Kobe wants West to return to Lakers with full authority

SpiritualPorn

SpiritualPorn

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Kobe :West return's or TRADE ME

Kobe Bryant isn't happy with the Lakers' direction and wants Jerry West back in Los Angeles to fix things.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2884339
Kobe Bryant
Bryant

Shooting Guard
Los Angeles Lakers

Profile
2007 Season Stats GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
77 31.6 5.7 5.4 .463 .868

Bryant told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that he wants the Lakers to bring West back to the organization and give him full authority. If the Lakers don't want to do that, Bryant said he wants to be traded.

Bryant is frustrated that the team has not made any significant moves since it re-signed him.

"I want to see us get to a contending level," he told The Los Angeles Times. "I want to see us become a championship contender. It's been a frustrating process for me and I'm sure it's been a frustrating process for all Laker fans. I'm just hoping we can get to that level. I'm still frustrated. I'm waiting for them to make some changes."

Mitch Kupchak is the current Lakers general manager.

West, who spent five seasons in Memphis, will leave his post as the Grizzlies' director of basketball operations July 1 at the end of his contract. West helped build the Lakers' dynasty in the '80s and engineered their rebirth in the '90s, overseeing seven NBA championship teams -- including back-to-back champions in 1987-1988 and three consecutive crowns from 2000-2002.

In Memphis, West never had the advantages he enjoyed in the large market of Los Angeles, where he signed Shaquille O'Neal and traded Vlade Divac for Bryant.

Bryant averaged 31.6 points per game in 2007 as the Lakers qualified for the seventh seed in the Western Conference with a 42-40 record. Los Angeles lost in five games to the Suns, however, and the Lakers haven't won a championship since O'Neal was traded to the Heat.
 
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As a Long time Laker fan, even having the previlege of playing briefly in the league in the early 80's with Phoenix(eve them I would have love to have been a Laker)

I am the resident Kobe Hater:

1. Isn't this the samw guy that "Didn't want to be anybodies sidekick!"
2. He may not have ask for Shaq to be trade, but he didn"t do anything to stop it.
3. Ran off every free agent including Karl Malone(remember that he hit on my wife garbage.) . Gary Payton, Robert Horry, Fisher, and every other mid range exeption free agent that would have been available to the Laker.
4. Three years ago, Ray Allen said and I quote, "In two years he will blame everything on the Lakers and demand to be traded, that what kind of selfish guy Kobe is."
5. He got a team where he is the leader, and can shoot the ball as many times as he wants, and that is still not good enough.

6. Thought I can't prove it, I still think he threw game three against Detroit three years ago, when Shaq was killing the Pistons and all of a sudden Kobe thought it was better to shoot contested 30 footers then give the ball to Shaq.

7. Last but not least, is this the best player in the NBA that lead his team from a 3-1 playoff lead with home court advantage, straight to defeat where he shot the ball only 6 times after his team was down by only 10 points in the third quarter. "Gutless quiter if you ask me."

8. Kobe is like a good looking woman with a big ass and big titties, but can't add 2 + 2, and has slept with more men for money then a Hollywood hoe.

But every one thinks she is the shit because of the looks, and can't see all the other short coming.

I wish the Lakers would trade Kobe, so use fans can go back to rooting for championships instead of a players the feel it is more important to score 81 ina meaningless game, then to compete to the end as a team mate and not a back stabber, can't forget the classic, "Shaq does it all the time." comment to the Police.

GO LAKERS
 
Fuck Kobe.. This cat got rid of everyone, Now he want his old championship team back!! And yall say he's better than THIS man!!!
Michael20Jordan20Poster-3.gif

michael_jordan.jpg

All Kobe does is wine. Big fucking baby!! Don't get me started!!
 
You beat me to this story..lol

I'm assuming he thinks that West can somehow manage to get around the contract issues the Lakers have with Kobe dominating the majority of the Lakers salary cap..
 
notcold said:
As a Long time Laker fan, even having the previlege of playing briefly in the league in the early 80's with Phoenix(eve them I would have love to have been a Laker)

I am the resident Kobe Hater:

1. Isn't this the samw guy that "Didn't want to be anybodies sidekick!"
2. He may not have ask for Shaq to be trade, but he didn"t do anything to stop it.
3. Ran off every free agent including Karl Malone(remember that he hit on my wife garbage.) . Gary Payton, Robert Horry, Fisher, and every other mid range exeption free agent that would have been available to the Laker.
4. Three years ago, Ray Allen said and I quote, "In two years he will blame everything on the Lakers and demand to be traded, that what kind of selfish guy Kobe is."
5. He got a team where he is the leader, and can shoot the ball as many times as he wants, and that is still not good enough.

