"Steven" vs. Just About Everyone Else

The only sure trades I would do that you listed are Duncan and LeBron. I'm just not sold on D-Wade Or Kevin Garnett. I haven't seen them dominate games and will their teams to victory in important games.

Neither has Lebron, but his youth and seemingly durable body enhance his trade value.

Also, I installed cable for Steven, and he confided in me that even HE doesn't believe half the things he says, he is just trying to stir up controversy.

LeBron - maybe. Main reason being that he's a lot younger [though, am I in the minority when I think he's prolly older than the 21 he claims to be?] than KB, and nearly as good. Mind you, I don't think he is better than Kobe, but he *might* be - someday. I don't know if he has the intangibles that KB8 brings to the table.

And though this is impossible to visit now[hindsight is always 20/20] would you have traded Lebron for MJ when he was at KB's age? 27/28 without having won a ring [yet]?

But thinking as a GM I would prolly be inclined to pull the trigger on this one, if only to get the promise of *youth* [is 27 old?] and excitement that LeBron brings.

TD, KG - nah, nah. Call me an idiot, but TD and KG are older than KB8, and neither has shown a propensity to carry teams by themselves - I'm not talking about averaging 20/10, but the ability to single-handedly win games like KB and Shaq. Now, if they were 21, then maybe.

D-Wade - nah. Too short. He might be lightning quick right now, but all that pounding he's taking, and those miles he is racking up are bound to take a physical toll on him soon.

Good topic for discussion :)

Wow this blog is full stupid people. All I have to say is when you know something about basketball, till then, don't post any ridiculous comments.

lol trading the best player this generation Kobe Bryant for a kid who can't play defense "King James" lol! that's amusing. Lebron James is not as good as you think he is.

Kevin, who writes poems about Kobe, wouldn't trade him. Didn't see that coming.

AK

i think Kobe is the best, i mean homeboy can play and im one of his biggest fan. Now putting that aside i would trade for Lebron, i mean the kid is young and it will benefit the team in the future, especially seeing as the lakers probally dont have a shot at the Gold for a couple more years to say the least. so i agree with Ak on that one, however Wade ill have to seriously think about if i was the GM, but i probably wouldnt do it, seeing as his defense doesnt seem as strong. Now when it comes down to KG or TD, you'll be a idiot to do it. KG is 30 years old, and although he still dominates giving this current roster he will be on out of his prime by the time the lakers are ready to make a run at the championship (kobe will barely be reaching his prime) so KG is out, the same goes for Tim duncan plus i think he really is limited to what he can do for a team. so the bottom line is the age factor, and the future, and so far the only person i would consider trading kobe for is Lebron, but now returning to my current state of mind, and my loyalty for kobe, F@#$ NO!!! kobe's the man you'll be stupid to trade him...
go lakers

“Let Kobe Rain” - (Update)

Game in and game out

Lakers Fans are impatient and that’s what they are about

When you’re not winning

You’re blaming

It’s okay, let off your steam more on him than the Team

Point all your fingers and throw all your lies onto that one guy

He’s probably wearing number eight

Look at all the hate; this guy must be that great

Cast it on him, It’ll only pass by

For you know how good he is, so you must deny

Please don’t envy, please don’t hate

Maybe to you, this is just his fate

Over and over, he takes criticism and blame.

Again and again, how awful this is to the Lakers team game.

When the Refs can’t blow a whistle, you know something’s wrong.

Maybe they need to start giving him the respect, and acknowledge what’s going on.

He gets more miss calls than anybody that plays basketball.

When the game’s locked on tight, the Refs can’t call a play right.

How absurd it is to watch.

This team is more than one cause.

The Refs are fools.

Calling nothing, just pretending to play it cool.

I’m disappointed in the city of L.A.

As much as I am in the Lakers Plays.

Those that care only about the W, maybe that is what counts.

But we shouldn’t put one guy on the spotlight and Shout.

