Jackson is Back

[Cheesebeef]

You know, I don't recall the Bulls ever meeting a team for which Mourning played back in their title runs. The years I remember it was always the Knicks knocking the Heat out of contention during the early rounds.

they kicked the Heat's ass in 5 games during the 5th title run.

Jackson would never make a Kobe/Medvedenko trade for also rans like Marion and Q.

 

[sunsfn]

they kicked the Heat's ass in 5 games during the 5th title run.

Jackson would never make a Kobe/Medvedenko trade for also rans like Marion and Q.

I take it you mean that Jackson would not make this trade because of the value he places on the big white guy Medvedenko.........right?

 

[Cheesebeef]

I take it you mean that Jackson would not make this trade because of the value he places on the big white guy Medvedenko.........right?

He's a euro

A JJ/Marion trade he probably WOULD make, but I wouldn't.

 

[sly fly]

Oh God, here we go with the Kobe to PHX scenarios. Why would anybody ever bring ....

... Marion/Q/Voskuhl for Kobe would be a STEAL!

Anyways, Chad Ford does bring up something interesting. I really didn't think that this could happen, but moving Kobe makes sense. I would think they'd be able to get more than Pau Gasol?

Could Amare and Kobe co-exist? In my mind, a mix of Amare/Kobe/JJ/Nash/Paul Shirley would be devastating.

 

[HooverDam]

I highly doubt the Suns front office wants an accused rapist on the team. They shipped Kidd off for slapping his wife, rape is significantly more severe than that.

Plus he is a selfish prick, I'd reach if he ever wore purple and orange. Finally, Jerry Buss has a man crush on him and wont ever trade him.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I highly doubt the Suns front office wants an accused rapist on the team. They shipped Kidd off for slapping his wife, rape is significantly more severe than that.

He was aquitted of rape, where Kidd confessed to domestic abuse. It is a little different.

Kobe's rape trial will never impact his basketball career again. If teams shy away from him it will be because of his apparent inability to get along with teammates.

Jerry Buss might have a "man crush" on him, but so does Jerry Colangelo.

 

[Cheesebeef]

He was aquitted of rape, where Kidd confessed to domestic abuse. It is a little different.

Kobe's rape trial will never impact his basketball career again. If teams shy away from him it will be because of his apparent inability to get along with teammates.

Jerry Buss might have a "man crush" on him, but so does Jerry Colangelo.

agreed - but there is no way in hell they would trade Kobe for anything short of Amare IMO. Public relations alone would make it the biggest catastrophe since, well, trading Shaq for pieces.

Only way that deal happens is if we trade JJ and Q or JJ and Marion and like I already said - that's too much to give up (I think).

Actually - JJ, Q and a first round pick would be tempting and hell, I'd actually pull the trigger on that one, but I don't think the Lakers would go for it.

Good lord - Nash, Kobe, Marion and Amare? You could put ANY WHITE AMERICAN STIFF OUT THERE AND THEY'D WIN THE TITLE.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I agree that if they move Kobe it will be for a big talent.

The Lakers are better off keeping Kobe and shuffling pieces around him than dumping him. They have him locked up for the next 6 years of his prime. Even if they have 2 more bad seasons, if they can add good talent in the lottery they will be back competing soon. Not to mention the FA money they have coming in a couple summers.

I don't think that trading Kobe is the necessary way to go. Jackson took this job knowing Kobe was going to be there, so he obviously thinks it will work. However, if they did wind up trading him - I think they would get much better value than the other superstars did.


It isn't like Shaq where the guy makes 30 million, wants a 3 year extension with similar pay, has been unhealthy and is over 30.It isn't like in Orlando where they botched a ton of drafts, and Tmac was hitting FA. It isn't like Toronto where Carter was dogging it, and was never the talent to build an entire team around.

 

[elindholm]

How about Bryant and Garnett changing teams? I don't know what the fillers would be. In my opinion, Garnett has more trade value right now, but it's probably a debateable question.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I really don't think Kobe's going anywhere and I don't think he could fetch Garnett by himself at this point. Unless the Lakers took back a lot of salary opening up cap space for the Wolves as well.

Kobe, Cassel, Wally, Kandi and whatever else garbage would be awful.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I highly doubt the Suns front office wants an accused rapist on the team. They shipped Kidd off for slapping his wife, rape is significantly more severe than that.

Didn't we make overtures to signing Kobe last summer?

It really makes no difference, the Lakers aren't going to trade two superstars in two consecutive offseasons. Like cheese said, the PR backlash would be a disaster because you never get equal value for a star player.

 

[D-Dogg]

You will acknowledge, however, that the majority of their talent play pretty similar positions, won't you?

If there was a contest for most small forwards, the Lakers win hands down. That is not a good thing.

I'm very excited to see what Phil does with this team, now that he's looking to be more bulls-tri centric, with aggressive, trapping defense and getting out on the breaks caused by defense. Things are looking up for LA.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

If there was a contest for most small forwards, the Lakers win hands down. That is not a good thing.

I dont know, Atlanta might have you beat. Not to mention they could wind up drafting another one this year.