6. Thought I can't prove it, I still think he threw game three against Detroit three years ago, when Shaq was killing the Pistons and all of a sudden Kobe thought it was better to shoot contested 30 footers then give the ball to Shaq.

7. Last but not least, is this the best player in the NBA that lead his team from a 3-1 playoff lead with home court advantage, straight to defeat where he shot the ball only 6 times after his team was down by only 10 points in the third quarter. "Gutless quiter if you ask me."

8. Kobe is like a good looking woman with a big ass and big titties, but can't add 2 + 2, and has slept with more men for money then a Hollywood hoe.

But every one thinks she is the shit because of the looks, and can't see all the other short coming.

I wish the Lakers would trade Kobe, so use fans can go back to rooting for championships instead of a players the feel it is more important to score 81 ina meaningless game, then to compete to the end as a team mate and not a back stabber, can't forget the classic, "Shaq does it all the time." comment to the Police.

GO LAKERS
Click to expand...

Cogisn and number 6 is the truth. I am a Pistons fan and even it pissed me off to see a player fuck his team over like that..
 
Me and my boy at work was talking about the K.G rumor (We live in Minnesota so it'll hurt, But my heart is still in N.Y) Anyway he said that'll suck if K. G leaves. Me Im like fuck that he will get a ring cause the chemistry will work. K.G will DISH kobe the rock and wont Complain. Kobe will shoot and be the same. But I said If they WIN the division and go to the finals ,they will K.G the MVP. My boy flipping now. WHY. Dude think about it. K.G numbers will go up and Kobe will be Kobe. The press and writers will see this and vote for K.G. Thats real talk. I might SOUND crazy now, BUT if this goes down this thread WILL be resurfaced. Thats how I feel about that. Now back to Kobe... FUCK THAT CRYBABY!!!!
 
Re: Kobe :West return's or TRADE ME

From the Los Angeles Times

T.J. SIMERS

Bryant's whine is more like sour grapes

He's not going anywhere, and Lakers probably won't be doing anything big.
T.J. Simers

May 27, 2007

Boo-hoo, I understand the

Kobester is still upset.

He doesn't like what his bosses are doing, or for that matter, not doing. Well, get in line.

I know a thing or two about leaders who appear clueless.

It's been 3 1/2 weeks since Kobe Bryant told his bosses he was frustrated and they ought to do something to make him happy, and they still haven't done it. Any moment now he's going to start stomping his feet.

So what's he going to do if he doesn't get his way? Start calling Mitch Kupchak names? Been there, done that. Tell us what he really thinks of Jim Buss? Jeanie has already done that. Is he going to stop passing the ball to his teammates?

What's he going to do, ask for a trade? Demand a trade? Sure, the Lakers will do that. How about Atlanta's entire roster for the Kobester, and keep Smush Parker because he's such a fan favorite?

Let's see how big of a Lakers fan Jack Nicholson is then.

How about the Kobester for LeBron James? Oh, that's right, LeBron is still busy. I just hope the Kobester can wait a few days. Vince Carter and Jason Kidd for the Kobester? What is this, a sports talk radio show?

By the way, has Plaschke completely lost it?

Take away the Kobester, and it's a Sparks game with the upper level closed off. The Kobester, happy or unhappy, isn't going anywhere.

This is the entertainment capital, and the guy who owns the Lakers and charges what he does for entertainment in Staples is not going to trade away the most entertaining player in the NBA.

What is this — the day for everyone to go completely crazy?

The Times' website asked the ridiculous, stupid, off-the-target question Saturday, "You are the Lakers' general manager. Do you cut or keep center Andrew Bynum?"

Say what? Then I checked the voting results — surprised, stunned and shocked to see that 25.4% of those voting said Bynum should be cut!

The Lakers have been reluctant to include Bynum in a trade for some of the top players in the game, including Kevin Garnett, and yet the newspaper asks the question as if it's even a possibility, and then one-quarter of those responding say why not cut him.

The only thing that would make this more idiotic would be to learn later that Kupchak was one of those voting to cut Bynum. Right now, of course, it wouldn't be hard to guess how Bryant voted.