Sick of those so-called Lakers “Fans”.

They just need to cheer and start clapping their hands.

They need to give him more support

So we can all hop aboard.

When the Lakers are losing, people are grouping

Complaining about Kobe’s shooting.

Truth is, teammates need to step up

And start playing tough.

When someone can make a shot

It will help a lot.

It’s not K.B. to blame

It’s the media and critics who should be ashamed.

I’ve repeated this too many times

Maybe greatness is just a crime.

My lungs are getting tired

So I’m not going to say

For the new year, let’s just hope for decent plays.

Lakers fans, you need to realize

For us to win we want Kobe by our side.

Just be Patient, this team will survive.

Thank you, Haters.

Phil wouldn't coach Lebron...He picked Kobe, I think that goes a long way! I mean hasn't the guy won like 9 rings and coach a certain Michael Jordan!??

I don't know man, people just love to believe the Hype!
I think it says a lot when the lakers away games are almost always sold out! You can't say the same for the Cavaliers or the Heat! (If you don't believe it! check the numbers for yourself!).
People just love to hate Kobe but can't stop watching him!
If you want to make good PR, you pick Lebron, if you want to win championship, you Take Kobe. I think most GM would pick Kobe over Lebron because he's aproven warrior! Lebron is full of promise but then again so was Malone, Barkley, Vince carter, Penny Hardaway and the list goes on and on!!!

Lebron James is simply not as good as Kobe! He has shown to be very good in casual games but he will fold under pressure, Kobe has proven hat when "giants" gather, HE BECOMES A TITAN!

Kobe with the cavs right now and Lebron with the Lakers...I think you know who would have a better record!

This is a sad day! Lebron James, very good Player who can't play defense, struggle shooting, gets lost in games and walks a fine line (Always remember than Lebron falling is a bigger story than his rise!)

Kobe Bryant, the best player of his generation at his prime....maybe better than the greatest of all time when it's all said and done...proven winner!

If I had the choice I'd take the $5,000,000 money bag instead of the lottery ticket for potentially $50,000,000.

I would have to think about but i dont think I would pull the trigger LB is good and I would love to have him on the Laker but he has no defense!! Wade can drive but once again his D is lacking. See there is alot guys in the league who can score like Kobe but their total game is suspect. Kobe is # two in the league in scoring and is in the top ten for assist for shooting guards. And has been on the all defensive team first team second team and third team. If you get rid of him there no guard that can give you the quick fix back. Trading for TD/KG or Amare would be nice but we would still need a shooting guard.

This is a ridiculous topic. Kobe Bryant has been in and WON more Playoff games then any of these guys put together (other than TD) But even Duncan hasnt Won more games in the clutch for his team than Kobe. Kobe is only 28 years old. Put more good players around Kobe, The Lakers Win another Championship Handsdown. This is a no Brainer, Kobes experience alone Says hes the one you build around. Lebron Hasnt done Crap in this league yet. KG hasnt done Crap in this league yet (10 years now right?). Duncan has but as has been already written Hes not a clutch player. Hes a great post player But not a clutch Player like Kobe. Kobe is far and away the best in the league and has been for several years now. The team needs better experienced players surrounding Kobe not rookies. When that happens This team will win.

I thought the trade involving Steven to the knicks for an "idiot" and a secound rounder from their blog was approved!!!

This guy still here?

TRADE STEVEN NOW...we can even throw in Slava for good measure!

Ok, I have to rescind my previous answer - after watching tonight's Cavs/Rockets game, I don't think Kobe for LeBron is a good trade, even with the age difference. I actually haven't seen LeBron play much and was going pretty much off stats and press. Here's the thing I didn't know - Lebron doesn't get double teamed! Do you know what kind of numbers Kobe would put up if he had single coverage all the time? We can look at 62 pts vs. Dallas for that answer. Apparently LeBron's teammates are such threats that they don't just automatically send 2 guys at him on every possesion, that's makes his stats very misleading.

