Tuesday, October 23, 2007

The Kobey conundrum

If he is traded, let's hope you're not stuck behind Kobe Bryant at the airport baggage check. He's going to be a while.

Fortunately, it's very unlikely Bryant will be traded. It's even more unlikely he would be flying coach.

The petulant Bryant spent the summer flip-flopping. It began at the end of May when he spouted a trade demand.

"I would like to be traded, yeah," Bryant said in a radio interview.

The same day, the Lakers star used a spin move.

"I don't want to go anywhere else," Bryant told ESPN Radio later in the day. "I want to be here the rest of my career."

He repeated the back-and-forth through the summer. It continues even now, a week before the regular season begins.

Bryant said the core of his desire to be traded stems from mistrust. This moves him from flip-flopping to hypocrisy. Any player who publicly demands a trade has breached trust built with the organization, his teammates and fans.

Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss said in early October that he would listen to offers for Bryant. Using simple logic, this comment can be interpreted, as, well, logical. Of course the owner would consider offers for even his most touted piece after hearing the summer-long shenanigans. Not to mention Buss had to be a bit insulted by Bryant's sulking after standing by him during his rape trial (in which the charges were dropped).

But Bryant was bothered.

"We just wanted to keep things quiet, go about our business," Bryant said in a television interview. "It's my job to play basketball, it's not my job to worry about what management is doing."

This statement is absurd.

Keep things quiet like he did all summer? Not worry about what management is doing though he constantly criticizes the roster? Going about his business?

The problem with all of this is Bryant's skill level. It's unsurpassed. This makes any consideration of trading him seem ludicrous.

Sorry LeBron, sorry healthy Dwyane Wade, sorry Kevin Garnett, Steve Nash and Tim Duncan. No one has the all-around ability of Bryant.

His shooting range, defense, and, most of all, his enveloping arrogance make him the best since Michael Jordan. Last year he led the league in scoring, and was the only player in the league to be on the All-NBA first team and NBA all-defensive first team.

Which, again, leads to a problem associated with his ability. Finding anything near equal value in a trade for Bryant would be difficult enough. But Bryant's no-trade clause, coupled with his trade demand and limited teams of preference, leave Buss on the teeter-totter facing an elephant. All of his leverage is gone.

No contending team is going to move their top piece for Bryant. Dallas is not going to deal Dirk Nowitzki, though that one-for-one deal would be an improvement for the Mavs.

Chicago is not going to give up four young players for Bryant, who already is in his 12th season. Plus, the Lakers won't be misguided enough to take numerous bad contracts and players on the downsides of their careers from the Knicks.

Bryant, 29, has four years and $88.6 million left on his contract. He can opt in two years, which more and more seems to be the winning scenario.

AS for now, with a week until the season starts, Bryant won't be going anywhere prior to a Dick Clark television event.

Come January though, the Lakers will take a look at what they have. Everyone else in the league will run an equal assessment. Then legitimate consideration of moving Bryant will bubble up.

Until then, Bryant will be in between. In between defenders. In between with his comments. In between with his teammates.

At least he'll be using a private plane.

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