KOBE IS STAYING YESSSIR

[LAKERS_FAN89]

KOBE IS STAYING YES!
Bryant asks to be traded, then backs off

By JOHN NADEL, AP Sports Writer




Steve Kerr: Has Kobe gone to far?

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Believing he had been insulted and misled, Kobe Bryant asked the Los Angles Lakers for a trade Wednesday and insisted nothing could change his mind.

Then something did. He spoke with coach Phil Jackson and backed off his request.

"I don't want to go anywhere, this is my team," Bryant told KLAC radio. "I love it here. I called Phil, man, he and I talked, it was an emotional conversation, but he just said, `You know what, Kobe? Let us try to figure this thing out.'

"Phil is a guy I lean on a lot."

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Some three hours earlier, in an interview with ESPN radio, Bryant said: "I would like to be traded, yeah. Tough as it is to come to that conclusion, there's no other alternative. It's rough, man, but I don't see how you can rebuild that trust. I just don't know how you can move forward in that type of situation."

Bryant also told KLAC, the Lakers' flagship station, that he hadn't heard from owner Jerry Buss, indicating a conversation could go a long way toward resolving the matter.

Buss issued a statement after Bryant's request, saying: "We are aware of the media reports. However, Kobe has not told us directly that he wants to be traded. We have made it very clear that we are building our team around Kobe and that we intend for him to be a Laker his entire career. We will speak directly to Kobe and until we do that, we will not comment publicly about this."

Bryant told KLAC that his agent had contacted general manager Mitch Kupchak early Wednesday.

Bryant, who helped the Lakers win three consecutive NBA championships, has four years left on the seven-year, $136.4 million contract he signed July 15, 2004. That was a day after Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat.

Bryant became infuriated Tuesday when a Los Angeles Times columnist quoted a Lakers "insider" as saying it was Bryant's insistence on getting away from O'Neal that prompted the trade to Miami.

Bryant told KLAC he knew who the so-called insider was, but wouldn't identify the person.

Bryant also said he feels Buss misled him three years ago -- right before he re-signed with the Lakers -- by telling him one thing and Jackson something else about the team's goals.

Bryant said he was told the Lakers would immediately try to rejoin the NBA's elite. But he said Jackson told him Tuesday that Buss was not bringing him back as coach following the 2003-04 season because the Lakers were committed to reducing payroll and rebuilding long term.




"They said nothing to me about a long-term plan. Absolutely nothing," Bryant told KLAC. "They told Phil one thing and they told me another. Actions speak louder than words."

Bryant's agent, Rob Pelinka, didn't respond to several messages left by The Associated Press.

The Lakers won championships from 2000-02 and reached the NBA finals again in 2004, losing to the Detroit Pistons in five games. The team was broken up at that time. O'Neal was traded, Jackson left and other stalwarts -- Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Derek Fisher, Robert Horry and Rick Fox -- went elsewhere or retired.

The Lakers failed to make the playoffs the following season. With Jackson returning before the 2005-06 campaign, they finished seventh in the Western Conference in each of the past two years, but were eliminated by Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs.

The Lakers appeared to be title contenders through the first half of this season, going 26-13 despite several injuries. But they lost 27 of their last 43 games to finish 42-40 before bowing to the Suns in five games.

Bryant urged the team at season's end to do what it takes to get back into contention. He essentially repeated those comments last weekend in an interview with the Times.

On Sunday, he suggested former Lakers general manager Jerry West should return. West left the team in the summer of 2000 and was succeeded by Kupchak.

West, an employee of the Lakers for about 40 years as a player, coach and executive, is under contract as the Memphis Grizzlies' president until July 1. He turned 69 this week and has remained a close friend of Kupchak's. West has said he has "no plans to seek employment with any other organization."

It was West who brought Bryant to the Lakers, trading center Vlade Divac to Charlotte in the summer of 1996 for the rights to Bryant -- the 13th pick in the NBA draft. Bryant was only 17 at the time.

Bryant has made the All-Star team in each of the past nine seasons, clearly establishing himself as an NBA great before age 30. Only one active NBA player, Kevin Garnett, has a longer tenure with one team than Bryant. Garnett has played 12 seasons for Minnesota.

Bryant's anger boiled over Tuesday, when he did a series of interviews bashing the Lakers.

"That place is a mess," Bryant said, referring to the team's front office. "If we're not making strides here to improve this team right now, to be aggressive in that nature, then what's the point of having me here?"




That same day, the 74-year-old Buss was arrested in Carlsbad for investigation of driving under the influence of alcohol. He was released on bail later in the day.

"The fact of the matter is that many people don't know what really went down when I was approaching free agency because I have stayed quiet about it this whole time," Bryant wrote Tuesday on his Web site. "The real facts are that Dr. Buss requested a meeting with me during the '04 season long before I opted out of my contract, and he told me he had already decided not to extend Shaq, as he was concerned about Shaq's age, fitness and contract demands.

"Dr. Buss made it clear that his decision was final, his mind was made up, and no matter what I decided to do with free agency, he was still going to move Shaq."

O'Neal said on the Philadelphia Inquirer's Web site he believed Bryant "100 percent."

"There is no doubt in my mind Kobe is telling the truth," O'Neal added.