Lebron is a great player. Anyone who puts up his kind of numbers with regularity even with single coverage is a special player, but whether or not he could still do the same thing on a team with no other options is speculation. Averaging 30+ points with 5 & 5 with 2 defenders on you all night every night is a lot different than averaging 30/7/7 with single coverage. He also proved to me that he still has no defense, despite his young quick legs, he was abused by McGrady all night on simple stepbacks and jab steps.

Lebron deal is off. I'll still take KG in an even trade for Kobe, but I think that might be the only straight up that works for me now.

If you had to go on potential and age, any GM would trade Kobe for Lebron. However, I bet you back in the mid to late 80s some Bulls fans were probably screaming for them to trade Jordan for Magic since Jordan was a selfish ballhog who couldn't trust his teammates either (then they hired Phil, surrounded Jordan with complimentary players worth a damn and the rest is history). However, both Magic and Lebron are alike in that they are both played the 1 with the body of a 4 and had the capability to put up 30 points a night if they wanted to, but they are also alike in that they are not even adequate defenders on the ball (can play help-side/team D but can't lock their man down night after night). But Kobe and Jordan have the ability to bring it every night on both ends of the floor. However, Kobe is not Jordan, and Lebron is not Magic.
To me, Wade is a more swole version of Allen Iverson in terms of his toughness and ability to get to the hole. But like AI, those hits and poundings will eventually add up and Wade will slow down as well. But anyone who argues that Wade is better than Kobe is an idiot. PERIOD. The only skill that Wade has on Kobe is kissing up to Shaq. Wade, with all his skill, doesn't draw double teams every night. But you can also argue that Kobe didn't draw doubles either when he had Shaq (which Kobe didn't). Take away Shaq and Zo from Miami and tell me if Wade could handle being the man. The media acts like Wade is better because he has Shaq's stamp of approval, just like Penny and Kobe USED to have.
All in all, if the Lakers' bench and starters had the team defensive level of Detroit and San Antonio, I would take the risk of Lebron.

AK,
No way you trade straight up for KG or TD. Not even a thought. AS good as those two are, they are bigs and REQUIRE talent to get them the ball (moreso TD, but KG to a lesser extent). it's like the difference between terrell owens and tom brady. they are both magnificent talents, but one has the ball in their hands all the time and one requires someone to get them the ball. besides, as presently constituted, neither KG nor TD would make this team markedly better. in fact, since they do not primarily handle the rock, they would actually make this team worse b/c no matter how great KG and TD are, no team routinely doubles them, which means no open shots for any other Lakers (who have trouble knocking them down when open). of course, we can take it to the other extreme...what if they did double KG and TD...are they athletic enough and skilled enough on the dribble to create a shot that doesn't exist between two players?

the LeBron trade is obviously a no-brainer...that's not even a discussion as he is a freak and he's only 21. he IS NOT better than Kobe right now and may never desire to play defense the way Kobe does, but he is serviceable on the defensive end and may get better. the difference between kobe and LeBron to me is that LeBron IS better than (almost) everyone playing bball and Kobe "WANTS" to be better than everyone (and i believe he is). kobe's desire and ambition, his singular focus to be better than you, is the difference between he and everyone else (and what subsequently turns people off, i believe). LeBron is freakishly gifted by the gods, but his desire to be the greatest is not equal to kobe's. he's just better than most because he was born that way. that's why kobe excels on defense the way MJ did...b/c he took it personally when another person scored. that attention to both ends makes Kobe better than LeBron. but of course, LeBron's youth makes it an easy trade to make.

Jermaine O'Neal was arguably the second best player on that team at the start of the year. and again, he's a post. add to that the fact that he is the same age as kobe and bigs wear down before guards and i would NOT make that trade. besides, you can't tell me you would TODAY, straight up take O'Neal and give Kobe to indy. think about that for one second. where the hell does that get the Lakers?

if you traded straight up for D-Howard, you would be betting on the come. he hasn't proved enough yet to give the most talented player in the league away.

