Wednesday, May 30th, 2007 at 1:21 pm  |  117 responses

Kobe Asks to Be Traded

Is this the end of the Kobe Era in L.A?

by Marcel Mutoni

Folks, I’m just as shocked as you are.

Kobe Bryant, in an interview with Stephen A. Smith, has asked to be traded from the Los Angeles Lakers.

“I would like to be traded, yeah,” Bryant said on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York. “Tough as it is to come to that conclusion there’s no other alternative, you know?”

Bryant, interviewed by Stephen A. Smith, was asked if there was anything the Lakers could do to change his mind?

“No,” Bryant said. “I just want them to do the right thing.”

Wow. I knew the guy was frustrated, but who could have foreseen this coming?

Yesterday, he appeared on a radio show in LA and basically lashed out at the entire Laker organization. You can listen to the interview by following the link here. In the interview, Bryant claimed that the Lakers lied to him about their rebuilding plans; he couldn’t believe that a Laker “insider” blamed him for Shaq’s departure; he said that Caron Butler — a good friend of Bryant’s — was traded without his consultation; and said management never made any real efforts to acquire big-time players who desperately wanted to come to LA (Baron Davis, Carlos Boozer, and Ron Artest).

Kobe being Kobe, though, said that he did not want to be traded and that he wants to be a Laker for life. That was yesterday. Today, he says that he wants out. Obviously, this is a hard guy to figure out. It’s too early — for me at least — to come up with realistic trade scenarios for the disgruntled Bryant. Once you get over the shock yourselves, go nuts in the comments.

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  • Russ Bengtson Posted: May.30 at 1:24 pm
    I literally don’t care.

  • mutoni Posted: May.30 at 1:27 pm
    oh, come on, russ. not even a little?

  • Oliver Posted: May.30 at 1:28 pm
    awesome- i wonder whats coming tomorrow from the attention seeking Kobe

  • nhoj Posted: May.30 at 1:30 pm
    kobe for dirk. Dallas win title.

  • Reggie Evans Posted: May.30 at 1:31 pm
    Kobe is talented.

  • nhoj Posted: May.30 at 1:32 pm
    or ben gordon and the bulls bench. bulls win title.

  • nhoj Posted: May.30 at 1:33 pm
    or kobe for wade. anyone else wins title.

  • .Cub Buenning Posted: May.30 at 1:35 pm
    I heard most of the interview and was shocked. Dude wants out now….
    How many viable trade options are out there, though? Shaq had KB’s back on the whole front office situation, too. But Buss supposedly told Phil the exact opposite thing that he told KB.

  • Chris Posted: May.30 at 1:35 pm
    Kobe wants to win. He realizes that the current Laker team as presently constituted won’t be winning any time soon. To become a contender they would have to add Garnett…without giving up any of their current rotation players, and that’s not happening. So a trade is the most likely scenario for Kobe to get back to the finals. Now if he’s really seriously about playing for a winning let’s see if he’s willing to put his money where his mouth is.

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: May.30 at 1:35 pm
    OK, maybe a little. At least we know now why Dr. Buss was out driving drunk. So, is Tyrus Thomas gonna have to give up his number?

  • Billy Blanks Posted: May.30 at 1:37 pm
    KOBE TO THE NUGGETS!!!

  • mutoni Posted: May.30 at 1:40 pm
    kobe is one calculating mu’facka. i think he set this whole thing up. first, he makes the lakers look bad by showing how they lied to him about rebuilding (and gets shaq’s support an an added and unexpected plus), and now he looks like the victim. brilliant!

  • nhoj Posted: May.30 at 1:42 pm
    or kobe for webber, Billups, Mohammed and draft picks. Pistons win title.

  • Billy Blanks Posted: May.30 at 1:43 pm
    That Kobe is a real fun-loving guy

  • .Cub Buenning Posted: May.30 at 1:43 pm
    Word BB. They were talking yesterday on the FAN about that very scenario.
    AI, MELO, NENE??? Who’s in your proposed package? Prolly have to be one of the big two, maybe Camby? He might be a salary cap casualty anyway…. Still not sure if that sh*t would float back here after all that crap in Eagle.