THE KOBESTER can wear a sandwich board and walk all around Staples Center protesting his dislike for the current Lakers situation, and it really doesn't matter. He's got his contract, his obligation to perform, and like any other employee will be asked to make the best of it.

One team wins a title every year, and a lot of great players go into the off-season frustrated. Happens every year. A player sounds off about being frustrated, and the fans like it. It's good for someone's image. Sounds like he really cares.

But no matter what the Kobester and Lakers fans might think, the Lakers are not entitled to annual success. Or overnight miracles.

The Kobester wanted his own team. That's what he said when it appeared Shaq might be leaving, and when he got it, he referred to it as "my team" on more than one occasion. So much for "his guys."

He says the time is "now" for the Lakers, as if Kupchak, Buss and Phil Jackson don't know that, or agree with him. The Dodgers say now is the time to win every year. The Angels do the same. The only team around here that doesn't say such a thing every year is the Kings.

Put all the whining in perspective, and it's much ado about nothing. Kobe "still simmering" is just one more employee frustrated by what's going on at work, and feeling helpless that he can't do a thing about it.
 
Re: Kobe :West return's or TRADE ME

please note that tobe is NOT on speaking terms with this writer:

From the Los Angeles Times

BILL PLASCHKE

It's time to trade Bryant

The superstar keeps dropping bombs of disappointment, and it's becoming clear that he won't win another title with these Lakers.
Bill Plaschke

May 27, 2007

Can you hear him?

"I'm still frustrated."

Are you listening?

"I'm waiting for them to make some changes."

Do you understand what Kobe Bryant was saying Saturday in an interview with The Times' Mike Bresnahan?

Bryant is still frustrated even though the Lakers have had nearly a month to calm him.

Bryant is still demanding changes even though he knows surgeries to trade-worthy Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom will prevent them from making changes.

Can you hear him?

Kobe Bryant is asking the Lakers to soothe him beyond their ability and trade beyond their resources.

Could it be that he is asking for something else entirely?

Could Kobe Bryant be asking for a trade without asking for a trade?

Sounds like it.

Sounds exactly like it.

Sounds like Bryant heard the expected bad news about Odom, the surprise bad news about Brown, the stunning lottery news that has Greg Oden and Kevin Durant coming to the Western Conference, and he knows.

He knows his chances of winning another championship here during his prime are now officially nearing zero.

He knows that the Lakers' best trade option this summer is now him.

He knows that if he publicly demands a trade, the Lakers would scold him and fans would skewer him.

So he continues to drop little bombs of dissatisfaction like he drops three-point shots, quick and unexpected and chilling.

Bryant clearly stated Saturday that he had not asked for a trade.

But those little bombs have finally backed the Lakers into a corner out of which the only exit is to trade him.

And you know something? It's time. They should do it. It hurts to even write the words. But they should do it.

Bryant is the most entertaining athlete in American sports, a perfect fit for America's entertainment capital.

But Los Angeles is also about winning. And the smart Lakers fans are about winning. And as constituted, the Lakers cannot get past the first round with Bryant, much less win a championship with him.

His high salary keeps them from getting a second superstar needed to win. Poor trades have left the lineup bereft of the top role players needed to win. And with Bryant on the floor, the Lakers will always be barely too good for a lottery draft pick needed to win.

What many fearfully suspected when Jerry Buss handed Bryant the franchise three years ago has been proven true.

Bryant has given Los Angeles fans wonderful moments but, asked to carry an ordinary team, he cannot give them championship moments.

Given his understandable unhappiness, Bryant's most enduring value is now in the players that can be acquired for him.

Bryant began hinting at his unrest during the embarrassing playoff series against Phoenix, when I asked him about his desire to win another championship before age robs his ability.

"We definitely have to get to that elite level, and get to that elite level, like, now," he said then.

After his postseason meeting with Lakers bosses, he spoke again about wanting to be a champion again.

"I don't want to wait any more than I already have," he said.

He drove home from the facility and waited around for good news and what happened? Nothing but bad.

Lamar Odom's shoulder injury was as awful as expected, ending his chances of being an attractive trade commodity this summer.

Kwame Brown's ankle injury is feared to be worse than expected, also probably ending his chances of being traded.

Portland won the draft lottery and franchise center Oden, meaning it could be a playoff team next season.

Seattle won the second choice in the lottery, which it will certainly use on franchise scorer Durant, also changing its fortunes.

