If Kobe is still Kobe, he'll end up on the Knicks

[guy]

That's what I'm predicting. If he's healthy and not in and out of the lineup, and still capable of putting up big numbers i.e. lets say at least 23 ppg on at least 44 FG%, I don't see anyway he can actually stomach playing on this team for the next 2 seasons and basically never play another relevant NBA game again. I know he says he wants to retire a Laker, which I'm sure he does all things equal, but I highly doubt he can stick with that going through such a frustrating season just for sentiment's sake.

I'm thinking he'll try to go through the season, and then eventually make some complaints, and privately ask for a trade before the trading deadline. With the Lakers not really playing for anything, the Buss's will oblige in order to avoid a PR nightmare and to continue to have a good relationship with one of its greatest players. They'll have a mutual agreement and since he has a no-trade clause, they'll trade him wherever he wants and he can go without asking for too much back i.e. maybe some picks and not taking on additional salary.

However, there really won't be many contending teams that would be suitors for him cause they'd have to gut their roster to get him. Only team that will want him and he'd want to go is the Knicks due to his relationships with Phil, Fisher, and Melo. Lakers will agree to trade him there for Amare's expiring and some picks. This way the Lakers will have more 2015 FA flexibility. Knicks won't have as much 2015 FA flexibility, but their main target is 2016 anyway, and they may rather just take Kobe then risk not getting anything in 2015 FA.

Obviously, if he's hurt and not the same, no team including the Knicks would want him. Some may call me a Kobe hater, but I'm not trying to knock him on this. I wouldn't blame him. And remember, almost every superstar intends to finish their career with a certain team, yet almost no one does for whatever reason. I just can't see someone as competitive as him decide to waste the rest of his career on a team that has no chance of doing anything and a franchise that at this point doesn't really have any great FA/trade prospects in the next few years.

[FrobeShaw]

Kobe will spend his entire career on the Lakers and that's how it should be.

[kennethgriffin]

i said this a while ago

i predicted it the minute they got phil

if kobe is back to the all nba level kobe. then i see no possible chance he won't demand a trade midway through the season if the lakers have a sh*t record

and they will more than likely

only possible contract that can be used to get kobe is amare's expiring deal


and only team i could see kobe wanting to play for is one ran by phil with his friend fisher coaching

it all makes too much sense

now i hope it doesnt happen that way and the lakers improve. but thats not likely for another 2-3 years

[guy]

i said this a while ago

i predicted it the minute they got phil

if kobe is back to the all nba level kobe. then i see no possible chance he won't demand a trade midway through the season if the lakers have a sh*t record

and they will more than likely

only possible contract that can be used to get kobe is amare's expiring deal


and only team i could see kobe wanting to play for is one ran by phil with his friend fisher coaching

it all makes too much sense

now i hope it doesnt happen that way and the lakers improve. but thats not likely for another 2-3 years

For once, I agree with you.

[guy]

I hope this happens too. Makes the East more interesting. And the Lakers will be irrelevant regardless, so I'd rather have one of the Lakers and Knicks be relevant then neither of them.

[PsychoWorm]

If Kobe goes there and they bring a title to new york that would be massive for his legacy.

[LoneyROY7]

http://www.nysun.com/pics/3505.jpg

:applause:

[WeGetRing2012]

As a Laker fan I agree. There's really no point of Kobe finishing out his career here

[Soundwave]

Gotta admit that would be pretty bad ass if it happened.

[MellowYellow]

i said this a while ago

i predicted it the minute they got phil

if kobe is back to the all nba level kobe. then i see no possible chance he won't demand a trade midway through the season if the lakers have a sh*t record

and they will more than likely

only possible contract that can be used to get kobe is amare's expiring deal


and only team i could see kobe wanting to play for is one ran by phil with his friend fisher coaching




it all makes too much sense

now i hope it doesnt happen that way and the lakers improve. but thats not likely for another 2-3 years


If kobe plays at an all-nba level, the Lakers will probably be around a .500 team. Lin, Hill, Randle and Nick Young. That's not a terrible lineup.

[6 for 24]

While I don't claim to speak for all Kobe stans-- only myself and kennethgriffin-- in my opinion, this would be an absolutely travesty. If there's one thing we know about Kobe, he puts Kobe first. Why would he ever go to a team featuring a similar (albeit lesser) shot jacker in Carmelo Anthony who would more than likely take away shot opportunities from the Bean? Kobe has worked so hard to drive away those that "gobbled up" his shots, starting with Shaq in '05, to Howard in '13 to Gasol this year-- you think he would suddenly change? That, to me, would be the death of the Kobe Bryant we stans have come to know and love.

Warmest regards,

Ayotunde Ndiaye

[navy]

If kobe plays at an all-nba level, the Lakers will probably be around a .500 team. Lin, Hill, Randle and Nick Young. That's not a terrible lineup.
It actually is. .500 isnt good enough to make the playoffs.