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: May.30 at 1:44 pm
    The Nuggets? Sure, the Lakers are gonna trade Kobe to a team that a) they play four times a year, and b) will help keep them out of the playoffs. NOT HAPPENING. He’s not getting traded to the Suns, either. You’re more likely to see Jerry Buss dating someone his own age. If Kobe goes ANYWHERE, it’s to an Eastern Conference team with lots of young pieces. Like, oh, the Bulls (I’m still not excited by the prospect, just growing resigned to it). The Hawks may have enough pieces to get it done, too (if they include the No. 3) but I’m guessing Kobe would have to approve his destination, and the ATL is NOT it.

  • Ryan Jones Posted: May.30 at 1:45 pm
    Hey mutoni, can you just re-post my comments from yesterday? Thanks.

  • Ryan Jones Posted: May.30 at 1:46 pm
    And does this mean I still need to explain myself to all the Laker fans? Or can I safely assume it’s all starting to make sense…

  • » Links: Kobe Says “Trade Me” - SLAM ONLINE Posted: May.30 at 1:48 pm
    [...] OK, so now it’s out there. Mutoni wonders if this is the end of the Kobe era in LA. [...]

  • Reggie Evans Posted: May.30 at 1:48 pm
    I will root for whatever team Kobe plays for.

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: May.30 at 1:50 pm
    I love that he said it on Screamin A. Smith’s radio show. In fact, I love that he was ON Screamin A. Smith’s radio show. What’s it called, “The Unlikeables”?

  • mutoni Posted: May.30 at 1:52 pm
    ryan, forgot how to copy and paste?

  • Max Airington Posted: May.30 at 1:54 pm
    Ryan, I think you do.

  • Billy Blanks Posted: May.30 at 1:55 pm
    Don’t worry guys, just me daydreaming out loud. That would be a dynasty. But hey, maybe the Celts and Sixers still have hope? Kobe does have ties to Philly as well.

  • Shiz Posted: May.30 at 1:56 pm
    Hi, my name is Ray Allen..And I have a crystal ball…

  • Joe_X Posted: May.30 at 1:58 pm
    Mutoni wrote: “Wow. I knew the guy was frustrated, but who could have foreseen this coming?” I think “forseen this coming” is redundant. On another note, I watched some of ESPN’s “Around the Horn” for the first time ever. What a horribly annoying show. They just yell at each other. Man, ESPN sucks. Also, Why does TNT employ Reggie Miller? All he does is mess with the beautiful chemistry of EJ, the Jet, and Chuck. You can tell that whenever he says something, Jet and Chuck just want to break out laughing. He totally doesn’t fit in, and it’s uncomfortable to watch/listen to him. This is really random. On to Kobe: I have no sympathy for babies who can’t get along with their teammates (Shaq), command a salary so huge that it cripples the team (22 mil), and then ask to be traded because his team isn’t competitive. Let him rot. He made his own bed, now lie in it.

  • Reggie Evans Posted: May.30 at 1:59 pm
    Kobe is likeable.

  • k.o. Posted: May.30 at 2:01 pm
    ridiculous

  • Max Airington Posted: May.30 at 2:04 pm
    Joe, you cant have it both ways. If Kobe had so much power as to run Shaq out of town, then why doesnt that same power get Baron, Boozer or Butler?

  • Phila Posted: May.30 at 2:08 pm
    AI, Kobe, Melo… hey it could happen.

  • RedRum Posted: May.30 at 2:08 pm
    this is going to be an amazing off season… KG, kobe, VC, The Other, Artest, Billups, Pierce on the blocks! these are all franchise guys! I cant wait for next season. With Oden and Durant in the league too! woooo!

  • andrew Posted: May.30 at 2:10 pm
    kobe to tdot. book it.

  • Joe_X Posted: May.30 at 2:18 pm
    Max, how do I know why LA couldn’t, can’t, or won’t get Baron Davis or Boozer? I can speculate though: either 1) those players realize that to play with Kobe is to be his b*tch, and they don’t want that or 2) those players realize that Kobe’s exorbitant salary, combined with their new (almost as exorbitant) salary would make the Lakers a team of 2 stars and a bunch of bums – not a winning recipe. It really shouldn’t be a secret to anyone, though, that Kobe didn’t want to play with Shaq anymore. As to whether he had the power to run him out of town? Only the Buss-ster, Mitch, or Phil J knows. I obviously speculated “yes”

  • mutoni Posted: May.30 at 2:21 pm
    according to kobe, those guys — baron, carlos and artest — all wanted to come to play with him. it didn’t happen because kupchack and the rest of the clowns in the front office don’t have balls. again, according to bryant.

