Kobe to Phoenix article

[thegrahamcrackr]

It doesn't really have to do with chemestry. If you put 2 great players together, they should be able to play together without a problem.

However, Kobe is publically disgusted with Shaq's behavior, attitude, and weight problems.

Kobe has publically stated he hates the triangle offense, and often leads the Lakers out of it a couple times a game.

Phil Jackson has also publically stated that a big part of Kobe coming back would depend on how coachable he wants to be, and how he chooses to act in the current offensive system, where Shaq will remain the focal point.



Just to clarify where I got my 15%.....I looked at everyone else claiming 5% suns, 5% clippers %5 someone else, and added them together. I see Kobe in a Suns jersey or a Laker jersey. Nothing else. So 15% isn't that out of line, since it is still 85% chance he remains a Laker

 

[slinslin]

Personally I think 15% is really pessimistic.

I really can't see Kobe stay if the Lakers don't make the finals and Shaq not traded which is about the only other option to letting Kobe go to improve the team fast. But Shaq's contract is untradeable even if there were teams interessted.

What are the chances of LA not going to the finals? Very good in my opinion.

Lakers 45%
Phoenix 45%
Anyone Else 5%
Prison 5%

I am still on the safe side giving the Lakers as many chances if it doesn't happen.

 

[Joe Mama]

I copied this post from the ESPN Phoenix Suns message board. It was posted by a user named sharkbite215.

Paula Boivin was on Gambo's show today and talked some more about the Kobe situation.

The main thing that she said is that she used to work in L.A. before coming here and that she still has connections within the Lakers organization, and with their beat writers. She said they are all telling her that Kobe has said privately that he is leaving the Lakers. (She isn't the first to say this of course, but it's another person that claims to hear from inside sources).

She also said that she has heard from her sources that loyalty, and how he's received is very important to Kobe, and that he was really happy with the reception he got in Phoenix.

 

[Chaplin]

It's difficult to figure out just what to believe...

On one hand, you'd like to think that Kobe coming to Phoenix is a definite possibility, but on the other, you've got to think that all this is just a bunch of hogwash.

 

[George O'Brien]

I'm not sure "loyalty" is something that Kidd and Marbury would described as the Colangelo's prime virtues.

I really have to wonder if all this free agency hoopla doesn't serve the purpose of distracting people from the trial. At least then I would know it was intentional. I would hate to think that he is so immature that the would be causing this much trouble for his own team without thinking.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by George O'Brien
I'm not sure "loyalty" is something that Kidd and Marbury would described as the Colangelo's prime virtues.

I really have to wonder if all this free agency hoopla doesn't serve the purpose of distracting people from the trial. At least then I would know it was intentional. I would hate to think that he is so immature that the would be causing this much trouble for his own team without thinking.

What trouble is he causing, or is this trouble that the media is causing? I'm guessing that 90% of what we've been hearing about Kobe Bryant probably doesn't have that much truth to it.

 

[cly2tw]

I thought Shaq said something like he'd not play for the Lakers if PJ is gone. If everybody's perception is that Kobe will not come back until PJ is gone, then the Lakers of next season either is based on Shaq/PJ or Kobe but not both. Given Kobe's youth, it's not out of the world that Buss chooses to stick to Kobe and to ship Shaq, who is making way too much money anyway. How about a Shaq + Payton for Marion, Zarko, Barbosa, the lottery pick, Cav's pick, White?

Shaq/Amare/CJ/JJ/Payton

with Jake/Vujanic/MLE-SF/Eisley, maybe Clark/Dice on the bench. How do you guys like this?

Alternatively, if they don't want to give up Payton, we could keep Zarko, it'd be

Shaq/Amare/Zarko(or MLE-SF)/JJ/Eisley as the starting five. Not bad to me.

 

[Chaplin]

Never happen. Not in a million years. Not on the planet Mars. Not in a movie. Not on television.

The only way that happens is in NBA Live my friend.

 

[slinslin]

Shaq makes too much money, is far from the player he once was, is old, has gotten lazy, can't get in shape even when he is comitted.

No thanks.

I would MUCH rather have Kobe than Shaq. Kobe is only 25 years old.
Especially since we would keep our trade assets to go after players such as McGrady.

 

[cly2tw]

Originally posted by Chaplin
Never happen. Not in a million years. Not on the planet Mars. Not in a movie. Not on television.

The only way that happens is in NBA Live my friend.

Too bad, we are just stuck with Kobe now!

 

[cly2tw]

Originally posted by slinslin
Shaq makes too much money, is far from the player he once was, is old, has gotten lazy, can't get in shape even when he is comitted.

No thanks.

I would MUCH rather have Kobe than Shaq. Kobe is only 25 years old.
Especially since we would keep our trade assets to go after players such as McGrady.

slinslin,

I share your wish. But the reality of it is that Buss makes the call first! Keeping Kobe means shipping Shaq and PJ. If he shares your sentiment, he'd do it and might get even better than my proposed trade for Shaq!

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by cly2tw
slinslin,

I share your wish. But the reality of it is that Buss makes the call first! Keeping Kobe means shipping Shaq and PJ. If he shares your sentiment, he'd do it and might get even better than my proposed trade for Shaq!

Even Laker fans would probably prefer Shaq and Phil right now anyway...