Bryant saw all this, knew that the Lakers' immediate future has become even more hopeless, and what did he do?

When Bresnahan contacted him Saturday during a usually calm time in the NBA cycle, Bryant continued to cite his frustration, and continued to ask for change.

Bryant didn't ask for a trade because he is savvy enough to know that such a move would make him a villain again.



Instead, he is seemingly trying to persuade the Lakers to do the one thing they would never, ever do on their own.

General Manager Mitch Kupchak has said hundreds of times that he would never trade Bryant. But if Kupchak thinks he doesn't have a choice?

He could make a deal and hint that Bryant was unhappy, thus relieving himself of the blame. Bryant could — and would — nullify his no-trade clause, thus supporting Kupchak's claim.

The Lakers could acquire another superstar and a couple of top draft picks, rebuild the team like it was once rebuilt with Shaquille O'Neal and Bryant, and everyone would be happy.

Kupchak would not talk about such a scenario. In fact, when contacted by Lakers officials on Saturday, the amiable Kupchak politely refused to do any sort of interview on the subject.

He said he had already answered these questions, and he was right.

The problem is, he has no answers.

About Bryant's frustration, Kupchak earlier said, "We feel exactly the same way."

About his off-season plans, Kupchak said, "We're going to be as aggressive as we've always been."

The answer, of course, would be to never trade Shaquille O'Neal, but Kupchak had no choice. If Bryant indeed feels the way he sounds, Kupchak has no choice again.

Critics will wail that it's all so unfair and unseemly. Critics will say that once again, the Lakers are bowing to the mantra that what Kobe wants, Kobe gets.

Only this time, Kobe is right.
 
Kobe might get at least a part-time West return

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

Updated: May 28, 2007

Kobe Bryant can count on getting some of what he's demanding from the Lakers.

That's the feeling I'm getting from Lakerland in the wake of the blast reported Sunday by our own Ric Bucher: Kobe wants Jerry West to return as the organization's lead decision-maker if the Lakers expect Kobe to stay with them.

The most likely scenario as of Sunday night, according to team sources, is that West will indeed rejoin the Lakers as a consultant this summer after becoming a front-office free agent on July 1. This has been circulating as a possibility since the Lakers' first-round series with Phoenix. Only now, with a public plea from one of his favorite all-time players virtually upstaging the playoffs, it'll be even tougher for West to resist a homecoming.

However . . .

Club insiders stress that West is unlikely to come back to the job full-time. Very unlikely.

For a couple reasons.

For starters, West turns 69 on Monday. He has a house waiting in L.A. when his Grizzlies contract expires at the end of June, but he also has a house waiting in his native West Virginia, where son Jonnie will be playing for the Mountaineers next season. So West, at best, would consent to split time between the two homes if he can be convinced to put off retirement and rejoin his old team.

As you've undoubtedly read and heard often, West is also fiercely loyal. The thought of bumping off his under-fire protégé, Mitch Kupchak, is sure to turn him off. So even with Kobe imploring him to be the Lakers' savior, it's difficult to see West returning unless it's in a role that helps Kupchak.

As a consultant, West can do just that. It's a reacquisition Kupchak would have to welcome after three rough years since Shaquille O'Neal was traded away, if only because it would deflect some of the serious heat he's getting from all angles these days . . . most notably from Kobe himself. West and Kupchak, furthermore, are so close that West would inevitably have more than enough say in shaping the roster to appease Bryant.

The challenge, then, is getting everyone in the equation comfortable with the idea that West will undoubtedly be perceived to be in charge without officially being in charge. Although it might not be the challenge you'd anticipate when you read the last bit of West's statement Sunday night to ESPN's Jim Gray: ". . . I'm a lifelong Laker and we will see what happens."

As for potential protest from Phil Jackson? Not an issue. As discussed here in early May, I'm told that Phil wouldn't oppose the reunion, knowing that the Lakers need as many good personnel ideas as they can muster to improve the roster in a brutal conference that, as you might have heard, just signed up Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.

Which brings us to Bryant's real problem.

The Lakers aren't the New York Yankees. Jerry Buss isn't George Steinbrenner. The NBA doesn't work like the baseball world or the NFL.

Kobe can call for big changes as loudly as he wants, but he can't restructure his contract football-style to give money back because that's not allowed in this league . . . and Buss can't just break out the checkbook to sign the hoops equivalent of Roger Clemens. Bryant has an opt-out clause in his contract in the summer of 2009 -- two seasons from now -- and the Lakers' salary-cap situation is such that they're not going to make a significant improvement in that span without a major trade.

