The Disgruntling of Employee No. 24
| 5
|
Three years can do a lot to a person, especially in the NBA. What three years has done to Kobe Bryant might be more than just a lot. Three years has turned Black Mamba from hopeful, to cynical. Three years has turned him from optimistic that he could carry one of sports' proudest franchises, to bitter at the demise of L.A.'s pride. Three years has turned him from disenchanted with Shaquille O'Neal and Phil Jackson, to royally pissed with the attributes of Andrew Bynum and Mitch Kupchak. Three years must have seemed like a lifetime to Kobe -- a lifetime that has him ready to pack his bags and head for, hopefully, greener pastures.
But there is a major hang-up with all of his trade demands: no matter where he ends up, the team he lands on won't be able to be any better than the team he's already on. The major problem with trading for the game's best player is that you end up with nothing else on the roster. Since there is no such thing in this universe as "equal value" for Kobe Bryant, a GM who pulls the trigger on a trade for Black Mamba ends up dumping the majority of the talent on his respective roster. Just look at the rumored deal with the Chicago Bulls. As rumor has it, Kobe will end up in the Windy City if, and only if, the Bulls give up Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah. What exactly does that leave Chicago with? Kobe and Ben Wallace? Hardly a dynamic duo. Granted, Kobe won't feel remotely compelled to share shots with Big Ben, but Wallace is hardly help on the offensive end. Kirk Hinrich? This season has barely started, but at this point Hinrich still isn't a top 5 PG in the league. Then what is there? If you're Chicago, you've given up both possible second options that would be legitimate help to Kobe (Gordon and Deng), an athletic swingman that some scouts say could become another Shawn Marion (Thomas), and a young high-energy guy that will do the dirty work and wants nothing more than W's (Noah).
This is the issue that faces any possible Kobe trade (the issue that will ultimately kill the majority of rumored deals). The main difference between this situation and Boston acquiring KG and Ray-Ray was that the Celtics had a roster full of bad contracts, raw talent and a top 5 draft pick in one of the deepest drafts in years. The Lakers aren't dealing with any teams that have these attributes, because Kobe won;t go to a team like this for the same reason he wants out of L.A.
The Lakers' front office is currently residing in between a rock and a hard place. There doesn't seem to be any deals out there that will appease Kobe (team that he could immediately contend for a title), or the Lakers (star-power in return to continue to justify the League's highest ticket prices). About the only option they have is to try to make a deal that would bring another star to Hollywood. For this to happen, two things will have to happen before even considering making this kind of deal...
1.) Quit over-valuing Andrew Bynum's potential. I completely understand that Bynum has a vastly intriguing upside. I realize that men of Bynum's stature remind NBA scouts and fans alike of the man Black Mamba ran out of town (Shaq, of course). Here's the problem -- Bynum is the third of a trio of large centers that reminded NBA scouts of Shaq. The other two were DeSagana Diop and Eddy Curry, neither of which have done anything remotely Shaq-esque. Diop has just recently garnered a starting role, and even then he split a large portion of minutes with Ericka (yes, Ericka) Dampier and only plays crunch-time minutes because of his defense. Curry has had plenty of flashes, especially since joining the Knicks. However, Curry, with a career-best 7 rebounds per game last year, might be the League's worst pound-for-pound rebounder. In both of these player's cases, their best seasons came in their sixth year in the league. Tell me if this sounds like a legitimate argument to give your star player as a GM: "Listen, Kobe. I know you're 29 right now, but this Bynum kid should really break out in five years. Trust me, you'll have a big-time post presence to help you out by the time you turn 34 and you're in the backside of your career." Sound convincing or tempting to you? And even that argument hinges on Bynum turning out more like curry than Diop (which still might not be considered a major upgrade at center).
2.) Realize that Lamar Odom will never live up to the expectations he entered the League with. Odom is a really nice complementary piece. In fact, if the Lakers would have pulled the trigger on the Bynum-for-Jason-Kidd deal that was supposedly on the table in February, Odom could have been a terror. The problem is, the Lakers seem to still think that at almost 28, Odom could still end up being the player he was originally projected to be. By the time you hit 28 in the NBA, rarely (and I do mean rarely) does your game elevate to a premier status. The lone example that comes to mind is Steve Nash, who seemed to be nothing more than a rock-solid point guard that could lead a flashy, explosive offense and be the number 3 or 4 option on a team. He leaves, Dallas, signs with Phoenix and is now one of a handful of players to win consecutive MVPs. Odom has never shown that he could make this kind of transformation. If he's not injured (which is far from a rare occurrence), then he's putting up a triple-double one night and following that up with a 2-14 night with little else on the stat sheet.
If the Lakers could do the two above items, they could probably swing a deal for a number of high-end complementary pieces. With their current roster, Bynum and/or Odom, coupled with some of the interesting pieces on their roster, the Lakers could easily put together a package to sway a GM to swap a star player. At this point, anyone on the roster should be fair game for trade talks, especially in an effort to make salaries work. Like who? How about these three options...
- Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana Pacers. If it weren't for Kobe being so publicly disgruntled with the Lakers, we'd probably hear a lot more about Jermaine's displeasure with Indiana. O'Neal would provide interior scoring and solid rebounding, as well, a perfect fit for a Kobe-led Laker team. There was a rumored deal involving Odom earlier this summer, and if the Lakers could get that deal back on the table, it could be enough to keep Kobe happy for the remainder of the season.
- Rasheed Wallace, Detroit Pistons. This one might sound a bit weird, but if 'Sheed could keep his head on straight he could be a monstrous addition in the West. The window of opportunity for Detroit is closing quickly and teaming up 'Sheed with a bonafide superstar could revitalize his own career. Bynum is an east coast guy and would be the perfect fit for a possible rebuilding process in the Motor City.
- Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets. This option was on the table and Jersey was ready to pull the trigger, but the Lakers were unwilling to part with Andrew Bynum. Kidd has never won a ring and, as most players, would love to win one before retiring. The addition of Kidd's unselfish, make-his-teammates-better skills would even make Odom a serious threat on a nightly basis. At his age, Kidd's days in the League are numbered, especially with the Nets' selection of Marcus Williams in '06. The main hang-up in this deal is that the Nets have improved plenty in the weaker Eastern Conference. With Jamaal Magloire anchoring the middle and the return of a healthy Nenad Kristic, the Nets could easily sneak into the Finals this season.
Any of these circumstances coming through is fairly unlikely. Kobe has made it clear that he wants out and the Lakers have made it clear that they love Bynum and Odom. The drama in L.A. will be plenty this season, especially in the Staples Center. Needless to say, the Lakers have gone from the League's premier franchise to a frightening mess. Three years has seemed like an eternity to more than just Kobe.
