The Official Los Angeles Lakers thread

[7even]

 Kobe Bryant has held fast to his radio -- and TV, blog, dot-com, newspaper, magazine, semaphore -- silence concerning his future with the Lakers. That's good, since speaking out didn't exactly motivate the Lakers nor endear him to the how-dare-an-NBA-player-complain crowd.

The Lakers, meanwhile, have been silent, too. That's not so good, since it's their inability to make any significant moves that prompted Kobe to ask out in the first place.

Just understand this, in lieu of Bryant telling you himself: If he was boiling about the Lakers for not jumping at the chance to get Jason Kidd at the trade deadline, he's now at the stage where the water has evaporated and the bone-dry pot is scorched and rattling, after having a firsthand taste of what playing with Kidd is like at the Team USA minicamp last month.

Kobe Bryant

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

His directness did not go over well, so now Kobe skirts questions about his Lakers future.

Kidd, by several accounts, was an absolute wonder during the three-day training session in Las Vegas and equally thrilled about playing with Bryant.

"No question," said someone close to Bryant, "his frustration was made worse by Vegas."

For those who have been too busy trying to get Pluto reinstated as a planet to stay up with current events, Bryant let it be known back in late May that he had lost faith in the Lakers' ability to build a championship team and while he was not demanding a trade, if the organization didn't bring back proven title-winning architect Jerry West, the Lakers might as well send him elsewhere.

When that was boiled down to a less nuanced version, as in "Kobe wants to be traded unless West returns," Bryant tried to set the record straight, emphasizing his love for the Lakers' legacy and how he didn't want to leave. Which led to another incomplete translation, as in, "Kobe says he doesn't want to leave the Lakers."

In the meantime, a Lakers insider was quoted as saying that Bryant was behind the departure of Shaquille O'Neal. Anyone close to the situation always knew different, so Bryant felt he was taking one for Dr. Jerry Buss, the driving force behind sending O'Neal to Miami, by never challenging the misconception.

But to hear "a Lakers insider" validate it sent Bryant around the proverbial bend. It was no longer that Bryant wanted out because he no longer trusted the Lakers could make the necessary moves to chase another title; he wanted out because he no longer trusted them, period.

A conversation with coach Phil Jackson prompted Kobe to soften his tone -- if not his stance -- one more time before he finally gave up on trying to explain his feelings and unplugged from the media grid.

Since then, the Lakers have maintained the status quo by re-signing Luke Walton and Chris Mihm. (It'll be nice to see Derek Fisher back in a Lakers' uniform, but let's not kid ourselves that this changes what they essentially are.) According to sources, they've also declined an offer of Ron Artest for Lamar Odom, dangled Kwame Brown, Brian Cook and Andrew Bynum for Jermaine O'Neal but said no to the Pacers' offer of O'Neal for Odom and Bynum.

This, by the way, being the same Bynum they steadfastly refused to part with for Kidd in February.

Now, with the Kevin Garnett pipedream officially over and Bryant quietly going about his business, the focus reverts back to the Lakers. They know their star is unhappy, they've admitted their team isn't good enough to contend and they've promised to change all that. Bryant said he wished he'd handled his series of declarations earlier this summer differently, but as the summer days slip by with no news out of El Segundo, I have to think more and more people will empathize with his desire to be elsewhere.

He really doesn't have to say anything more. The Lakers are making his case for him.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=bucher_ric&page=bucheronkobestatus

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kobe And Wife Vanessa May Be Calling It Quits

(CBS) LOS ANGELES Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa may soon be calling it quits.

There have been reports for some time now that Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa’s marriage has been on the rocks. These reports seem to be valid, as a contact close to Kobe has stated that the basketball star is prepared to get a divorce.

The couple has been married for 6 years now and has withstood their share of controversy, but now an insider has reported, "They've been trying [to make things better] now for more than a year, but it's just not working out ... Kobe's in the process of moving out [of their home] and both are ready to officially end things (MediaTakeOut.com)."

This break up will not likely be the explosive, high profile scene that we have come to expect from Kobe over the last few years.

Rather than make a drawn out public spectacle of their split, Kobe and Vanessa will likely come to a quiet settlement.

The source close to the couple has stated, "There's very little for [Kobe and Vanessa] to fight over. Since there was no pre-nuptial agreement, Vanessa's entitled to half the marital assets ... Besides, Kobe stands to make a lot more money in the years to come - and that will be all his (MediaTakeOut.com)."

Kobe Bryant has had a very lucrative basketball career, to say the least, and is estimated to have earned nearly $200 million.

This is, of course, community property and subject to the conditions of the settlement. However, at this point in Kobe’s career the best may yet to come.

Over the next four seasons, the Lakers will be are committed to Kobe to the tune of $88.6 million. In addition to his lucrative salary, Kobe’s endorsement deals will continue to pay him nicely, like his $18 million still left with Nike.

After all is said, Kobe Bryant is not likely to walk away in any kind of dire financial straights .

[Bay Area Jat]

^^^ kobes wife's banging

[7even]

good thing for him how he "loved her too much" for a pre-nup... idiot.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

^^LOL...I don't think he gives a fuck with the money he's making. Either way, he cheated...

[7even]

Obviously. Great acquisition by the Logo. I told y'all he was good, you didn't trust me.

Surprisingly, Juan Carlos has accepted a 540.000 dollar-contract, less than the salary he had with Barcelona, so he will seek a big contract when the season ends in order to pay the three-million debt he has with FC Barcelona. Definitely, it hasn't been a good resolution for Navarro in economic terms. Sport

Navarro is totally convinced that he will play at such high level that he will easily sign a big contract next season. El Mundo Deportivo

FC Barcelona will earn $500,000 dollars and the rest -three millions- will be paid by Navarro during the next two years. Also, they will keep his rights if Navarro returns to play in Europe. El Mundo Deportivo


Wtf 

[Antonio_]

"La Bomba"!!!!!!!!!!! (the bomb)

This guy is insane. You'll love him.

[Sparegeez]

^^LOL...I don't think he gives a fuck with the money he's making. Either way, he cheated...

He would give a fuck. That's half of what he has now, which is easily at least 30 mil. Who wouldn't give a fuck losing 30 mil?

[GangstaBoogy]

Kobe ain't getting divorced. Notice mediatakeout.com is the only site to be reporting this?

[Bay Area Jat]

^^Only 2 of our 16 back-to-back games are home...Brutal.

sounds like a conspiracy against the lakers to me

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kobe ain't getting divorced. Notice mediatakeout.com is the only site to be reporting this?

Ummm, the link I provided was CBS...

[GangstaBoogy]

Kobe ain't getting divorced. Notice mediatakeout.com is the only site to be reporting this?

Ummm, the link I provided was CBS...

1. the link doesn't work
2. they pretty much reposted the article from mediatakeout.com

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kobe ain't getting divorced. Notice mediatakeout.com is the only site to be reporting this?

Ummm, the link I provided was CBS...

1. the link doesn't work
2. they pretty much reposted the article from mediatakeout.com

It worked earlier today...CBS reported it. maybe they took it down cuz they found out it was false.

[GangstaBoogy]

Kobe is scheduled to be on the Jimmy Kimmel show Wednesday, August 8th. Just thought I'd give you guys a heads up on it.

[Black_Smoke]

Kobe is scheduled to be on the Jimmy Kimmel show Wednesday, August 8th. Just thought I'd give you guys a heads up on it.

dope,defintely gonna watch it