Phil Jackson speaks...says he THINKS Kobe will stay in L.A.

[GangstaBoogy]

While recovering from hip surgery at home, Lakers Coach Phil Jackson weighed in Monday on the latest movement in the Kobe Bryant ordeal, sounding a positive note for Bryant's future with the team.

Jackson, who had hip-replacement surgery last Tuesday, has spoken with Bryant numerous times since the nine-time All-Star demanded a trade May 30, an action Bryant reiterated last Friday in a meeting with team owner Jerry Buss.

"He's made a decision that he feels justified to hold — one that I've questioned — that he has reasons to leave the Lakers," Jackson wrote Monday in a brief e-mail to The Times. "However, it's my unshakeable feeling that Kobe will be a Laker next October ... when training camp opens."

Bryant credited Jackson as being a voice of reason during Bryant's now-infamous day of seemingly contradictory talk-radio and newspaper interviews on May 30. Bryant said he wanted to be traded on a talk-radio show early that day but appeared to leave wiggle room for remaining with the Lakers on subsequent radio shows. Then, later in the day, he told The Times that he indeed wanted to be traded.

Also that day, Bryant said Jackson offered some soothing early-afternoon words as they discussed a passage in a recent article by The Times that referred to a Lakers "insider" who blamed Bryant for the departure of Shaquille O'Neal in 2004.

Jackson, 61, is expected to recover within a few weeks from his second hip-replacement surgery and will attend Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in September in Springfield, Mass.

Jackson had his right hip replaced last October.

Jackson has one year left on a three-year, $30-million contract and on Monday referred a question on a possible contract extension to an interview he granted in April.

"Whatever I said then stands today," Jackson wrote.

In the April interview, Jackson said there were "a bunch of things that go into it — how we move forward as a team."

"Personally, as an owner, does [Buss] really want to spend the kind of money he's spending on me to have a .500 team? We want to do better than that, by far. How do we go about readjusting to make sure that something that happened this year doesn't happen again in the future?"

Jackson said at the time that his health was not a concern, although he indicated Monday that he wanted to be able to "coach up to my standards."

The Lakers finished 42-40 last season and lost to Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

Fire Mitch Kupchak and make Phil GM/Head Coach!

[Bay Area Jat]

like Nik said dont believe all this media bullshit kobe is gonna be gone

[WestCoasta]

Kobe's fuckin gay if he wants to leave

stop bein a bitch and make your top salary and just go down as a Laker

after all the support people gave him, he looks like a bitch for real

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

like Nik said dont believe all this media bullshit kobe is gonna STAY

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kobe's fuckin gay if he wants to leave

stop bein a bitch and make your top salary and just go down as a Laker

after all the support people gave him, he looks like a bitch for real

Dude actually wants to win? WHAT A BITCH!!

[WestCoasta]

Kobe's fuckin gay if he wants to leave

stop bein a bitch and make your top salary and just go down as a Laker

after all the support people gave him, he looks like a bitch for real

Dude actually wants to win? WHAT A BITCH!!

yea and it's makin him look real good

I like Kobe and I want him on the Lakers but if he doesnt wanna be there, why root for him?

he signed a fuckin contract, if wants to leave when it expires then so be it

committ to what you signed for, enough of this "I was tricked" bullshit

[rik]

Kobe's fuckin gay if he wants to leave

stop bein a bitch and make your top salary and just go down as a Laker

after all the support people gave him, he looks like a bitch for real

Dude actually wants to win? WHAT A BITCH!!

yea and it's makin him look real good

I like Kobe and I want him on the Lakers but if he doesnt wanna be there, why root for him?

he signed a fuckin contract, if wants to leave when it expires then so be it

committ to what you signed for, enough of this "I was tricked" bullshit

Real spit.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kobe's fuckin gay if he wants to leave

stop bein a bitch and make your top salary and just go down as a Laker

after all the support people gave him, he looks like a bitch for real

Dude actually wants to win? WHAT A BITCH!!

yea and it's makin him look real good

I like Kobe and I want him on the Lakers but if he doesnt wanna be there, why root for him?

he signed a fuckin contract, if wants to leave when it expires then so be it

committ to what you signed for, enough of this "I was tricked" bullshit

He signed to play for a winning team...Buss hasn't been building that, as promised. Magic did the same in the 80's. If history repeats itself, this will only help the Lakers...PeACe

[WestCoasta]

Kobe's fuckin gay if he wants to leave

stop bein a bitch and make your top salary and just go down as a Laker

after all the support people gave him, he looks like a bitch for real

Dude actually wants to win? WHAT A BITCH!!

yea and it's makin him look real good

I like Kobe and I want him on the Lakers but if he doesnt wanna be there, why root for him?