  • Sam Rubenstein Posted: May.30 at 2:22 pm
    In case anyone missed it:
    http://store.kb24.com/auction/kobe_stephenasmith.mp3

  • Mike C. Posted: May.30 at 2:24 pm
    “RedRum says:
    this is going to be an amazing off season… KG, kobe, VC, The Other, Artest, Billups, Pierce on the blocks! these are all franchise guys! I cant wait for next season. With Oden and Durant in the league too! woooo!”
    * If these guys are all “franchise guys”, what are they doing on the trading block? The NBA is so watered down.

  • Mike C. Posted: May.30 at 2:25 pm
    There are a lot of talented, over-compensated players on the market.

  • Max Airington Posted: May.30 at 2:27 pm
    Managment told Kobe that Baron was too injury prone, and that Booz couldn’t guard forawrds. They asked him about the Butler trade after it happned and they even passed on Ron Artest-TWICE-who was going for pennies on the dollar, just like Diddy, who got traded for Speedy Claxton. LIke Mutoni said, all of those guys called Kobe personally asking about the prospects of becoming a Laker. They were excited about it. I dont think Kobe would ,lie about that since it could be easily refuted-so it’s clear that managment just didn’t want to spend money AT ALL. They were the one who didn’t wanna pay Shaq, not Kobe.

  • cdrumz86 Posted: May.30 at 2:27 pm
    Nets should do a sign and trade with Vince and package him with Kristic and change for Kobe…How sick would that be: Kidd, Kobe, and Jefferson.

  • Goody Posted: May.30 at 2:28 pm
    Kobe will go east. Laker don’t wanna see him on a regular. Nope…..

  • Mike C. Posted: May.30 at 2:31 pm
    The trade proposal that would land Kobe on the Nets would look nice for awhile. However, the Nets would still have the worst front court in the league, made worse by the departure of Krstic, and Kidd would still be getting older even though it doesn’t seem like it. Kidd, Kobe, Jefferson is still a second round casualty, even in the East.

  • dez Posted: May.30 at 2:35 pm
    But what team in the East is a contender that would take Kobe?
    Orlando: Features a young Shaq, but still rebuilding.
    Detriot: Nope
    Cleveland: Lebron’s the man there.
    NY: Don’t tease me
    Philly/Boston: Garbage So where would he go in the East?

  • Joe_X Posted: May.30 at 2:38 pm
    Max, you got me there. I still feel no sympathy for a petulant, adulterous, over-paid, egotistical, takes-too-many-shots, spurned-his-best-player-ever, has-the-gall-to-demand-a-trade, potentially-a-rapist self. PLus, he likes to call himself the Black Mamba – yet he’s afraid of the damn snake himself! What a clown! Gotta go to a staff meeting.

  • John S. Posted: May.30 at 2:39 pm
    this is probably the craziest day for laker fans. but it would be good for kobe to play for a better team and help that team. also it would help kobe to get farther in the playoffs.

  • Goody Posted: May.30 at 2:39 pm
    Fellas we need a better solution that Jerzey. Kobe is a philly boy but needs to be in a warm climate.

  • Frees Posted: May.30 at 2:40 pm
    What do you the chances are that Kobe want’s to win with a team of perennial losers and go the Hawks?

  • Reggie Evans Posted: May.30 at 2:40 pm
    I feel sympathy for Kobe.

  • Mike C. Posted: May.30 at 2:42 pm
    NBCsports is floating a few possibilities. Mourning, Williams and Wade for Kobe. That helps the Lakers immensely, but I don’t see how it helps the Heat. They’re still stuck with Antoine Walker.

  • Max Airington Posted: May.30 at 2:43 pm
    Meh.

  • Mike C. Posted: May.30 at 2:45 pm
    I have a feeling this is the type of thing that gets Isiah Thomas involved. Getting Kobe is the kind of move Isiah has been trying to pull off for years now, and Dolan would probably approve a trade for Kobe even if it meant driving the payroll higher into the stratosphere. I just have a nasty feeling that it’ll turn into a 3 or 4 team deal and the Knicks will somehow end up with Antoine Walker on the roster. Damn it.

  • mutoni Posted: May.30 at 2:47 pm
    kobe in new york would be amazing.

  • Mike C. Posted: May.30 at 2:49 pm
    Kobe in NY would be interesting for sure. I’m not sure about amazing. If the Knicks trade for Kobe, Steve Francis absolutely must go. Whether he’s bought out, traded, retires or rolled in a carpet and tossed off a bridge, he must go. Jamal Crawford would probably have to go too. Unless they let the Knicks play with 3 balls.

