Kobe Bryant was not even a factor as to why LeBron went back to Cleveland. There is zero reason to believe that.

 

You know this how?

Did you not read the article? They explained that.

 

If Bryant is the cancer that you want to paint him to be, no TV deal would keep the Lakers from getting rid of him. That money would still be lost over time with fewer and fewer people paying to go see games, buying merchandise, etc... If it's THAT bad, get rid of him, pick a new super star, and build a new dynasty. As PP has already mentioned, virtually every team in the NBA wanted LeBron (obviously), one landed him. Who kept him from all the other teams? Same with Melo...

You know this how?

 

The same way you are so certain it did...

After listening to Henry Abbott on Numbers Never Lie with Michael Smith and Jemelle Hill and then again on Max and Marcellous I can't help but think this is one of the biggest hatchett jobs on an athlete of Kobe's caliber that I have ever seen before.

 

1. Kobe came into the league in 1996. What big time free agents other than Shaq came to LA since 1980?

 

2. Lebron joining Miami and Garnett and Ray Allen joining Boston are the first time I remember big time players purposely linking up with one another for the sake of winning a trophy. This is a brand new fad that comes with the AAU mindset of today's athletes. Why is it Kobe's fault for something that is still relatively new to the NBA?

 

3. The Laker Way is normally through trades as they never seem to have draft picks because they trade them away. Now all of a sudden the Laker Way is through big time free agents coming to LA? Since when? Kobe was through the draft, Shaq was a free agent and before Shaq it was Magic Johnson who was drafted by the Lakers joining Kareem who I believe they acquired in a trade. The Lakers traded for Pau to add with Kobe and the won 2 titles and went to the Finals 3 times in a row. The Laker Way, ladies and gentlemen. The Laker Way was in full effect with Chris Paul and David Stern nixed it for his buddy Donald Sterling.

 

4. Speaking of the Clippers, the went after Lebron James. Went so far as to make sure Donald Sterling had no contact with the team so they could entice Lebron to come to the Clippers. How come noone is saying Lebron didn't want to play with CP3 and Blake Griffin?

 

I have more but I have to go do some work. I'll be back though. Believe that.

Well, that's exactly the question - WHO was coming. So, the Lakers have ALL that money and they decided - no, we WONT GO AFTER ANYONE! So, with all that money, you tell me, WHO DID THEY GET???

 

They got NO ONE! And you can't say there were not better free agents out there that was better then what they got. You mean to tell me that guys like Shawn Marion would take less money to go to Cleveland than to go to LA?

 

As Cris Carter would say

 

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Who has a better chance of winning immediately? Cleveland with Lebron, KI and soon to be Kevin Love or Kobe and Jeremy Lin?

 

 

As you just said.....

 

 

 

C'mon Man.........

Nick Young came to the Lakers this year as a free agent. He's a me first player.

Who has a better chance of winning immediately? Cleveland with Lebron, KI and soon to be Kevin Love or Kobe and Jeremy Lin?

 

 

As you just said.....

 

 

 

C'mon Man.........

 

Exactly. :lol2:

Is Kobe a factor in people "choosing" not to come to LA? Could be. Is it the PRIMARY factor like this article states? Hell no.

Is Kobe a factor in people "choosing" not to come to LA? Could be. Is it the PRIMARY factor like this article states? Hell no.

 

I can roll with that.

Again, I ask, what free agent was seriously considering LA?

 

That's my point. Nobody wants to go to LA right now. That was NEVER the case in the past. Kobe is part of the reason IMO. Their front office situation is another.

That's my point. Nobody wants to go to LA right now. That was NEVER the case in the past. Kobe is part of the reason IMO. Their front office situation is another.

 

I'm still waiting for the list of what big time free agents have come to LA other than Shaq since 1980. It's a myth that free agents or soon to be free agents wanted to come to LA and now all of a sudden they don't. Who has wanted to come and decided not to? Why did they make that choice? There are so many more factors involving those decisions other than Kobe. Not to mention, I'm still waiting for that list of folks that came to LA as a free agent other than Shaq?

 

Derrick Fisher came back to LA as a free agent to play with Kobe and won more titles with Kobe. Does he count?

That's my point. Nobody wants to go to LA right now. That was NEVER the case in the past. Kobe is part of the reason IMO. Their front office situation is another.

They aren't good. Didn't seem to be a problem getting those guys when they were a championship caliber team.

Steve Blake, Rick Fox, Brian Shaw, Derek Fisher, Gary Payton, Karl Malone. All came as free agents in a discounted role/price. Didn't seem to be a problem when they were winning championships. Of course they aren't going to get guys like that right now. It's because they aren't good. The entire team needs an overhaul top to bottom.

 

 

I won't even count Ron Artest because he is crazy.

I've disliked Kobe from the beginning. I'm not sure why. I think it's because all my friends were so infatuated with him when he came into the league. Maybe, I don't know.

 

However, I find it hard to believe he is THE issue in LA. Part of the issue, sure. But the #1 reason, not likely, IMO.

Steve Blake, Rick Fox, Brian Shaw, Derek Fisher, Gary Payton, Karl Malone. All came as free agents in a discounted role/price. Didn't seem to be a problem when they were winning championships. Of course they aren't going to get guys like that right now. It's because they aren't good. The entire team needs an overhaul top to bottom.

 

 

I won't even count Ron Artest because he is crazy.

 

Even still, Ron Artest and Matt Barnes both came to play with Kobe the year after getting into spats with him on the court as opponents. That should be noted.