[MellowYellow]

It actually is. .500 isnt good enough to make the playoffs.

but it's enough to where Kobe will think they have some kind of a chance, and thus won't demand a trade.

[CHi1PriDe]

Can you imagine how bad the defense is with a lineup of:
JC
Kobe
Melo
Stat
Barg :sleeping

And you really think would wanna play for Dfish :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm

[MellowYellow]

Can you imagine how bad the defense is with a lineup of:
JC
Kobe
Melo
Stat
Barg :sleeping

And you really think would wanna play for Dfish :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm

so then put in aldrich or Dally at center, this isn't rocket science man.

I would go

Jc
Kobe
Shump
Melo
Daly

Offense and Defense

[CHi1PriDe]

so then put in aldrich or Dally at center, this isn't rocket science man.

I would go

Jc
Kobe
Shump
Melo
Daly

Offense and Defense

Shumps not even that good of a defender anymore and dalembert is lazy that can barely play any decent mins. There's a reason why he's been in Carlisle and mchales doghouse :violin:

[MellowYellow]

Shumps not even that good of a defender anymore and dalembert is lazy that can barely play any decent mins. There's a reason why he's been in Carlisle and mchales doghouse :violin:

Shump is young and still recovering from acl surgery, known fact that most players don't become 100% after torn acl until 2 years after surgery. Dally is the same player as Tyson just can't play more than 25 min and that's fine. Melo is a solid defender especially in the post. Kobe can probably still play good d in small stretches like at the end of the game and knicks have tons of wings that can spell him minutes to keep him fresh.

[Legends66NBA7]

And taint his legacy ? For what ?

Bryant has nothing left to prove.

[oh the horror]

Since he took that friggin contract dude should just close his mouth and enjoy his farewell tour. Period.

[CHi1PriDe]

Shump is young and still recovering from acl surgery, known fact that most players don't become 100% after torn acl until 2 years after surgery. Dally is the same player as Tyson just can't play more than 25 min and that's fine. Melo is a solid defender especially in the post. Kobe can probably still play good d in small stretches like at the end of the game and knicks have tons of wings that can spell him minutes to keep him fresh.

Shump is closed to done, he can't do anything really well right now. He had many opportunities to prove himself but he just sucked and part of that is woodys fault for not developing him right. It's crazy how much he regressed, he had all the tools to become good and there's reason why he's always on the trading block. Only if he stopped making music and focused on hoopin more. Dally at this point in his career is not someone you'd want to anchor your defense, he's lazy and slow now. He used to be a legit rebounder/shot blocker but those days are over. Don't forget, you have a rookie coach who wasn't exactly known for being a good defender :rolleyes:

[el gringos]

1- love
2- gasol (Marc)
3- Larry sanders
4- josh smith
5- kob8


He is a top 5 target for the Amare + prospects Trade

[el gringos]

Shump is closed to done, he can't do anything really well right now. He had many opportunities to prove himself but he just sucked and part of that is woodys fault for not developing him right. It's crazy how much he regressed, he had all the tools to become good and there's reason why he's always on the trading block. Only if he stopped making music and focused on hoopin more. Dally at this point in his career is not someone you'd want to anchor your defense, he's lazy and slow now. He used to be a legit rebounder/shot blocker but those days are over. Don't forget, you have a rookie coach who wasn't exactly known for being a good defender :rolleyes:
Phil and fisher see shumpert as a pg. He's no longer Carmelo and JR's understudy, he's now calderons backup. That move will do wonders (and make shumpert millions)

[MellowYellow]

Phil and fisher see shumpert as a pg. He's no longer Carmelo and JR's understudy, he's now calderons backup. That move will do wonders (and make shumpert millions)

shump is an ok passer, but who's gonna teach him how to dribble the basketball?

[ImKobe]

And taint his legacy ? For what ?

Bryant has nothing left to prove.

Going to the Knicks would be stupid though, they are not a contender either, he might as well just have his Wizards MJ days his last 2 seasons with the Lakers and gun for a scoring title while he still can.

[guy]

And taint his legacy ? For what ?

Bryant has nothing left to prove.

So he'll just be happy playing on a lottery team until then because of this? He has nothing left to prove? He must have some kind of motivation to keep playing. He doesn't necessarily have anything to prove, but he wants to compete.

[guy]

Going to the Knicks would be stupid though, they are not a contender either, he might as well just have his Wizards MJ days his last 2 seasons with the Lakers and gun for a scoring title while he still can.

They'd be in a much better spot then the Lakers, and I think Kobe would be confident enough to believe they can do something.

[riseagainst]

I would still love to see him on a playoff - caliber team, would be awesome to watch


Warmest regards,

riseagainst

[Skyscraper]

Jordan did not play on the Bulls his whole career.


So no restrictions for Kobe to jump ship

[EllEffEll]

Since he took that friggin contract dude should just close his mouth and enjoy his farewell tour. Period.

Yep. Dude is gonna hobble the team for the next two years with a fat contract for the next two years, and then demand a trade to a contender so he can have his cake and eat it too?

That would indeed be a chump move.