Yet you can see what Kobe's thinking. The likelihood of a blockbuster move can only increase if West is part of the wheeling-and-dealing. Right?

The sort of deal, namely, that the Lakers haven't been able to consummate since Shaq left, missing out on the likes of Baron Davis, Ron Artest and Jason Kidd. The sort of maneuver that, in West's day, always seemed to materialize to rescue the Lakers from their brief down periods.
 
Kobe says he's just suggesting West's return, not demanding it

ESPN.com new services

Updated: May 28, 2007, 2:20 PM ET

Kobe Bryant definitely would like Jerry West back with the Lakers, but the star guard denied an ESPN report that he'd welcome a trade from the team if the Lakers aren't willing to make that happen.

"I'm not demanding anything," Bryant told the Riverside Press-Enterprise on Sunday night. "I'm not making any threats. I didn't say that. Those words didn't come out of my mouth about a trade. I'm just making a suggestion. I think Jerry West is one of the greatest to ever do this thing. It's undeniably so."

Bryant told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher Sunday that he wants the Lakers to bring West back to the organization and give him full authority. If the Lakers don't want to do that, Bryant said he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause and welcome a trade from the only organization he has played for in the NBA.

Bryant also told The Los Angeles Times that he was just making a suggestion and not a demand that West return to the Lakers.

"I would love for him to be a part of this," Bryant told the newspaper. "But it's not something where I demand he comes here. All I can do is offer my thoughts. I love being a Laker. I want to retire a Laker. I want to fix this thing, or at least help any way I can."

Byrant told The Orange County Register that he wan't trying to slam current Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak or vice president Jim Buss, who is the son of owner Jerry Buss, by calling for West's return.

"It shouldn't say anything at all about them. It should speak to Jerry West's brilliance. I'm not trying to throw Mitch under the bus or Jim under the bus," Bryant told the newspaper.

Bryant also told The Register that he doesn't want a trade from Los Angeles.

"My wife is from here, I love it here, and I've been a Laker fan my whole life," Bryant told the newspaper. "My focus is on doing what I can to get this franchise back to where it should be. What I want to do is win with the Los Angeles Lakers and get us back to prominence."

West, who spent five seasons in Memphis, will leave his post as the Grizzlies' director of basketball operations July 1 at the end of his contract. West helped build the Lakers' dynasty in the '80s and engineered their rebirth in the '90s, overseeing seven NBA championship teams -- including back-to-back champions in 1987-1988 and three consecutive crowns from 2000-2002.

"I haven't thought about it at all until Kobe brought it up today. My main priority is to [Grizzlies owner] Mike Heisley and to finish up with the Memphis Grizzlies," West told ESPN's Jim Gray on Sunday night. "I am fiercely loyal to Mike, as I am to Mitch Kupchak. Having said that, I'm a lifelong Laker and we will see what happens."
 
Re: wants West to return to Lakers with full authority

cranrab said:
:confused:

unless jerry west signed on as GM for the fakers, it's another of tobe's failures.
Click to expand...

IS WINNING TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS AND IN POSITION FOR A 3RD IN A ROW FAILING? OR WINNING?:lol:

Where I come from Championships matter.:cool:
 
Re: wants West to return to Lakers with full authority

thalastdynasty said:
IS WINNING TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS AND IN POSITION FOR A 3RD IN A ROW FAILING? OR WINNING?
Click to expand...

riding on better players' coat tails isn't winning in my book.

consistently contributing to team success at a high level would be a nice individual accomplishment to cite.

but since you ALWAYS (and i do mean always) want to change the subject and can NEVER stay on topic, tell me how these childish whining ultimatums (listed below from the OP) are not STARK FAILURES?

SpiritualPorn said:
Bryant told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that he wants the Lakers to bring West back to the organization and give him full authority. If the Lakers don't want to do that, Bryant said he wants to be traded.
Click to expand...

1) jerry west didn't come back with full authority. fail

2) the fakers didn't do that, and tobe didn't get traded. and like a child, later recanted. fail.

don your cape. make it interesting.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong (like I have to ask BGOL to do that :rolleyes: ) but is this the point after Jackson "retired" as LA coach and had not come back as yet??
The point where the Lakers where either: barely making or not making the playoffs??
 
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