Truth About Howard Leaving Lakers

[OutlawImmortal]

Chris Paul tweeted "Wow" not "Whew" when the trade got nixed

Yes, the Lakers are only franchise to get penalized by the league for being too successful.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

It's one thing to just make it up as you go Mo, but no player has willingly come and told another player he wanted to play with another player that often. Artest did though - and wanted to come to Los Angeles and he helped Kobe win a championship. Lebron is the only other player I know in recent years besides Howard going to Hardin and grabbing his webos. Your statement is worthless until you have top tier players saying they don't want to play with Kobe. Chris Paul had no problem with it and in fact neither did Howard until he was free agent. Kevin Garnet would have gladly come if Kobe hadn't been asking for a trade.

Mont just know he made a dumb statement and try to flip flop the question to us.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Didn't Kobe somewhat take a backseat last season? His FGAs were down, his APG were up, his usage rate was down. They finish 28-12 with Kobe being more of facilitator role.

Yes, after the all-star break he did at times. I'm sure he heard all about the continuous media "when he takes less than X amount of shots, the teams winning % is better" so he did more of the facilitator role. I'm not saying he needs to do it every game, but needs to do it more often than not. Especially if he has other good talent around him at this stage of his career.

 

[shitsho]

Not sure what you're trying to say with all of this dribble, but everyone knows that Nash has been the best point guard in the NBA since Magic Johnson and the fact is Lebron and Wade played with Kobe in not one, but two International Olympics. You're forgetting that in China both Lebron and Kobe deferred to Kobe going down the stretch in their toughest test.

And you still haven't answered my question - What evidence do you have to prove other top tier players don't want to play with Kobe Bryant?

Proof, Evidence and documentation - I haven't seen shit yet

I dont have to prove anything. Its my opinion based on the facts. How many examples do you guys need? Shaq and Bynum, both alpha-dogs, had problems playing with him. Howard set a new precedence walking away from the situation. Is that not enough? Players talk and observe. I know I wouldn't want to go there and fight with him over the ball. Kobe is a control freak and even took the ball out of the hands of Nash. You will see when Kobe either leaves or its apparent he can no longer be the man.

 

[lakersrule]

Yes, after the all-star break he did at times. I'm sure he heard all about the continuous media "when he takes less than X amount of shots, the teams winning % is better" so he did more of the facilitator role. I'm not saying he needs to do it every game, but needs to do it more often than not. Especially if he has other good talent around him at this stage of his career.

He did do it more often than not the second half of the season. Not sure it had anything to do with the media. More so the hash it out meeting the team had in Memphis.

 

[shitsho]

It's one thing to just make it up as you go Mo, but no player has willingly come and told another player he wanted to play with another player that often. Artest did though - and wanted to come to Los Angeles and he helped Kobe win a championship. Lebron is the only other player I know in recent years besides Howard going to Hardin and grabbing his webos. Your statement is worthless until you have top tier players saying they don't want to play with Kobe. Chris Paul had no problem with it and in fact neither did Howard until he was free agent. Kevin Garnet would have gladly come if Kobe hadn't been asking for a trade.

You dont know what you are talking about TLF. Players do it all the time. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how I know anyway so why ask me to prove it? Just take my opinion as an opinion and time will prove me wrong. Players say a lot of things publicly trying to be PC but there is not a lot of top players jumping at the chance to play under Kobe. CP3 did not want to play with Kobe. Believe that.

 

[lakersrule]

CP3 did not want to play with Kobe. Believe that.

Why not provide your evidence for this statement if you have it?

 

[shitsho]

Why not provide your evidence for this statement if you have it?

Maybe because I lost my recording? Or maybe I lost the notarized document that he signed stating this? Even if I provided these things you guys would say it was fake because you would want to believe its fake. Your belief is not required only suggested. If you choose not to believe me then its not a big deal. i wouldnt believe some stranger on a sports site either so I dont blame you.

 

[Davwy]

That all depends on how he has his affairs set up. He could have all of his contracts under a simple LLC. Taxes only matter if he has no tax shelters which I'm pretty sure he does. You should see some of the stuff you get to write off as a business entity. He left a grip of money on the table taxes or not.

If if the athlete sets up an LLC, which can shelter taxes from the federal government, they still have to pay state taxes. And it doesn't matter if they live in a no tax state. It matters where they actually perform. So, living in Florida or Texas doesn't protect you from California and New York, but they consider you doing business in their states.

When I was working in Manhattan, but still living in Los Angeles, though basically living in New York City (they actually count how many days you are in the city before considering you an actual resident, which I was trying not to be) and making most of my income in New York City, still had to pay taxes in California. (I work in entertainment, and the business set-up and write-offs are pretty similar with athletes and creative talent.)

Getting around the state tax laws is harder for high-profile athletes and entertainers since states like California and New York made many of their laws for those high salary people who live in the state, but travel to other places to do work. They may ignore some of the lower paid individuals, but not high profile individuals.

