Wrong person to ask. I've always been a glue guy who hates losing more than I like winning. I'd roll with KB24 all day and know my role.

 

100% with you.

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.

 

I don't consider Blake or CP3 on Kobe's level so it wouldn't be a fair comparison.

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 live with this. Poor ownership and management probably play a bigger role. But I do think Kobe factors in some way. How much who knows.

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.

 

Most those guys came when Shaq played in LA and most veterans followed Shaq for a period of time. Shaq was the alpha dog and best player on those early Laker teams.

Most those guys came when Shaq played in LA and most veterans followed Shaq for a period of time. Shaq was the alpha dog and best player on those early Laker teams.

 

 

No argument there but when Shaq demanded a 70 million dollar extension the Lakers chose Kobe and rebuilt the team around Kobe and got 2 championships out of it. Now Kobe is older and not as good as he once was and that likely plays more of a factor in anything concerning the Lakers downfall moreso than Kobe being a jerk. If I was someone like Paul George my reasoning behind not coming to LA would have more to do with where the franchise is now than kobe being a jerk. Had the article gone in that direction I'd be more apt to take some of the points away as truths. This article was a an agenda driven article designed to crap all over Kobe and his legacy.

Dr. Buss' poor health and subsequent death has more to do with the Lakers downfall over the last several years than Kobe.

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

 

So out of all the NBA free agents, all they could get was Nick Young?

 

You mean the Lakers were not better fits for guys lilke Spencer Hawes, Kamen, Ben Gordon, Isiah Thomas, Danny Granger, DJ Augustin, Chandler Parsons.

 

Why would Paul Pierce not some to LA and play the 3? You can't tell me that Lance Stephenson would not have been a fit. Ed Davis was a better fit than Michael Beasley?

 

C'mon, the Lakers had money to target EVERY free agent available. They are terrible, and they are terrible because no worthy veteran had any interest in going to play with Kobe. The proof is in the fact that every single Free Agent could have came, the the BEST was Nick Young, who is more famous because of his girlfriend than his Basketball.

Dr. Buss' poor health and subsequent death has more to do with the Lakers downfall over the last several years than Kobe.

 

So major Free Agents didn't jump at the chance to play in LA because Jerry Bus passed away a 1 1/2 years ago?

 

We are talking about LA! We are talking about one of the most glamorous cities in the World, where every professional athlete wants to go. So if there was no Kobe Bryant, does anyone think that Carmello would not have jumped at a chance to move his wife to LA? It was meant to be that Lebron was going to Cleveland, but you don't think LA would have been a consideration? He had zero interest in LA, he even considered Houston before LA! Lowery would not have been more attracted to LA than TORONTO for Gawds sake?????

 

This is not hatred towards Kobe. I honestly don't care about Kobe, but to not see what is blatantly in front of you is pure blindness.

So major Free Agents didn't jump at the chance to play in LA because Jerry Bus passed away a 1 1/2 years ago?

 

We are talking about LA! We are talking about one of the most glamorous cities in the World, where every professional athlete wants to go. So if there was no Kobe Bryant, does anyone think that Carmello would not have jumped at a chance to move his wife to LA? It was meant to be that Lebron was going to Cleveland, but you don't think LA would have been a consideration? He had zero interest in LA, he even considered Houston before LA! Lowery would not have been more attracted to LA than TORONTO for Gawds sake?????

 

This is not hatred towards Kobe. I honestly don't care about Kobe, but to not see what is blatantly in front of you is pure blindness.

To the Bolded why did the Clippers stink FOREVER? It was LA one of the most Glamorous cities in the world...yet they couldn't attack talent for many many years.

 

As for Dr. Buss, he wasn't involved in the day to day operations and decision making for quite a while before his death. Players DID want to play for him and owners like him, his kids pretty much have been making a mess of things for years. So much so that LA is just another franchise to most players these days. When Dr. Buss ran the show players wanted to play for the Lakers because of the way he treated them.

 

While there may be some "Kobe Factor", I look at the top of the organization to find the problem.

So out of all the NBA free agents, all they could get was Nick Young?

 

You mean the Lakers were not better fits for guys lilke Spencer Hawes, Kamen, Ben Gordon, Isiah Thomas, Danny Granger, DJ Augustin, Chandler Parsons.

 

Why would Paul Pierce not some to LA and play the 3? You can't tell me that Lance Stephenson would not have been a fit. Ed Davis was a better fit than Michael Beasley?

 

C'mon, the Lakers had money to target EVERY free agent available. They are terrible, and they are terrible because no worthy veteran had any interest in going to play with Kobe. The proof is in the fact that every single Free Agent could have came, the the BEST was Nick Young, who is more famous because of his girlfriend than his Basketball.

 

Out of all the guys you mentioned the only ones worthy of discussion are Hawes, Thomas and Parsons and I need some kind of proof that they didn't choose LA because the Clippers>Lakers, the Suns overpaid for Thomas and Mavericks>Lakers. It's easy to say they chose those teams because they didn't want to play with Kobe but that's speculation. All three players went to a better situation all together than what the Lakers can offer. That's not Kobe's fault.

 

Paul and Kobe don't like each other and Paul was a Celtic. He wasn't ever coming to LA. I'm glad they didn't overpay for his drama queen self.

 

Nobody in the NBA wanted Mike Beasley. He's now in China with Stephon Marbury so kill that noise.

 

Danny Granger? Really?

 

Ben Gordon? Really?

 

Chris Kaman? He was a Laker last year and couldn't get off the bench on that sorry team. Why would he come back?

 

I'd have loved Lance Stephenson. Can you provide me proof that the Lakers wanted Lance Stephenson? There are a lot of teams that didn't want Lance Stephenson. Hell, the Pacers barely wanted Lance Stephenson. If I was in the Lakers front office we'd have Lance Stephenson.

