Kobe wants trade.

[Chaos]

well now he doesn't want to be traded

I'd like to see Kobe stay so that the Lakers will be nothing more than a mediocre team at best. I was a huge Laker fan up until Kobe landed in LA.

[Collette]

Kobe's a ballhog because he has to be. Remember that playoff series against PHX, he went all "Team Player" on us and LA blew a 3-1 lead. I'll hold off the ballhog comments until 11 other BASKETBALL PLAYERS are around him.

[Jordansrealm]

Originally Posted by JoeTruth

Kobe is a very talented athlete but he's no MJ and never will be. He's not a complete team player and not a players player on the court or in the locker room. Basically, he's an arrogant pompous ass. If he wants to go then good riddance, Kobe. He hasn't done jack for the Lakers in the past 3 years so who cares. Scoring titles and 81 points in one game means nothing without a championship. I do wish Buss held on to Jerry West and gave him more control over the team. He was brilliant as a GM in LA. Why ruin a good thing and let one of the best in the game walk? Dr. Buss has a HUGE ego and will not render control. That's going to be his downfall. Kind of reminds me of Al Davis. Stubborn old farts who refuse to change with the times.

Amen

[Schecky]

I think there are people that hate Kobe and love Shaq, and others that love Kobe and hate Shaq.
Depends on what you value I guess.
What I remember is that only one of them went to Chick's funeral....

For those of you that bag on him for not getting another title and not throwing the ball around more - With who do you expect him to win this ring with? Kwame?!!
Keep in mind that his assist average is comparable to Jordan's and Jordan had players around him that consistently delivered. Kobe had....Smush.

Arrogant? I'll grant you that. I'm willing to put up with Kobe's arrogance because he pretty much always backs it up.
He is the best in the game, he works to improve every offseason, and he is the most competitive player out there.

You trade Shaq for shite when you could have had Nash and more, and you pass on the following:

AI
Baron Davis
Boozer
Artest
Webber
J. O'neal
Kidd
Garnet

None of these guys could help??!

The Lakers are full of projects instead of being full of killers.
Kupchak is the conductor of this train. The changes should start with him.

[Kid A]

Originally Posted by Schecky

What I remember is that only one of them went to Chick's funeral.....

fo me really not a shaq v. kobe thing as not much of a laker fan at all (life long Knicks fan...btw - isiah sucks). what i remember is that only one is a snitch . again great athlete sh!t teammate

[gurp13]

If the Lakers trade Kobe (or don't do whatever it takes to keep and appease him) then it'll be the dumbest LA sports move since the Dodgers traded Piazza (and Green and LoDuca, too for that matter).

Trading Shaq wasn't stupid. How far did he go in the playoffs this year? But, it was stupid that we didn't get much in return. And, it is stupid that we don't have better players on the Lakers. Kobe's right. They need to put better players on the court. I don't know if it's all Kupchak's fault (salary cap, Buss' interventions, etc) but it is his job. Only one thing I disagree with Kobe on; he says he trusts Jerry West. MK was JW's choice to replace him. So, if MK was good enough for Jerry West, he should be good enough for Kobe.

[Collette]

Originally Posted by gurp13

If the Lakers trade Kobe (or don't do whatever it takes to keep and appease him) then it'll be the dumbest LA sports move since the Dodgers traded Piazza (and Green and LoDuca, too for that matter).

Don't forget letting Pedro Martinez get away.

[Fired Yo Momma]

Hey but you have to love a owner that gets caught with 23 year old swim suit models. Its all about the coin! I heard rumores that the Fakers are trying to go after Jermaine O'Neal. That would be good for the Fakers. I used to be a Lakers fan but I can't stand Kobe anymore. I am now a Clippers fan, I started to shake in my boots when it was rumored that the Clippers might go after Smush Parker...NOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[jeffj]

As a life long Laker fan, the current team situation really hurts. I think the team is in worse shape than at any other time since I have been following them (since I was 5 years old in 1963).

In spite of having some other down times, they always had one thing that they currently do not: respect.

Even Jerry Buss has lost a ton of credibility. Players used to dream of being a Laker and spending a career in Los Angeles, but the current management has really dropped the ball (pun intended).

The first person I will fault for the current situation is Mitch Kupchak. He's not Jerry West and never will be no matter how hard he tries. He's just not.

The departure of Jerry West was IMHO, the beginning of the end and the death of Chick Hearn was the biggest nail in the coffin. The death of Chick Hearn is the only death of a public figure that ever brought me to tears. It was like losing a close relative. His value to the organization cannot be underestimated. He was like a father to the players and had a lot of influence on even the biggest stars on the Laker teams.

Players had respect for JW and CH and would strive to live up to their expectations. If Chick Hearn were still alive, I would be willing to bet that Kobe and Shaq would still be teammates in purple and gold and still be competing for championships.

Mitch Kupchak has let Jerry Buss' pimp hand go soft and he has no clue of how to return the organization to it's former elite status.

No team is going to give the Lakers anything valuable for Kobe and why should they?

My wish would be for Kupchak to be gone, but I don't know if it's possible to turn this ship around anytime soon.

It's a sad and frustrating time to be a Laker fan.

[Pain Freak]

So you're the new kid.

Hope to ride with you soon youngster. (I was 7 in 63).

My foster dads nephew played for the Lakers back then. Last name was Schluter.

[jeffj]

Honestly, I still feel like a kid at times. Especially when riding a bike. Looking forward to riding with you folks on here too.

Schluter? The name sounds vaguely familiar. I went to my first game at the Sports Arena in '63 and saw Oscar Robertson with the Cincinatti Royals play against Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Co. Been a lifer ever since.