he signed a fuckin contract, if wants to leave when it expires then so be it

committ to what you signed for, enough of this "I was tricked" bullshit

He signed to play for a winning team...Buss hasn't been building that, as promised. Magic did the same in the 80's. If history repeats itself, this will only help the Lakers...PeACe

first of all, you don't know what Buss promised him, nobody does
 
second, he saw what kind of team he was signing on to, for 7 years nonetheless

he needs to suck it up and stop acting like a whiney fag and like I said, if he doesn't wanna be here he can leave when his deal's up

you put your signature on a contract, you honor that contract, obviously people in sports try to cop out of those things from time to time but I think it's morally wrong to do

fact is Kobe is flip flopping like a punk, he's Public Enemy #1 everywhere but LA and then he wants to leave the place where everyone stuck up for him?

as fans that's like a slap in the face, "I want to win" well so does everyone else, this doesn't make him some special person because he wants to win at all costs

it's not like he's on his last leg looking for a title like Malone or Payton, finish the the last years or whatever you got on your contract and be a man and start fresh somewhere else

whining and saying people lying to him and all that, nobody gives a fuck....

going on the radio and shit and all "I love the Lakers I wanna be there for life but blah blah"  just cut the shit already

why did he even have to open his mouth?  what a baby

him and Shaq can go fuck themselves.... to think of what they ruined, nice move.... what a bunch of spoiled punks

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kobe's fuckin gay if he wants to leave

stop bein a bitch and make your top salary and just go down as a Laker

after all the support people gave him, he looks like a bitch for real

Dude actually wants to win? WHAT A BITCH!!

yea and it's makin him look real good

I like Kobe and I want him on the Lakers but if he doesnt wanna be there, why root for him?

he signed a fuckin contract, if wants to leave when it expires then so be it

committ to what you signed for, enough of this "I was tricked" bullshit

He signed to play for a winning team...Buss hasn't been building that, as promised. Magic did the same in the 80's. If history repeats itself, this will only help the Lakers...PeACe

first of all, you don't know what Buss promised him, nobody does
 
second, he saw what kind of team he was signing on to, for 7 years nonetheless

he needs to suck it up and stop acting like a whiney fag and like I said, if he doesn't wanna be here he can leave when his deal's up

you put your signature on a contract, you honor that contract, obviously people in sports try to cop out of those things from time to time but I think it's morally wrong to do

fact is Kobe is flip flopping like a punk, he's Public Enemy #1 everywhere but LA and then he wants to leave the place where everyone stuck up for him?

as fans that's like a slap in the face, "I want to win" well so does everyone else, this doesn't make him some special person because he wants to win at all costs

it's not like he's on his last leg looking for a title like Malone or Payton, finish the the last years or whatever you got on your contract and be a man and start fresh somewhere else

whining and saying people lying to him and all that, nobody gives a fuck....

going on the radio and shit and all "I love the Lakers I wanna be there for life but blah blah"  just cut the shit already

why did he even have to open his mouth?  what a baby

him and Shaq can go fuck themselves.... to think of what they ruined, nice move.... what a bunch of spoiled punks

You're missing the whole point of what he's doing...He knows Lakers aren't trading him. He's pushing the organization to make some moves, and it's gunna work. Do you really think Kobe believes for one second Buss will trade him? Hell no...Fact of the matter is, Kobe was promised that Buss is building a contender at all costs, but the track record hasn't proven that. Kobe didn't want to go through another summer of no moves being made...In 2004, when Phil was in talks of renegotiating a contract, Buss told Phil Jackson of a long-term plan to rebuild...This was never mentioned to Kobe when he re-signed. In fact, he was told the exact opposite. He's doing all he can to change that, and it'll definitely make the Lakers stronger...Magic Johnson all over again...PeACe

[hisairness]

Kobe's fuckin gay if he wants to leave

stop bein a bitch and make your top salary and just go down as a Laker

after all the support people gave him, he looks like a bitch for real

Dude actually wants to win? WHAT A BITCH!!

yea and it's makin him look real good

I like Kobe and I want him on the Lakers but if he doesnt wanna be there, why root for him?

he signed a fuckin contract, if wants to leave when it expires then so be it

committ to what you signed for, enough of this "I was tricked" bullshit

He signed to play for a winning team...Buss hasn't been building that, as promised. Magic did the same in the 80's. If history repeats itself, this will only help the Lakers...PeACe

first of all, you don't know what Buss promised him, nobody does
 
second, he saw what kind of team he was signing on to, for 7 years nonetheless

he needs to suck it up and stop acting like a whiney fag and like I said, if he doesn't wanna be here he can leave when his deal's up

you put your signature on a contract, you honor that contract, obviously people in sports try to cop out of those things from time to time but I think it's morally wrong to do

fact is Kobe is flip flopping like a punk, he's Public Enemy #1 everywhere but LA and then he wants to leave the place where everyone stuck up for him?

as fans that's like a slap in the face, "I want to win" well so does everyone else, this doesn't make him some special person because he wants to win at all costs

it's not like he's on his last leg looking for a title like Malone or Payton, finish the the last years or whatever you got on your contract and be a man and start fresh somewhere else

whining and saying people lying to him and all that, nobody gives a fuck....