 

[cly2tw]

Kobe is a franchise player. If there were imaginary initial draft among teams to build the league, my mock would be:

1. Duncan
2. Amare
3. Kobe
4. Lebron James
5. Wade
6. Shaq (due to age)
7. TMac
8. Iverson
9. Garnett
10. J.O'Neal
11. Dirk
12. R. Allen
13. Marbury
14. Baron Davis
15. Pierce
16. Ginobili
17. Yao Ming
18. Ben Wallace
19. Billups
20. Gasol
21. Nash
22. Kidd
23. Okafor
24. Kirilenko
25. Bosh
26. Arenas
27. Ben Gordon
28. Artest
29. Brand
30. Redd

 

[HooverDam]

Didn't we make overtures to signing Kobe last summer?

I dont know how seriously the Suns ever went after Kobe. We went after Nash, told him he was our #1 priority, called him as soon as the league rules allowed, etc.

I think the team just kind of made Kobe some sort of offer they knew he wouldnt take so that they could tell the fans they tried.

Anyway, I really hate Kobe. I think he is an immature, classless clown. I would rather not have him on my team, regardless of talent. He fits well with "the dark side" (LA Lakers).

 

[Southpaw]

Shaquille is gone. Kobe will be. Last years young players are over the jitters and Phil's W-L percentage didn't take a hit. Phil the Phaker is all better now and can resume his playtime with Jeannie.

Somehow the NBA will get Kobe in New York or Philly.

 

[Joe Mama]

Kobe is a franchise player. If there were imaginary initial draft among teams to build the league, my mock would be:

1. Duncan
2. Amare
3. Kobe
4. Lebron James
5. Wade
6. Shaq (due to age)
7. TMac
8. Iverson
9. Garnett
10. J.O'Neal
11. Dirk
12. R. Allen
13. Marbury
14. Baron Davis
15. Pierce
16. Ginobili
17. Yao Ming
18. Ben Wallace
19. Billups
20. Gasol
21. Nash
22. Kidd
23. Okafor
24. Kirilenko
25. Bosh
26. Arenas
27. Ben Gordon
28. Artest
29. Brand
30. Redd

This is a great idea for a thread when things slow down a little, and we need a jumpstart. As much as I love Amare Stoudemire I think Lebron James would be #2, and you have KG too low. Kobe Bryant is too high. He would come after a number of guys you have behind him now. Of course let's not argue this now. Things will inevitably die down around here. Start a thread like this then.

Joe Mama

 

[JPlay]

JJ can bring you the same things Kobe can and he's a better shooter. Give JJ a couple of years and he can be that dominant, plus him and Qs contracts combined will still be way cheaper than Kobe's.

 

[fordronken]

This whole "trade Kobe" thing is ludicrous. Picture a crummy team that didn't have Kobe, and centered around Odom and Butler. You know what that team would say if they magically added Kobe? "We're now well on our way to rebuilding this franchise." Trading him away is a step back unless the situation becomes completely untenable, which I really don't see happening.

 

[Joe Mama]

JJ can bring you the same things Kobe can and he's a better shooter. Give JJ a couple of years and he can be that dominant, plus him and Qs contracts combined will still be way cheaper than Kobe's.

as much as I love JJ I don't think you will ever be a top-tier superstore like Kobe Bryant. He is not nearly as athletic, and he doesn't seem to possess the same killer instinct.

BTW JJ is not a better shooter that Kobe Bryant. If Kobe was getting the same open shots as JJ often does he would be shooting a much higher percentage.

Joe Mama

 

[Cheesebeef]

as much as I love JJ I don't think you will ever be a top-tier superstore like Kobe Bryant. He is not nearly as athletic, and he doesn't seem to possess the same killer instinct.

BTW JJ is not a better shooter that Kobe Bryant. If Kobe was getting the same open shots as JJ often does he would be shooting a much higher percentage.

Joe Mama

totally agree. The Lakers aren't rading Shaq AND Kobe within two or three years of each other - the mere thought that they would even consider it is out of this world.

 

[D-Dogg]

Kobe is going nowhere. Chad Ford is a hack who hates the Lakers and Kobe. He's a liar who has been exposed by people like Mark Cuban. He writes what HE wants to see, not any truth in stories. He has been writing for a long time that Phil was going to Cleveland which nobody thought would happen.

Ford is one of the bigger hacks there is.

Besides, underground reports from LA suggest that Phil and Kobe made their peace months ago and are fine with each other. Vlade also said the team, and especially Kobe, are thrilled to have Jax back.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Besides, underground reports from LA suggest that Phil and Kobe made their peace months ago and are fine with each other. Vlade also said the team, and especially Kobe, are thrilled to have Jax back.

"underground reports" - dude - I live in LA, listen to talk radio every time I['m in the car and there has been ZERO mention of these "underground reports" - where the hell did this nonsense come from?

And what the hell is Vlade supposed to say?

That being said - I will find it delicious when the Lakers play Miami and Phil starts digging into Shaq with some kind of mind game about how it obviously affected Shaq more as he still can't even say Bryant's name. That'll be funny - when Shaq is turned on by Phil.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Kobe is going nowhere.

 

[Chaplin]

Anyone who says that there is no chance that Kobe will be traded is deluding themselves.

It's amazing how much interest in the Lakers has waned in this town in such a short amount of time. I'm sure Cheese and Ouchie have noticed it as well.

Will Kobe be traded? The odds are not good. But is it possible? Oh, absolutely.