  • john Posted: May.30 at 2:49 pm
    About Russ’s suggestion that the Hawks may have the right pieces to pull of a trade for Kobe… Hey Lang, any thoughts?

  • Mike C. Posted: May.30 at 2:50 pm
    Just please oh please let the summer pass without Antoine Walker going to the Knicks. Please.

  • Ryan Jones Posted: May.30 at 2:51 pm
    “Max Airington says:
    Joe, you cant have it both ways. If Kobe had so much power as to run Shaq out of town, then why doesnt that same power get Baron, Boozer or Butler?”
    GREAT question.

  • Mike C. Posted: May.30 at 2:52 pm
    John: Kobe has a no trade clause in his contract, which pretty much gives him the power to say “no” to trades he doesn’t approve of. Even if the Hawks have the pieces to satisfy the Lakers, I don’t think they have anything that satisfies Kobe.

  • Chris Posted: May.30 at 2:53 pm
    This is straight from espn.com: __________________________________________________________ “He met with me at the Four Seasons Hotel here [in Newport Beach, Calif.] across from Fashion Island, which is now the Island Hotel,” Bryant told Smith. “I went up to his penthouse suite. [Buss] looks me dead in the face and says: ‘Kobe, I am not going to re-sign Shaq. I am not about to pay him $30 million a year or $80 million over three years. No way in hell. I feel like he’s getting older. His body is breaking down, and I don’t want to pay that money to him when I can get value for him right now rather than wait. “This is my decision. It’s independent of you. My mind is made up. It doesn’t matter to me what you do in free agency because I do not want to pay [Shaq], period.’” “Dr. Buss said that,” Bryant told Smith. “And I haven’t said anything for years because I’ve always felt like folks were just looking to create controversy. Now I know. I realize what extent [the Lakers] will go to, to cover themselves.” Reached afterward, O’Neal told Smith that he believed his former teammate to be beyond reproach. “I believe Kobe 100 percent,” O’Neal said when reached in Los Angeles. “Absolutely. There’s no doubt in my mind Kobe is telling the truth. I believe him a thousand percent. “I would have respected Dr. Buss more as a man if he would have told me that himself, because I know he said it. But he didn’t [tell me]. He never said a damn word to me.”
    ________________________________________________ I guess Laker fans has a good reason to be upset with management. What a mess.

  • john Posted: May.30 at 2:53 pm
    i see… those poor Hawks fans…

  • Chris Posted: May.30 at 2:54 pm
    Shaq is backing up Kobe on this, that’s gotta tell you something.

  • deestarbuckz Posted: May.30 at 2:55 pm
    Oh… here you are Mutoni… my bad! I was still surprised at the radio show and didn’t look around. I am not a Kobe fan or hater (of his game). I just wonder who Kobe talked to in 24 hours that made him do a complete turnaround.

  • Bigi Posted: May.30 at 3:00 pm
    Frustration from the Mamba…That’s all folks!Dude wants to win that’s IT!!!

  • Sparker Posted: May.30 at 3:12 pm
    i can’t believe i’m coming out of my self-imposed hiatus for this. i have to hand it to the the rock kobster. what about he-who-cannot-keep-his- story-straight for marion, barbosa and diaw?

  • dez Posted: May.30 at 3:14 pm
    If Kobe came to NY, (which he’s always said he wanted to do) ppl would dance in the streets. At least I would.

  • dez Posted: May.30 at 3:14 pm
    But he won’t

  • Steve O Posted: May.30 at 3:20 pm
    Sparker- I doubt the Lakers would trade him to the Suns considering they play in the same division and all. I’m currently crunching numbers on Hoopshype to figure out a feasible salary cap friendly trade. Smart money is on a young contender on the east though.

  • Steve O Posted: May.30 at 3:22 pm
    Also don’t forget Brian Grant’s 15.5 million come off the books for the Lake Show after this year too.