 

[slinslin]

I don't think any team would/could trade for Shaq.

His contract is way too big. Teams with that much capspace would rather keep the space and add on their team than using everything to get this old Shaq for his last years.

Remember when Garnett was rumored to be shopped.

The only reasonable rumors involved the Blazers and Rasheed Wallace because of his big contract.

However Wallace contract is gone for example. There are few teams that could even put together the contracts to trade for Shaq, much less conracts that would improve the Lakers.

The first one to make a move isn't Buss it is Kobe and then every team that is interessted.

 

[cly2tw]

If I were the Wolves, I'd trade KG+Olow. for Shaq + Medv anytime.

Nets would do JK + Martin resigned + picks and other things for Shaq + Payton
Pacers: JO'Neil + Artest for Shaq
Pistons: Wallace + Wallace + Okur or Milicic for Shaq


The list is endless!

If Kobe and Buss agree on Kobe's terms, by shipping Shaq you may have a better contending team around Kobe than with Shaq while Kobe walks. Compare the scenarios please.

 

[slinslin]

The Twolves would NEVER NEVER NEVER EVER trade KG for Shaq. NEVER.

The Nets trade doesn't work. In a sign and trade the Lakers could only take back half of what Shaq is making as far I know that makes that impossible.

On top of that why would the Nets even trade Kidd and Martin etc for Shaq and Payton who are both 3-4 years away from retiring and definately not enough to win a championship alone.

Pistons would also

a) Never do it
b) They would first have to resign Wallace and Okur to very big contracts which is not possible to match Shaq's salary.

Bottom line, the list is not endless it is more like empty.

 

[cly2tw]

If KG traded for Shaq straight up, Wolves would instantly become the team to beat for championship. They might only get 3 championships with the starting lineup of

Shaq/??/Szsbiak/Sprewell/Cassel

and then have to rebuild after Shaq and Sprewell retire. But I guess KG sells more commercials on the other hand.

Shaq is, and will be for the next 3 years, THE most dominant bigman in NBA ever!

For the suns, if Kobe prefers to stay with the Lakers, and Suns gets Okafor in the draft, I'd trade Marion-Amare-White-Eisley + 1-2 future picks for Shaq.

Shaq/Jake/Okafor/Zarko/JJ/Barbosa/CJ

we still have about 10 mil cap room to sign veteran SF and PF like Stephon Jackson, Dice, etc. and Lampe and Vujanic are still ours.

 

[slinslin]

Please.

You are simply insane if you believe the Wolves would even consider that.

1. The Lakers would be the team to beat with Kobe and KG quite obviously.
That Wolves team is WORSE than the Lakers are right now, It is the same team with Spree instead of Kobe, Cassell instead of Payton...

2. That Suns team would go absolutely nowhere, Shaq is an old, out of shape , not comitted formerly great center.

If the Suns did such a stupid trade THAT would be a reason to quit.
I wouldn't watch one game with a lineup of Shaq,Okafor,Zarko,JJ,Barbosa.

I wouldn't even trade Amare straight up for Shaq if he made as much money already.

He isn't even among the top2 most dominant players for more than a year already.

 

[cly2tw]

Geez, we might have been watching different games. I never heard anyone saying that there is a more dominant force in this game today, though there are players with "better" stats.

Anyway, I really wish you were right, since, then, we'd have a real chance at landing Kobe.

 

[slinslin]

You are just wrong.

Tim Duncan is now for the third season in a row clearly more dominant than Shaq. Period.

Kevin Garnett is also clearly more dominant than Shaq at this point.

Sure Shaq is still a good player but he is FAR from winning games by taking his team on his back.

Shaq is over the hill and the decline will come even more rapidly now.

The Timberwolves would laugh the Lakers off of the phone if they dared to suggest a Shaq for Garnett swap.
That is not dreaming that is reality.

They would never give up a better player who is younger and even has a better contract now for Shaq.

On top of it I believe that Shaq can be deadly for the chemistry of a team.

He won only 3 rings, stop calling him the most dominant force ever, 3 rings that is nothing special really. Several players have achieved that as the leaders off their teams. Even without another player of Kobe's quality.

Without Kobe the Lakers would have never gotten 3 rings. He was the lone reason they beat the Spurs a couple years ago.

 

[George O'Brien]

None of this is really relevant. No one is getting traded. Shaq's contract is impossible even if he is the most dominant player.

On a career basis, I think Shaq may be as dominant as any player of his era including Duncan. His career stats are pretty impressive:
27.3 ppg on 57.7% shooting, 12.1 rpg, 2.59 blocks per game, and 2.9 assists per game (they have been over 3 assists per game for the last five years).

He led his team to the finals while with Orlando and for his last three years there, his average points per game were 29.3, 29.3, and 26.6 while his shooting never fell below 57%.

This year his numbers are down : 21.3 ppg (57.6%), 11 rpg, 2.3 blocks per game, and 3.1 assists per game - but not bad.

Duncan and Garnett has better numbers except for shooting percentage: Duncan has 49.1%, KG has 49.3% while Shaq's shoots 57.6%. An 8% advantage on shooting percentage is incredible. Is it any wonder that Phil Jackson wants Shaq to get the ball?

Kind of makes you wonder what Shaq would do if he was in shape.