going on the radio and shit and all "I love the Lakers I wanna be there for life but blah blah"  just cut the shit already

why did he even have to open his mouth?  what a baby

him and Shaq can go fuck themselves.... to think of what they ruined, nice move.... what a bunch of spoiled punks

You're missing the whole point of what he's doing...He knows Lakers aren't trading him. He's pushing the organization to make some moves, and it's gunna work. Do you really think Kobe believes for one second Buss will trade him? Hell no...Fact of the matter is, Kobe was promised that Buss is building a contender at all costs, but the track record hasn't proven that. Kobe didn't want to go through another summer of no moves being made...In 2004, when Phil was in talks of renegotiating a contract, Buss told Phil Jackson of a long-term plan to rebuild...This was never mentioned to Kobe when he re-signed. In fact, he was told the exact opposite. He's doing all he can to change that, and it'll definitely make the Lakers stronger...Magic Johnson all over again...PeACe

Sorry numnuts, but wouldn't you think that every team who signed any player would promise to build a winner?  You act like the Lakers are the only team that would ever say that. 

And how in the fuck do you know what was said between Kobe and Buss, Buss and PJ, PJ and Kobe, or anybody else in the Lakers organization.  Unless you were wall papered in the office, you wouldn't have a fucking clue what was said to whom.  All you have is opinions on what you think was said.  You don't know shit.  You are an idiot. 

LOL at you acting like you know something.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kobe's fuckin gay if he wants to leave

stop bein a bitch and make your top salary and just go down as a Laker

after all the support people gave him, he looks like a bitch for real

Dude actually wants to win? WHAT A BITCH!!

yea and it's makin him look real good

I like Kobe and I want him on the Lakers but if he doesnt wanna be there, why root for him?

he signed a fuckin contract, if wants to leave when it expires then so be it

committ to what you signed for, enough of this "I was tricked" bullshit

He signed to play for a winning team...Buss hasn't been building that, as promised. Magic did the same in the 80's. If history repeats itself, this will only help the Lakers...PeACe

first of all, you don't know what Buss promised him, nobody does
 
second, he saw what kind of team he was signing on to, for 7 years nonetheless

he needs to suck it up and stop acting like a whiney fag and like I said, if he doesn't wanna be here he can leave when his deal's up

you put your signature on a contract, you honor that contract, obviously people in sports try to cop out of those things from time to time but I think it's morally wrong to do

fact is Kobe is flip flopping like a punk, he's Public Enemy #1 everywhere but LA and then he wants to leave the place where everyone stuck up for him?

as fans that's like a slap in the face, "I want to win" well so does everyone else, this doesn't make him some special person because he wants to win at all costs

it's not like he's on his last leg looking for a title like Malone or Payton, finish the the last years or whatever you got on your contract and be a man and start fresh somewhere else

whining and saying people lying to him and all that, nobody gives a fuck....

going on the radio and shit and all "I love the Lakers I wanna be there for life but blah blah"  just cut the shit already

why did he even have to open his mouth?  what a baby

him and Shaq can go fuck themselves.... to think of what they ruined, nice move.... what a bunch of spoiled punks

You're missing the whole point of what he's doing...He knows Lakers aren't trading him. He's pushing the organization to make some moves, and it's gunna work. Do you really think Kobe believes for one second Buss will trade him? Hell no...Fact of the matter is, Kobe was promised that Buss is building a contender at all costs, but the track record hasn't proven that. Kobe didn't want to go through another summer of no moves being made...In 2004, when Phil was in talks of renegotiating a contract, Buss told Phil Jackson of a long-term plan to rebuild...This was never mentioned to Kobe when he re-signed. In fact, he was told the exact opposite. He's doing all he can to change that, and it'll definitely make the Lakers stronger...Magic Johnson all over again...PeACe

Sorry numnuts, but wouldn't you think that every team who signed any player would promise to build a winner?  You act like the Lakers are the only team that would ever say that. 

And how in the fuck do you know what was said between Kobe and Buss, Buss and PJ, PJ and Kobe, or anybody else in the Lakers organization.  Unless you were wall papered in the office, you wouldn't have a fucking clue what was said to whom.  All you have is opinions on what you think was said.  You don't know shit.  You are an idiot. 

LOL at you acting like you know something.

LMFAO@this moron thinking he knows the situation. Keep your mouth shut, you ignorant piece of shit.


LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW ON KLAC.

[hisairness]

Nah, I don't have time to listen to Kobe every time he speaks.

You are a horrible waste of a good sperm and a fertile egg.  I bet your daddy wishes he could've splattered you all over the wall.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

^^If you don't listen, yet you're commenting on the situation, what does that make you? A douchebag...I'd probably feel the need to resort to childish disses too if I were an ignorant douchebag tryna jump into discussions I don't know shit about...

[SGV]

None of us were really there when Kobe signed that contract. So we can't really say what he was promised or not. Sure, he says they promised him this and that, but its just one mans story. Now if Buss came out and said "Yeah, I promised to build a team around Kobe, but I failed to do so..." Then I would say that story is truthful. But until then, its just one side of the story.