 

DJ Augustin? He's about as good as Jeremy Lin. No thanks.

 

My point about Nick Young is that he is arguably more selfish than people claim Kobe to be and he is a black hole with the basketball. Why wuld someone like that come back to play with Kobe knowing Kobe is "Nick Young on steroids"?

So major Free Agents didn't jump at the chance to play in LA because Jerry Bus passed away a 1 1/2 years ago?

 

We are talking about LA! We are talking about one of the most glamorous cities in the World, where every professional athlete wants to go. So if there was no Kobe Bryant, does anyone think that Carmello would not have jumped at a chance to move his wife to LA? It was meant to be that Lebron was going to Cleveland, but you don't think LA would have been a consideration? He had zero interest in LA, he even considered Houston before LA! Lowery would not have been more attracted to LA than TORONTO for Gawds sake?????

 

This is not hatred towards Kobe. I honestly don't care about Kobe, but to not see what is blatantly in front of you is pure blindness.

 

 

And for you to discount how NOONE in NBA circles like Jim Buss and how NOONE in NBA circles respects Jim Buss and how his poor decisions are ruining a one storied franchise then you are blind to what is blatantly in front of you.

To the Bolded why did the Clippers stink FOREVER? It was LA one of the most Glamorous cities in the world...yet they couldn't attack talent for many many years.

 

As for Dr. Buss, he wasn't involved in the day to day operations and decision making for quite a while before his death. Players DID want to play for him and owners like him, his kids pretty much have been making a mess of things for years. So much so that LA is just another franchise to most players these days. When Dr. Buss ran the show players wanted to play for the Lakers because of the way he treated them.

 

While there may be some "Kobe Factor", I look at the top of the organization to find the problem.

 

Clipper answer is pretty obvious isn't it?

Out of all the guys you mentioned the only ones worthy of discussion are Hawes, Thomas and Parsons and I need some kind of proof that they didn't choose LA because the Clippers>Lakers, the Suns overpaid for Thomas and Mavericks>Lakers. It's easy to say they chose those teams because they didn't want to play with Kobe but that's speculation. All three players went to a better situation all together than what the Lakers can offer. That's not Kobe's fault.

 

Paul and Kobe don't like each other and Paul was a Celtic. He wasn't ever coming to LA. I'm glad they didn't overpay for his drama queen self.

 

Nobody in the NBA wanted Mike Beasley. He's now in China with Stephon Marbury so kill that noise.

 

Danny Granger? Really?

 

Ben Gordon? Really?

 

Chris Kaman? He was a Laker last year and couldn't get off the bench on that sorry team. Why would he come back?

 

I'd have loved Lance Stephenson. Can you provide me proof that the Lakers wanted Lance Stephenson? There are a lot of teams that didn't want Lance Stephenson. Hell, the Pacers barely wanted Lance Stephenson. If I was in the Lakers front office we'd have Lance Stephenson.

 

DJ Augustin? He's about as good as Jeremy Lin. No thanks.

 

My point about Nick Young is that he is arguably more selfish than people claim Kobe to be and he is a black hole with the basketball. Why wuld someone like that come back to play with Kobe knowing Kobe is "Nick Young on steroids"?

 

How is 27 million over 4 years overpaying for Thomas? Looks even better when the cap goes up like we all know it will. Less than 7 mill a year for 20 point a game scorer is a steal.

And for you to discount how NOONE in NBA circles like Jim Buss and how NOONE in NBA circles respects Jim Buss and how his poor decisions are ruining a one storied franchise then you are blind to what is blatantly in front of you.

 

That's laughable to pin this on Jim Bus. Players want two things, MONEY and the BALL. Jim Bus had all that money, so it was not Jim Bus. I guess it must have been the Ball. Players don't care who the owner is, if that was the case, then Nick Young would not have came!

Out of all the guys you mentioned the only ones worthy of discussion are Hawes, Thomas and Parsons and I need some kind of proof that they didn't choose LA because the Clippers>Lakers, the Suns overpaid for Thomas and Mavericks>Lakers. It's easy to say they chose those teams because they didn't want to play with Kobe but that's speculation. All three players went to a better situation all together than what the Lakers can offer. That's not Kobe's fault.

 

Paul and Kobe don't like each other and Paul was a Celtic. He wasn't ever coming to LA. I'm glad they didn't overpay for his drama queen self.

 

Nobody in the NBA wanted Mike Beasley. He's now in China with Stephon Marbury so kill that noise.

 

Danny Granger? Really?

 

Ben Gordon? Really?

 

Chris Kaman? He was a Laker last year and couldn't get off the bench on that sorry team. Why would he come back?

 

I'd have loved Lance Stephenson. Can you provide me proof that the Lakers wanted Lance Stephenson? There are a lot of teams that didn't want Lance Stephenson. Hell, the Pacers barely wanted Lance Stephenson. If I was in the Lakers front office we'd have Lance Stephenson.

 

DJ Augustin? He's about as good as Jeremy Lin. No thanks.

 

My point about Nick Young is that he is arguably more selfish than people claim Kobe to be and he is a black hole with the basketball. Why wuld someone like that come back to play with Kobe knowing Kobe is "Nick Young on steroids"?

 

Look, you are not about to convince me, and I won't convince you. But the FACT is, LA is the most attractive market in the NBA for a Superstar, Agreed? Yet the Lakers could have afforded at least one Superstar, maybe two - Agreed? Yet no Superstar came - Fact?

 

My list was by no means a list of who the Lakers should have went after, but it would be shocking that LA could not get something better than what they got. They got Nick Young, a guy on his fourth team in three years, yep, that sounds like a steal! No, I take that back, it sounds like desparation!