  • Sparker Posted: May.30 at 3:24 pm
    yeah, you’re right, steve o; and as a suns fan, i’m not sure i’m even ready for the pain of losing barbosa. i was just thinking of that “one team on my short list” remark, and trying to imagine where he was itching to go (the suns being the place a lot of players would like to be)

  • Shiz Posted: May.30 at 3:36 pm
    The Lakers aint trading Kob anywhere West. And giving him up to Phx would just screw everything up for both teams. The Lakers are a half-court team, the three mentioned are fastbreak dudes. Kobe’s not really a drive and dish guy. He’s a dribble, dribble, dribble, drive, throw a head fake..well you get the idea. Both offenses would stall because the pieces wouldn’t fit. Marion and Barbosa would be clueless in the triangle and Kob would get bored with waiting on the wing for a kickout. Kobe’ll go east in a reverse Iverson type scenerio. I doubt Jersey, but then again, Kobe might be just what they need. A guy willing to go to the cup in crunch time, someone who can light a fire under RJ’s ass, and someone who can run with Kidd. It goes without saying that the East is WIDE open, so Kobe might just be the scale-tipper…which is not to be confused with cow-tippers…

  • Mike C. Posted: May.30 at 3:39 pm
    Shiz: My grandparents had a cow farm when I was a little kid. There is no such thing as cow-tipping. Cows lay down to sleep, and if you approach them when they’re awake, they’ll kick your head off.

  • Shiz Posted: May.30 at 3:39 pm
    But if Kobe goes to the Celtics, I’ll never watch the NBA again. Nothing against the C’s, but that would just be wrong. Try imagining James Worthy in celtic green, or MJ in a wizards uni…yeah, that kind of “wrong”.

  • Nothin_personal Posted: May.30 at 3:56 pm
    @ Russ I can’t see how the salaries of the Bulls are gonna match Kobe’s, since neither PJ, nor Nocioni are under contract. I don’t think the Lakers would take Ben Wallace. Plus, there is no way you are getting Kobe and get to keep Tyrus

  • Steve O Posted: May.30 at 4:01 pm
    If the Bulls move Hinrich (11 million) and Deng and Thabo (5.1 Million combined) totalling 16.1 million it is possible considering in the years coming they don’t have anyone locked up for big dollars long term besides Wallace,

  • andrew Posted: May.30 at 4:05 pm
    he’ll go toronto for the following reasons. 1)assets and salaries that match (ford, bargs, rasho provide quality youth at the pg/pf positions and an expiring contract in rasho’s) 2) no team besides the bulls can offer the lakers decent players, but the bulls would be gutted if they trade away their young talent, and..they dont have any big contracts that the lakers would want back 3) he’s not going to the west, it’ll be an eastern conference team and all other teams in a position to offer the lakers assets (celtics, hawks) from the east would be vetoed by kobe since he wouldn’t be in a position to win)

  • rbx Posted: May.30 at 4:06 pm
    What if the Bulls trade the whole roster for KG and Kobe. Then surround them with D-league players. It could work in the East. Lol

  • Chris Posted: May.30 at 4:07 pm
    If he goes to Toronto, who’s he going to score 81 against?

  • Nothin_personal Posted: May.30 at 4:11 pm
    Also, check those(3857147, 3857492) trades on Real Gm trade checker

  • Ryan Jones Posted: May.30 at 4:12 pm
    Can I just say I LOVE that, in the midst of the conference finals, this is what we’re all talking about.

  • Nothin_personal Posted: May.30 at 4:18 pm
    According to my trade searcher research :) , the most possible teams are: New York, Boston, Philly, Indiana and Portland- not every team has Zach Randolf available.

  • Steve O Posted: May.30 at 4:22 pm
    Nothin- Good call it wouldn’t work without alittle wheel greasing. That being said I still think the Bulls and Lakers could pull of some deal involving a combination of the players mentioned.

  • Nothin_personal Posted: May.30 at 4:24 pm
    It’s the most complete player not Named duncan or lebron, and he is on the trading block. Any team that he might go, is a Miami heat 2006 case!

  • Steve O Posted: May.30 at 4:26 pm
    As a C’s fan i wouldn’t mind seeing Kobe in green and white. I’m not quite sure they have enough going for them, (besides being in the East) to warrant Kobe waiving his no tradde clause. I bet Ainge and Rivers will be on the phone 24 hours a day until this is over trying to swing Kobe.

  • Nothin_personal Posted: May.30 at 4:26 pm
    Steve O. Go to thetrade checker, find a trade that will work, and post the number here!

  • Troy Dallas Posted: May.30 at 4:26 pm
    Hmm, where’s Kobe going to go? Well, I for one can guarantee that he’s not going anywhere up north, so sorry Minnesota, NY, NJ,and any city that lies north of Chicago. I’m guessing that he’ll most likely end up in Orlando. Either there or Charlotte; Charlotte makes more sense cuz they have more to offer but only time will tell.

