Kobe: Cleveland making the same mistake the hornets did

[Wamu]

I think Nash is already collecting Social Security.

He's gonna have a hard time running the Lakers fast brake using a walker!

 

[DJ]

I think Nash is already collecting Social Security.

I want that SS check!!!

 

[OutlawImmortal]

If memory serves, Kobe forced the trade by having his agent let other teams know that he wasn't going to sign with them. He had other options, such as playing in Europe (remember, he grew up in Italy).

That may have chased a few teams off of drafting him but it had nothing to do with the reason why the Hornets traded him, which is what is in question here. I doubt an 18 year old Kobe would have sat out of the NBA and their paychecks for a year just to play with the Lakers, but that's just me.

"When you look back at it, when we made that trade, here was a 17-year-old kid who had played in high school," said Bob Bass, the Hornets' executive vice president of basketball operations at the time. "Twelve other teams passed on him. We made a decision to win now and not later. We had Dave Cowens as our first-year coach, and I wanted to give him a chance to win. I knew if we got Divac in here, we'd win. I didn't feel the same about Bryant. Without Divac, I thought we might have won 25 games." - sounds like Wiggins and the Cavs' situation.

No mention of Kobe only wanting to play with the Lakers, just that Charlotte thought they needed a Center more than a guard coming out of high school.

 

[Sportsguy9695]

I think Kobe is just a little jealous here of what James has in Cleveland. he has all the pieces to win it. KObe is no where close to winning another title in LA

 

[hockey878]

Couldn’t Bryant be a Hornet? Could he grow to love Southern sweet tea?

“That is an impossibility,” Bryant’s agent, Arn Tellem, said at the time. “There are no ifs. It would not happen. He is going to be a Laker, and that’s the only team he’s playing for.”

 

[lakersrule]

I think Kobe is actually right this time. The comparison of Love to Divac makes perfect sense. Their #'s are almost the same...

Love: 19.2 ppg & 12.2 rebs / Divac: 11.8 ppg 8.2 rebs.

To be fair, Vlade was one of the better centers in the NBA at the time and Charlotte needed a big man. Charlotte ended up with a proven one with that 13th pick and won 13 more games the following season.

 

[lakersrule]

That was good work by Mr. Clutch. Trading Vlade, as well as Lynch and Peeler, afforded the Lakers the ability to go hard at Shaq. Those Shaq/Kobe years were something else.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Hornets only wanted 2 players in the draft, neither one of them was named Kobe Bryant. This was before kids coming straight out of high school were considered good, no one knew if Kobe was going to be good since he was playing against vastly inferior HS competition.

Via NY Post:

Twice he worked out for Clippers’ GM Elgin Baylor … and coach Bill Fitch. After the second, the two dream weavers invited Bryant to lunch.
“They told me it was the two best workouts they’d ever seen,” he said. “That’s it, I figured, I was going be a Clipper and play in L.A. I was pumped!”
Before Bryant had finished his fantasy, his magic carpet ride crashed. Out of nowhere, Baylor and Fitch flipped the switch.
“Your skill level is off the charts. Your athleticism is exceptional. And your energy and enthusiasm are remarkable,” they gushed. “But we can’t draft you.”
Huh? What! Why not?
“Because people out here won’t think we’re serious if we draft a high school kid at No. 7.”
​

Jerry West was a genius, he took a chance on Bryant while at the same time clearing room to make a run at Shaq. You can't really blame Charlotte's decision at the time though, since they ended up winning a franchise record amount of games the next year with Vlade.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Kobe knows his playing days are about numbered. Just looking for attention.

 

[bksballer89]

typical kobe

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I think the move to Minnesota will benefit Wiggins tremendously. Now instead of the #3 option he becomes #1 (just like Parker in Milwaukee). His stock will rise a lot by scoring 20ppg rather than 10ppg in Cleveland.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

I think Kobe is just a little jealous here of what James has in Cleveland. he has all the pieces to win it. KObe is no where close to winning another title in LA

Rightttttt! Kobe's jealous because he never had the success that Lebron has now.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

Kobe knows his playing days are about numbered. Just looking for attention.

Lol, Kobe needs attention? The guy will have plenty attention, just for comming back this year. The guy is still the most popular player in the world. Attention? Naw bro!

 

[trojanfan12]

He's gonna have a hard time running the Lakers fast brake using a walker!

It's all good. The NBA approved the use of one of these:

 

[Mecca]

Kobe's all butthurt, what a little bitch.

Are you allowed to say this?

I mean, I know you are a Laker fan first, and a Kobe fan by extension.

But, if a non-Laker homer had said this a cyber castration would have been in his immediate future.

 

[DJ]

They have female bathroom attendants in the restrooms here!!!!

We didn't have those at the POS website some of us refugee'd from.

 

[DJ]

Or maybe I was in the wrong restroom?

 

[OutlawImmortal]

I'm just saying guys, technically Kobe didn't force the trade from the Hornets because the Hornets didn't want him anyway. He didn't really have a reason for bringing it up again though.

 

[hockey878]

I'm just saying guys, technically Kobe didn't force the trade from the Hornets because the Hornets didn't want him anyway. He didn't really have a reason for bringing it up again though.

true. he also put the whole NBA on notice that the only team he was interested in playing for was the lakers. so for him to paint a picture of "no one wanted me" is incredibly disingenuous

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

... for him to paint a picture of "no one wanted me" is incredibly disingenuous

He never did that. New Jersey was extremely interested in him till Jerry West talked them out of drafting him. Even Boston made it known to want him.