Bryant said he was considering signing with the Clippers and Chicago Bulls three years ago before hearing from Buss.

"Dr. Buss promised me he would rebuild right away, and I believed him," Bryant wrote. "That is why I put my trust in the Lakers. But when stuff like this is coming from the 'inside,' all I can do is hope that someone from the 'inside' comes forward to support me and set straight the facts of what really happened. This is the TRUTH."

[7even]

Well, aside from Kobe acting about as sane as Artest lately, I have to say that I would think twice on "building a contender" around a person that has  1.) publically insulted me and the whole FO and 2.) tried to extort me into making major moves... If I was Dr. Buss, a rich senile fuck, I'd think twice about pleasing Kobe.

[dexter]

youre not

[MontrealCity's Most]

Well he's staying..for at least another 2 then he's off. THe clippers?......The knicks!!

[7even]

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=981~2748~617~2760~615~1024&teams=11~11~11~13~13~13

something like this will happen.

[WC Iz Active]

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=981~2748~617~2760~615~1024&teams=11~11~11~13~13~13

something like this will happen.

LOL, I dont like that trade from a Pacer standpoint at all, no way we give up Granger and JO in the same package unless we get Kobe lol

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=981~2748~617~2760~615~1024&teams=11~11~11~13~13~13

something like this will happen.

LOL, I dont like that trade from a Pacer standpoint at all, no way we give up Granger and JO in the same package unless we get Kobe lol

Are you insane? You're getting Odom AND Bynum, plus Kwame's expiring contract. That's BY FAR the best you will get for JO. No way  I'd do that.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Well, aside from Kobe acting about as sane as Artest lately, I have to say that I would think twice on "building a contender" around a person that has  1.) publically insulted me and the whole FO and 2.) tried to extort me into making major moves... If I was Dr. Buss, a rich senile fuck, I'd think twice about pleasing Kobe.

If your star is being undeniably alienated by you and your front office, and that star is the best player in the world, then you'd be an idiot to think twice...Good thing you're not Jerry Buss.

[BuddenzNasir]

Kobe's not staying, he doesn't want to be traded...but he knows he should be traded...geez guys lol

and JO n Granger n Tinsley?!?!?!?! fuck u crazy?...aint happening , I'd hate the pacers forever for something so dumb lol

[BuddenzNasir]

Wednesday morning, to ESPN radio's Stephen A. Smith:

"I would like to be traded, yeah…. At this point I'll go play on Pluto."

*

Midday, with ESPN's Dan Patrick:

"I don't want to go anywhere else. I want to be here for the rest of my career."

*

Later, on L.A.'s AM 570 KLAC:

Phil Jackson said, " 'Let us try to work that out…. ' That made me feel a lot better."

*

Finally, in a Times interview:

"It's just a matter of I don't want to go no place else." But asked if he still wanted to be traded: "Yes."

[GangstaBoogy]

Wednesday morning, to ESPN radio's Stephen A. Smith:

"I would like to be traded, yeah…. At this point I'll go play on Pluto."

*

Midday, with ESPN's Dan Patrick:

"I don't want to go anywhere else. I want to be here for the rest of my career."

*

Later, on L.A.'s AM 570 KLAC:

Phil Jackson said, " 'Let us try to work that out…. ' That made me feel a lot better."

*

Finally, in a Times interview:

"It's just a matter of I don't want to go no place else." But asked if he still wanted to be traded: "Yes."

?

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kobe's not staying, he doesn't want to be traded...but he knows he should be traded...geez guys lol

and JO n Granger n Tinsley?!?!?!?! fuck u crazy?...aint happening , I'd hate the pacers forever for something so dumb lol

JO's value = Odom's value (maybe JO has the slight edge, but value changes when a superstar is unhappy and wants to relocate to a specific location. Also consider Odom is younger and still growing, while most people would consider JO past his prime.)
Bynum's value >>> Granger's value (Bynum = number 3 overall pick in this years draft [number 1 in last years]. Teams are calling about him left and right)
Kwame's value >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Tinsley's value (consider you're trading an expiring contract for someone who has a 1% chance of staying healthy AND is overpaid through 2011 ).


The Pacers would be NUTS to not take Odom AND Bynum (ANDDDD Kwame's expiring contract, which triples his value) in a deal for JO....

[jeromechickenbone]

Kobe = The Game of the NBA...

For real though - to me he saying that he loves LA, the Lakers, wants to retire there, etc.  But however due to the circumstances he feels like he has to be traded.  Basically saying that he got jerked and his hands are tied - nothing left to do but leave. 

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kobe = The Game of the NBA...

For real though - to me he saying that he loves LA, the Lakers, wants to retire there, etc.  But however due to the circumstances he feels like he has to be traded.  Basically saying that he got jerked and his hands are tied - nothing left to do but leave. 

He's saying that the front office has been fucked, and if they can't fix the problems they've created that the last option is to trade him, despite him loving LA and wanting to be a Laker for the rest of his career. Dunno how that compares to the Game, but what Kobe is doing is definitely understandable...PeAcE

[7even]

Well of course at the very moment of the trade neither Pacer-Fans nor Laker-Fans will love the trade, cause both have to part with players they hold high. But after a few months it will become clear which team got the better end of the deal.