  • Nothin_personal Posted: May.30 at 4:27 pm
    It’s the most complete player not named Duncan or Lebron, that is on the trading block. Any team that he might go, is a Miami heat 2006 case!

  • Co Co Posted: May.30 at 4:42 pm
    I think Kobe would approve a trade damn near anywhere in the East. Look how weak it is. Nothing against Lebron’s teammates, I mean they aren’t scrubs, but they are about the most inconsistent bunch of men in the league and they have a legit chance to make it to the Finals and get smacked around by the Spurs. I think Kobe sees this and he’d love to come East. You don’t have to have much to be competitve over here.

  • Sherri Posted: May.30 at 4:45 pm
    one thing i know is that Lakers fans right now goingg crazyyy, i dont live in LA but its not way off to assume there might as well be a riot outside Staples, as a KOBE & a Lakers its jus plain hard for me to talk *teary eyes*…but you know how i know that KOBE aint goin` no where???*somewhat of a smile* DO NO FORGET ABOUT DAVID STERN AND HIS EVIL TACTICs, he already seen championship franchises such as NEW YORK & BOSTON go down, out of playoff picture, and to think L.A gets down with them thts a hardddd hit on RATINGS,tht wud be the business point of view of the League and u best believe that they will step in & have the Lakers O do sumthin` abt it, dont forget Lakers merchandise are also the #1 seller out of all 30 teams. SternBot WOULD step in.& KHALID & MUTONI YA`LL ARE THE BEST!!!

  • Klemperer Posted: May.30 at 4:49 pm
    Kobe will score 81 on the half of the Toronto team that goes to the Lakers.

  • Steve O Posted: May.30 at 4:50 pm
    Nothin- currently I am at work and dont have the time to mess with the trade machine and secretly post on here at the same time. However, just because that thing doesn’t like the numbers it does not take into effect if the Lakers would handle some of Kobe’s salary if they were indeed to pull off a trade. Teams do that all the time. Your right, my initial trade doesn’t work flat out but it also can’t take into consideration who takes which pieces from each players salary.

  • Steve O Posted: May.30 at 4:56 pm
    Nothin- Now I’m all sorts of confused. haha Damn you Real GM.

  • Steve O Posted: May.30 at 4:59 pm
    Ok so now I’m hooked on this thing. I like those two you posted before but would LA take Ratliff? and would Kobe wave his no trade for the C’s? I hope so but I’m not so sure.

  • b55 Posted: May.30 at 5:17 pm
    kobe to miami for dwade..

  • Nothin_personal Posted: May.30 at 5:41 pm
    Ratliff’s on his last year, would clear space for them for next year. I’m just not sure if Kobe would like to play for a team that has another 2-guard franchise player on it’s roster. It would make them instant conference finals favourite’s, though.

  • haris Posted: May.30 at 5:50 pm
    KOBE TO THE WARRIORS!

  • Justin H. Posted: May.30 at 6:28 pm
    ok….
    kobe will go to a team that has an all star big man
    …
    kobe will go to a team that has little help at the guard position
    ….
    but kobe wants a team that can contend for a title… idk bout yall… but im seein him goin to minesotta or philadelphia.

  • Justin H. Posted: May.30 at 6:33 pm
    or maybe portland…..toronto….

  • Justin H. Posted: May.30 at 6:36 pm
    Could Kobe Make The ATL A Champ….Come On Down Big Fella…. Kobe For Joe Johnson, 11th Pick

  • ikemob22 Posted: May.30 at 6:54 pm
    I’m depressed! La doesnt have a football team now we are gonna lose KOBE!! What is to look foward to? I can’t go a season without Kobe Drama! I will def became a bandwagon fan to which ever team he goes to!

  • ikemob22 Posted: May.30 at 6:57 pm
    They should have got Kidd when they had the chance and maybe he’d be happier and “we” laker fans could have a shot and keep kobe!.. depressed!

  • » Did Kobe Change His Mind? - SLAM ONLINE Posted: May.30 at 6:57 pm
    [...] -Kobe appears on Stephen A. Smith’s radio show this morning, and sounding like someone who could break down at any moment, says that he wants to be traded from the Lakers. Bryant says that there’s absolutely nothing the Lakers could do to change his mind at this point. [...]