 

[lakersrule]

Maybe because I lost my recording? Or maybe I lost the notarized document that he signed stating this? Even if I provided these things you guys would say it was fake because you would want to believe its fake. Your belief is not required only suggested. If you choose not to believe me then its not a big deal. i wouldnt believe some stranger on a sports site either so I dont blame you.

I would believe the evidence if you provided it. I chose to live in reality. So CP3 stated to you that he didn't want to play with Kobe?

 

[shitsho]

I would believe the evidence if you provided it. I chose to live in reality. So CP3 stated to you that he didn't want to play with Kobe?

No. My friends cousins ex-wife told me he said that. Actually he told a friend of mind.

 

[Davwy]

If Kobe had truly matured, then I don't think he would have made it clear in an interview (after it was announced Dwight had done a sign and trade) that it was still his team.

I realize he was asked a question but could have beat around the bush a little instead of saying "Oh...it's still my team"

Really? Kobe is asked the question directly and you expect him to be vague? Everyone knew it wasn't Dwight's team. Kobe would have been criticized for pretending the obvious wasn't so. Dwight is not that stupid. Are you staying a no answer would have tricked Dwight into believing it was his team?

 

[shitsho]

Getting around the state tax laws is harder for high-profile athletes and entertainers since states like California and New York made many of their laws for those high salary people who live in the state, but travel to other places to do work. They may ignore some of the lower paid individuals, but not high profile individuals.

Thats good to know. Where is the cutoff when they start looking more closely at you? 500k and up?

 

[Jims_Doors]

Really? Kobe is asked the question directly and you expect him to be vague? Everyone knew it wasn't Dwight's team. Kobe would have been criticized for pretending the obvious wasn't so. Dwight is not that stupid. Are you staying a no answer would have tricked Dwight into believing it was his team?

Not saying it would have tricked him. Just say something like "we're part of a team together blah blah blah" Everyone already knew it was still Kobe's team, but could have made it sound better for Dwight's ears. Cause after all, he was the guy that LA wanted at the time and would probably be still playing there after Kobe's retirement. (sediments at the time of original sign and trade)

It was a stupid question to begin with by he interviewer.

 

[lakersrule]

No. My friends cousins ex-wife told me he said that. Actually he told a friend of mind.

You are so full of it Montsho

 

[shitsho]

You are so full of it Montsho

See I told you that you wouldnt believe me!

 

[Flauge]

You are so full of it Montsho

no he is not... i actually know the guy (CP3). we were bff's in high school. we both have matching necklaces with a broken two heart pendant. when we get together we put the pendants together and it says "best friends."

anyway, i was texting my bff today about this thread.. and he definitely said he told the friend of a cousins ex wife he didnt want to play with kobe. i have the proof.. but it's on my phone.

 

[Flauge]

here's the text:

CP3 (BFF) 424-68X-XXXX:
yea I said that shit my bff. You sure you dont want me to get you a contract to play for the Clippers?

Flauge (me) 904-755-XXXX:
I thought so. Yea I'm sure. My heart wouldnt be in it.

 

[trojanfan12]

How are you calculating that about Dwight? He won't be paying "state" tax for each home game he plays in Houston but still has to pay the "jock tax" in every away game he plays.

Which means his 5th year in LA he would have to pay "state tax and jock tax" throughout the season. How does that calculate into almost 21mil he would have been losing?

I saw it in an article that I'm too lazy to find again, but some "tax guru" (my word) figured out that he really only loses $9.5 million. You have toi remember, in Houston, he's playing 41 home games, so he's not taxed for those. He plays another 4-5 games in San Antonio and Dallas, then at least 2 more in Florida (Miami and Orlando). So, out of an 82 game season, he plays 47-48 games in states with no income tax. With the Lakers he'd playing roughly 7 or 8 games in states with no income tax.

At least that's how the "tax guru" had it figured!!

 

[trojanfan12]

Magic had the ball in his hands so he didnt need to ask Kareem anything and proved himself just doing his job. Shaq was indisputably the man, would have kicked Kobes ass, and had Phil and the org backing him. Howard is coming into a situation where he is told he is the man or soon to be and things are not set up that way in reality. I get what you are saying about proving yourself on the court but you do need to have an environment geared to success.

Phils comments captured everything that influences Kobes decision making to this day. I'd say they still apply. The only people that appear to want to follow Kobe are tier 2 players and lower or Beta dogs.

The evidence is right there if Kobe chooses to pursue the money over a chance at another ring. I will wait to see which way he goes to formulate my final thoughts.

The point was that Magic didn't have to ask because he proved he was the leader of that team. Magic having the ball in his hands had nothing to do with it. The torch began to officially be passed when Kareem was out with the sprained ankle and Magic played all 5 positions to help the Lakers clinch the first championship of the Showtime era!! Magic had the ball in his hands all season, prior to that game, but it didn't start to become "Magic's team" until that game!!

The difference between then and today, was that back then, noone talked about it. Everyone knew that it was Magic's team, yet Magic always gave Kareem his respect and deferred to him off the court. Magic always referred to Kareem as "Cap" or "Big Fella" even though they were both captains on that team!!