Jerry Buss & L.A. Lakers Can’t Win By Trading Kobe BryantOctober 17 07 In a couple of weeks, Jerry Buss and the NBA’s 29 other owners should gather at some swank hotel. They should drink rare wine, eat fine meat, and make small talk for an hour or so.
Once the formalities are finished, David Stern’s billionaire boys club should move to the hotel’s conference room and bid on Kobe Bryant’s services. That’s right. Buss should hire Robin Leach as MC and auction off the world’s best baller.
The facts support this idea. Kobe Bryant wants a trade. The Lakers want to trade him. And other teams want to acquire him. Simple stuff.
I know. An auction would never happen. But why are we micro-analyzing trivial details-like the inner-meaning of Bryant cleaning his locker-when we know the inevitable outcome? And the outcome is this: Kobe Bryant will be traded from the L.A. Lakers.
The last few days, specifically Buss’ tell-all interview, have proven this point. The 70-year old playboy didn’t run his mouth to the L.A. Times. This was no accident. And he wasn’t misquoted.
The purple-and-gold’s Godfather publicly turned on his number one capo because the organization has decided to trade Bryant. What other reason is there for opening up in a tell-all interview?
Here’s where things get interesting. Buss and the Lakers can’t get equal value for Bryant in a trade because such a thing doesn’t exist. No team has a package of players that can measure up to Bryant’s on-court brilliance. And no one star can dazzle the Hollywood elite like #24, either.
Buss has put himself in a tricky predicament. Further complicating the situation is Bryant’s opt-out clause for after the 2008-09 season. A trade won’t be easy to swing. On second thought, an auction doesn’t sound like such a bad idea, after all.
Do the Lakers have to trade Bryant? Can they get equal value in return? Click here to read and subscribe to Oly Sandor’s NBA Blog.
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Posted by
James Taylor
on 10.23.2007 | HOTEL BELL-HOP YOU ARE AN IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!! . | Posted by
James Taylor
on 10.23.2007 | Now we know the real brains behind the Lakers was Jerry West. Mitch Kupchek, Dr. Buss and his kids have made a complete mess of one of the best franchises in NBA history. Yes, they should trade Kobe so he can try to get another ring. The Lakers will not win a Championship in Kobe’s basketball life time. I’ve been a Lakers fan since 1978. When Kobe is traded I’m done with them. . | Posted by
tj
on 10.18.2007 | kobe should go to mavs for josh howard stacks and harris plus a pik thta would be fair mavs get to kepp JT who is good player along with Dirk Diop Dampier Jones. or to the bulls for Ben gordon and Noicionis plus a pik if kobes in the mix no need for them hell havve ben down low with deng and Thomas at the ings and hinrich runnin the show thatis a championship potential team they can win this year with a good offense and a solid defense wit ben and kobes defensive skills . | Posted by
on 10.18.2007 | that houston trade is a very interesting one...but would the lakers be willing to trade within the conference? but i guess if it comes down to the wire...a kobe for tmac + battier + some picks...that just might work out...this would allow the lakers to have a pretty stable starting 5 of some dfish, tmac, odom, battier, bynum...and if scola came with the package...man the lakers would be pretty good...but how would the rockets fair after the trade? kobe would have yao ming...and that’s about it. bonzi, francis, mike james? they’d be the same team they had with tmac 2 or 3 years ago...mediocre at best....despite the presence of kobe . | Posted by
hotel bell-hop
on 10.18.2007 | Kobe should start looking at the IBL...he is a disease...and he likes hotel workers...more than just friends . | Posted by
winga
on 10.18.2007 | but you gotta question mcgrady’s back issues. that would be a catastrophe if mcgrady’s back acts up again . | Posted by
winga
on 10.18.2007 | yeah, throw in luther head in the mix along with mcgrady and 2 1st round picks to get bryant . | Posted by
BlockOn
on 10.18.2007 | Yes, I feel the Lakers do have to trade Kobe. He has given that franchise everything he’s got and they leave him with first round talent around him to work with like Walton, Smush, Mihm, Bynum, and Turiaf. Those are solid role players but the only other star on the team is Odom but he’s not a Shaq. So it is time to trade Kobe. The Lakers owe it to him for putting him in a first round situation for 3 years now. He’s the best player in the world so whatever he wants you give him so trade him at his request. Of course, you can not get totally equal value for the best player in the world but you cant get some nice pieces in some player, an expiring contract and/or draft picks. I am really interested to see if he is traded and to who but hopefully no one in the West and I doubt the Lakers would because they’d have to face him 4 times each year and get murdered by him. Let the season begin! I can’t wait. . | Posted by
Houston we don’t have a problem with Kobe!
on 10.18.2007 | when i woke up this morning and saw that report of the rockets showing interest in Kobe if things don’t go well with Tracy, I was excited. I love T-Mac but I agree he is a 1st round loser. It’s time we in Houston see some more championships ecspecially with the talent we have this season, Kobe is the one to lead us and take us there, not Tracy. I hope the reports are accurate, because my hopes are now up and I can’t wait for the season to get started . | Posted by
Get er done!
on 10.18.2007 | The Rockets are a good team to do a deal with, I buy it. You get another superstar back, that can atleast fill some sits in staples(not like Kobe though) Anyway they also have very solid players they could throw in they might interest the Lakers. Kobe won 3 championships with a big man Shaq. I think Kobe is capable of doing it with Yao, that’s who they need to take them over the hump. T-Mac is a great player, but can’t lead a team to the finish line, and therefore he should be traded to the Lakers, and do what he does best, but up nice stats, and lose in the playoffs. I think both teams should make this trade happen, because it does make some valid sense . | Posted by
Inside Scoop
on 10.18.2007 | D’Angelo Martinez has reported that if the Houston Rockets aren’t off to a good start, and aren’t in the top 5 by the trade deadline, that Rockets management would consider trading T-Mac, and throw some other things in the deal to get Kobe if he isn’t already gone. I don’t think that deal would benefit either team that much, but it might make since to do since both teams can’t get over the hump with what they have, so you might as well make things interesting right? . | Posted by
that one guy
on 10.17.2007 | I wonder how jerry buss will get himself out of this one, he should have just kept his mouth shut after kobe pledged his loyalty to the lakers again. He could have listenend to offers for #24 but why would he tell it to the whole dam world, he will get nothing as close to kobe in return.unless there is like a 10 team trade that sends d-wade,t-mac,Lebron,Yao ming, Greg Oden and a bunch of other players. Ok maybe im overdoing it a bit but ya’ll know what i mean. . |
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Oly Sandor | Daily take on NBA Oly Sandor is an NBA analyst and sports journalist based out of Vancouver, Canada.After years of the free-lance game, Oly Sandor is bringing his unique brand of NBA analysis exclusively to (...) More |
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