  • Daniel Posted: May.30 at 7:19 pm
    well it seems kobe has backed off a bit. I don’t think he wants to be traded however he thinks this threat is the bigggest way for changes to be made. The only tram I see that could trade for him would be Phoenix but theres no way the lakers will make this deal. Hopefully the Lakers make some moves now to show that they do want to get better and Kobe calms down.

  • Talha Syed Posted: May.30 at 8:16 pm
    I really care, but if he does get traded get traded for Antonio Mcdyess playing for the pistons. Get traded to the Detroit Pistons

  • CB4 Posted: May.30 at 9:00 pm
    YYYYYOOOOO Kobe is goin to the RAPTORS

  • mdshuaui Posted: May.30 at 9:02 pm
    Lakers gear may be the the #1 selling merch in the league, but that’s not because of the team. Look around at all of the lakers jerseys you see the kids wearing; it sure aint Luke Walton or Lamar Odom. Any team that gets Kobe makes bank in merch sales, hypothetically. I don’t think it will happen, though to be honest I wouldn’t mind seeing the Lakers destroyed. I’m still bitter about 2000 and Pip losing his shot at ring #7

  • Sesa Posted: May.31 at 1:05 am
    Probably it’s Karma. It’s Jerry Buss who decided to not to extend Shaq’s contract and put a lid on it so the public didn’t have a choice but to make Kobe the scapegoat because they don’t know the truth.
    BTW, I don’t want to buy another Kobe jersey anymore.

  • AB_40 Posted: May.31 at 5:40 am
    they say chicago, the spurs and the clippers? What about Orlando and Charlotte they got 2 much cap space and could use a great player like kobe. Especialy Orlando. New York is another posibility. Orlando is better for kobe the player: playing with a great young big man. Charlotte is best for kobe the person, becuase if he doesn’t listen to MJ well there’s nobody else to listen to and NYC is best for the kobe bryant franchise. Big city with the spotlight and him. I bet he wants to go uhm you know East:P. I can find myself in his position. If you get lied to over and over again. There’s always Indiana and Minnesota but they have nothing to offer for kobe.

  • neaorin Posted: May.31 at 7:05 am
    Please someone explain to me how is NY even in the running, I wouldn’t trade Kobe for their entire roster and their team bus. I’m thinking the people in Portland are working the phones hard, though. Randolph + Roy + maybe a future 1st = KB24?

  • James Posted: May.31 at 8:29 am
    Im prayin to GOD that he dont leave.

  • Piedie Posted: May.31 at 9:42 am
    he already said he doesnt want to traded anymore… slam=kobe haters

  • jay Posted: May.31 at 10:59 am
    kobe aint going anywhere..lakers get the logo back…they get JO or even KG..kobe is happy and you will see kobe this summer in south beach sippin mohitos with the daddy and thanking him for backing him on the FO ish!! peace!

  • teis Posted: May.31 at 11:01 am
    I’m thinking kobe for vince carter and some draft rights..

  • tike Posted: May.31 at 11:37 am
    Kobe’s being very very selfish to say the least….it seems hes goin on a trading tirade…the guy is a complete flip flopper i mean c’mon kobe get a grip.

  • Air Haiti Posted: May.31 at 2:07 pm
    Damn..its gonna b real diff. seein kobe in another jersey and another big time player on his team

  • tyreepope Posted: May.31 at 4:00 pm
    thats retarded you have the man whos called the best nba player and u go trade him

  • clay Posted: May.31 at 10:19 pm
    u gotta do what u gotta do

  • Clay Posted: May.31 at 10:20 pm
    Why did kobe switch to #24 ?

  • Arman Posted: May.31 at 11:02 pm
    Did you guys here what he said afterwards?
    He was on the KLAC network, when he said he wanted to stay a Laker. The reason he said he wanted to be traded was: all the haters suddenly wanted Kobe to be on their team

  • Brandon_Inc Posted: Nov.2 at 9:55 am
    Kobe get’in traded wud be great/ he has no future or anything else to prove with the Lakers/ they had chances to upgrade that team and keep him happy/ and they Failed/ i wished he wud had opened his eyes when he was a free agent and signed with the Suns/ going to Chicago is not sumthing i wud like to see/ they wont get passed Boston/Detriot/ or Miami/ if he goes to the Suns/ depending on the players being traded for him/ it wud be a rap/ the Spurs wudnt see the Finals again and neither wud the East…it wud be like the Jordan Era …instead called Bryant Era

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