Amare is a beast, but he needed Nash to make his numbers matter. he dunks well, does not have a perimeter game and plays lackidasical man-on defense (though he roams and blocks shots). he needs a guard to allow him room to roam...we don't have one.

D-Wade, IMO, is reaching the apex of what he is gonna do. he's great, but i don't see him getting better. whether it is enough to trade #8 straight-up is close to call. the only reason i would is age, but even then, i may not. remember when MJ's skills started to erode a little, he was still smarter than everyone else. that's where i see Kobe going. he's already got that fade away and the defense. i don't see Flash developing a fadeaway.

How quickly they forget the 3 titles. I wouldn't trade Kobe for ANY 2 players in the league.

OK OK !!!!!!!
answer me this,Whose on that list is battle tested?UHMMMMM!!!!!!!!I thought so ,maybe just maybe tim but i watched him last year in the playoffs where they were fouling him on propose,the hack-a-tim because he couldn't make free-bee's.You have to ask yourself game is on the line who do you want with the ball,the 8th wonder that's who,let look back at just this year alone because if we do career it's not fair to anyone on that list,how many game winning are game changing shot's do kobe have compared to anyone to anyone in the league right now.I rest my case the defense stand's

Phil would have traded Kobe . . . .

In Phil's book "The Last Season," he states that he advocated trading Kobe during his first season with the Lakers and that the Suns were willing to trade Shawn Marion and Jason Kidd for Kobe -- a trade that Phil, personally, would have made.

Phil goes on to say in the book that turning down the trade was a huge missed opportunity for the Lakers, that if the Lakers had made the trade they might have won five titles instead of three.

I agree. A huge missed opportunity for the Lakers.

Brokli,

I hear what you're saying about bigs needing someone to give them the ball, and it's a very good point. But keep in mind, I never said, "trade Kobe for TD (or KG), then stand pat." Whether the Lakers had either of the 3, they would still need to add players aroud them (as we all agree the Lakers must do now with Kobe). No matter what the situation is, the (theoretical) front office work isn't done.

But I think, for the most part, it's easier to build around a high caliber big than a high caliber wing. Obviously, both can be done. But in my opinion, building around the big is easier.

Thanks for joining in the fray.

AK

you guys got to be kidding. I would trade odom for them but not kobe.

Hmmm. There was a time when I would have traded (although that seems blasphemous now) Kobe for KG straight up. But that was in the summer of 2003 when the scandal broke out about Kobe's affair with the woman.

Judging on COMPLETE skills though (OFFENSE/DEFENSE), right now Kobe has few equals.

1. A.I.
2. TD
3. Nash

As it stands right now based on YOUTH, LEADERSHIP, SKILLS, DURABILITY POTENTIAL and MARKETABILITY there are only 1 player that could be traded straight up for Kobe IF WE ARE BASING THIS TRADE in projection towards the future. They are as follows:

Kobe for LeBron

Wade is not a CRUNCH TIME player like Kobe. Did you see him hoist all those airballs on Christmas. He can't shoot from outside that good even worse when the game is still undecided in the late minutes.

You could argue that LeBron does not play defense but did Magic? Did Larry Bird? Just surround LeBron with a very good squad and you've got a contender.

Kobe right now suffers because it does not help having such a poor and unreliable squad surrounding him.

He's damned if he does and he's damned if he doesn't.

But surround him with someone like a certain number of solid defenders and reliable/consistent second and third options and you have a contending Laker team.

That's why even if the Lakers were to acquire Artest and kept Odom...that would not be enough. Because Odom is not a consistent scorer.

But plug in a reliable shooter like let's say Peja (in his better days) then we have something special.

As of now LeBron makes the most sense based on the above mentioned.

