criticized about a trade. Maybe you should chill.


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## seifer0406 (Jun 8, 2003)

I guess you would know about criticizing people. When I see you post something around here, 8 out of 10 times you're doing what you do best. Try to take it easy once in a while.


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## speedythief (Jul 16, 2003)

Kobe has officially asked to be traded. Doesn't mean he will be, but odds are it will happen.

Kobe for KG?

Keep him in the West.


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## firstrounder (Oct 31, 2004)

Now apparently after talking to Phil Jackson Kobe has backed off his trade request...this is getting bizarre


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## seifer0406 (Jun 8, 2003)

I have to give it up to Kobe. On one hand I know it's retarded to just let him play around with the spotlight like this, yet I still want to know what's going to happen with him.


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## MjM2xtreMe (Sep 1, 2005)

lol then after talking to Phil Jackson, he backs out from his trade demand. Phil = Master Puppeteer!


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## Mr_B (Mar 6, 2004)

All Phil did was put a band-aid over the situation this will surface again and will be an issue until either Kobe is traded or the Lakers clean house in the front office


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## Junkyard Dog13 (Aug 9, 2003)

VC is a guy that they can do a 1-1 or 1-2 b/c Saleries can match.


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