With most of the free agents announcing their decisions, the Lakers once again strike out on their primary targets. Unless they swing the trade for Boogie, the Lakers will be only slightly better than they were last year (gain Randle from injury and Russell from the draft). Once a destination for free agents, is Kobe killing the Lakers?

Can't wait for @PurplePride92 to tee off on this one.

I haven't followed it super close, but I'd imagine that the higher ups of the Lakers have inflated their heads to much to realize the real game when it comes to luring top free agents to their franchise. Plenty of players have made huge names for themselves in smaller markets and don't need a big city like LA to become a household name.

 

I'd imagine it doesn't have much to do with Kobe at all really.

:deadhorse:

I'd imagine it doesn't have much to do with Kobe at all really.

 

But that doesn't fit the narrative, nor make for good water cooler talk.

Roy Hibbert, Lou Williams, and Brandon Bass. Not anything outstanding, but Williams and Hibbert should make them better. Also have Russell and Randle this season.

If I was in the NBA the cost of living in LA and the taxes in California would be the reason I wouldn't want to go to LA, not Kobe.

 

If the front office made players feel that they were wanted, needed and respected I think they could still get FAs to sign there.

 

As I said in another post, if a player isn't going because of Kobe then the Lakers don't need them anyway. Hardest Boss I ever had was also the first one push me when things got tough...that man taught me what exactly I was capable of, much more than I myself thought. I went for years hearing friends and co-workers turn down or refuse transfers to work with him, because he was too tough they had heard. At one point I think that every Asst Mgr that spent a year+ with him later became a store manager, a near 100% success rate at developing people. I think Kobe is like that, but if players are tough enough to handle what he says and does it will make them better on the back side.

I'm so over this conversation. I'm not sure that I am capable of having it any more. Why Kobe is the scapegoat and not the front office is beyond me.

Matt Barnes: Lakers' front office scaring players away, not Kobe Bryant - NBA - SI.com

With most of the free agents announcing their decisions, the Lakers once again strike out on their primary targets. Unless they swing the trade for Boogie, the Lakers will be only slightly better than they were last year (gain Randle from injury and Russell from the draft). Once a destination for free agents, is Kobe killing the Lakers?

 

They are no longer pursuing Boogie.

 

Adding Boogie makes them somewhere around the 8-10 best team in the West IF Boogie and Kobe stay healthy all season. That's also assuming the Lakers dump Randle, Clarkson and Russell for Boogie since that was the trade conversation.

Nobody is killing the Lakers. They are already DEAD!

Nobody is killing the Lakers. They are already DEAD!

 

Truth. They'll be back though.

Front office/ownership is a mess and is the primary problem. BUT, having an aging/aged superstar way past his prime unwilling to relinquish his role as "the man" and wanting to get paid max money like a young superstar in his 5th year in the league doesn't do anything to help matters either. The whole "problem" pie doesn't rest with Kobe, but he IS a slice of it IMO.

Front office/ownership is a mess and is the primary problem. BUT, having an aging/aged superstar way past his prime unwilling to relinquish his role as "the man" and wanting to get paid max money like a young superstar in his 5th year in the league doesn't do anything to help matters either. The whole "problem" pie doesn't rest with Kobe, but he IS a slice of it IMO.

 

Who is telling him to relinquish his role? When did he say he wanted to get paid max money like a young superstar?

Who is telling him to relinquish his role? When did he say he wanted to get paid max money like a young superstar?

 

Isn't he getting max money this year? Which I think is the last year of his contract? I could be mistaken but I thought that was the case.

 

Time for him to pass the torch, but he isn't willing to do it. And that stubbornness is probably part of what helped make him great, but comes a time you have to put the pride aside and do what's best for others if you want to continue to try and win.

 

With that's said, I'm not saying Kobe is THE problem...but he's mixed in there.