Any other swap would be crazy for LA (like Wade, Howard) because they have not the accolades of Mr. Bryant but perhaps that will come with time, it's just not enough for me as a fantasy Laker GM.

REMEMBER KOBE'S RESUME: 3 rings, 1 All-Star MVP, 5 time all-defensive first team, and numerous outstanding play-off performances that's stuff of legends.

Sticking w/AK's request for comment, I would not trade Kobe for any player, period. Objective reasons: Let's start with the clutch factor. Game 4 of the 2000 finals in Indiana w/fat butt Shaq on the bench fouled out. Anyone remember that one? Game 3 of the first round playoffs in 2000 against Phoenix, on and on I could go. True, in D Wade and Lebron's case, they haven't been afforded as many opportunities, but that shouldn't work against Kobe. Next, let's try and find a weakness in Kobe's game. On the court, there is none. D Wade can't shoot threes and his D ain't near Kobe's. Lebron can't play much D either. Duncan can't hit free throws and has wilted under playoff pressure like no other 3 time Finals MVP. KG lacks the kiler instinct-- don't mistake intensity and passion for the game for wanting the ball w/the game on the line. Back to Kobe, he can handle the rock, pass it, has unlimited range, a past first team all D and shoots over 80% from the line with ease.

Now the only weakness of Kobe's on court is that he is an egomaniac which affects his ability to get along with his teamates. But think of someone that would have walked in Kobe's shoes (playing in LA, 3 championships, 8 (I think) straight all star starts, all those endorsements) and would not have a serious ego. It's pretty impossible to come up w/someone because that type of success leads to that size of egos. Plus, those old enough understand that as we age, we learn a sense of humility. I think I see it in Kobe, more so in the past 2+ years. True, some may have to do w/his Colorado incident, but more having to do w/maturing. More importantly, players can be taught to become humble-- especially after missing the playoffs for enough years. But players can't taught to be clutch, have a killer instinct or even have that all-around game like Kobe's for that matter.

Bottom line, as a whole, trading Kobe for anyone else would be a downgrade in talent!

Andrew Z,

I disagree with you on your list of "untouchables". I really don't see KG in a Minny uniform next season, if not by the trade deadline. As much mutual love KG and Minny has for each other, I think its agreed that its time for KG to move on.

For me, there are only 2 players that I would trade for: Duncan and LeBron

I don't think I need to explain why Duncan. But LeBron simply because he's so young, so good and STILL improving. He has the potential to be better than Kobe.

Nigel,

I only mentioned KG as untouchable because he is one of the players that if they did trade him it would set their entire franchise back years. I can't really see a small market team like Minnesota giving up KG for anyone...unless they get one of the people we have been mentioning in this blog. Of course, KG could go Shaq on the Wolves and demand a trade, then all bets are off (although he seems to classy to do that).

Here is an interesting article which might shed some light on what NBA GMs think of Kobe and others in the league.

http://whitwatson.sunsportstv.com/2005/10/nba-votes-are-in.html

Why are you people still discussing trading Kobe Bryant

You guys are idiots stop posting stupid comments about trading a player that can go 1v5.

Phil Jackson would never allow letting Bryant leave. The only reason why he came back to the Lakers was because he wanted to reunite with Kobe Bryant. He doesn't want a Lebron James because he finds no interest in Lebron. He compares Lebron to any other common all star. But this Kobe bryant, is a very special superstar.

Who saw the Houston Rockets vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight? Jan. 5th 2006
This game proved my point
Lebron cannot guard anyone in the game
He has no defense.
Tracy MCgrady blew past him over 10 times in the game and Tracy is playing with a bad back injury.
Lebron cannot play defense.
You think Kobe would let McGrady pass by like that?
Kobe Bryant would smother McGrady and not allow him to just drive in and make easy lay-ups.

All this reading is giving me a headache.

I HAD to skip the poem. Ugh.

I'm dizzy.