From Kobe himself live on ESPN radio.
“I want them to do the right thing, they know what they did.”
Kobe revealed that he wants to be traded. He knows the “insider” who basically accused him soley for Shaq being traded. Kobe was frusterated and went on Steven A. Smith’s show and revealed this:
“Yeah I’d like to be traded and as tough as it is to come to that conclusion, there is no other alternative.” Steven A. Smith asked him if there is anything the Lakers could do to prevent you from being traded, Kobe responded with, “NO!”
ESPN has written a news story on this.
It’s crazy to me that a franchise will immediately trade future hall of famers, but play conservative and not bring in any stars, all-stars, or future hall of famers. They tell Kobe they’re building around him, yet putting youth around him & Phil. Quite the paradox.
Stephen A. Smith: Kobe upset at lack of deals & Garnett still not asking out?
Flip, KG to be reunited in ‘09 - KG to be traded to Lakers?
Mark Stein: KG says he wants to be traded to Suns
Kobe glad he wasn’t traded, is ‘happy’ with Lakers
Official Blockbuster - KG “officially” traded
Damn.. Always thought that kobe would be the marquee guy of the Lakers. You know? Like if people would be talking about the Bulls, its like theyre talking about MJ. I just hope that Kobe wont regret his decision and I hope that he gets traded to the east so that he’d avoid LA’s crowd as much as possible. Just wish that LA fans wont forget what Kobe did for their team.
Oh, and the Lakers front office dont have anyone else to blame but themselves. Doing all this ish’ to Kobe? Damn.. they’ll be missing the feeling of having the game’s best player ever.
KOBE TO THE KNICKS!?!? Please, no…
I AM SO MAD RIGHT NOW!!!! THE LAKERS DID NOTHING AT ALL TO ACOMIDATE KOBE. THIS IS ALL JIM BUSS S FOULT AND I AM NO LONGER A LAKER FAN I AM NOW A KOBE FAN AND WILL FOLLOW KOBE WEREVER HE DECIDES TO GO.
What the????…..I don’t believe it!…
How exactly did he say it?? Spell it please!..
It can’t be… after all those words from him that he won’t leave LA…
Is a Joke???
Updated the main page with a few key quotes from Kobe.
This is NOT a joke, turn on ESPN. It will be all over tonight.
Believe it, it’s all very true. He was on the show for about 10 minutes talking about his issues with the Lakers and about how he “bit the bullet” for the Shaq trade and other things the front office was at fault for. He just can’t take the crap anymore and wants out. The Lakers already lost Shaq and some titles from their stupidity, now they are losing the best player on the planet. Good riddance Lakers Franchise.
very typical … do not despair Laker fans… your team will improve next year
This is horrible. How did this once proud organization fall so far? On top of all this, why the hell would any other great player want to come to the Lakers now that it’s painfully obvious that the front office has lost it’s way and is fractured? It looks like it’s time to pack it in guys, we’re not winning anything for perhaps another decade or so.
C’mon we all knew that this day was coming sooner or later…this dude is not a winner, he’s a whiner! First we got rid of Shag! Then Phil! For Kobe? Now he’s leaving…good!
Jerry & Jim better get over to kobe’s house TODAY! & FIX THIS! Hire Jerry West Today, Fire the “Insider”, and consult with Kobe on who they are going to get (i.e. Artest, Jermaine). DO IT NOW!!!
The only way the Lakers improve is to replace the front office. The players don’t trust them, why should we?
WTF?.
Next year we are going to be a lottery team AGAIN.
We lost two superstars in three years, we have the worst office in the world ¬¬
Sell the team Jerry Buss, you’re a moron like your son.
I’ve supported the Lakers all of my life and I’ve never been as close to jump ship as I am now. Take me with you Kobe.
http://store.kb24.com/auction/kobe_stephenasmith.mp3
I’ve been a Laker fan since I could remember and being a Laker fan means that no one comes above the Team, not even Kobe…If Kobe feels as if he could win elsewhere so be it, leave…but the Lakers did everthing that they possibly did to make it the Los Angeles Kobies, but he cant win by himself and he’s too selfish to play with another superstar…(Shaq for example)
Laker Owners told Phil that the team was “Scaling back, and were trying to get under the cap.”
Lakers Owners told Kobe the exact opposite.
This was after the 2004 season.
My respect for the Lakers Organization of winning tradition has just died. To know the facts that the Lakers could have gotten Baron Davis for a bunch of No Body’s, and didn’t. They did not want to pay BD’s salary. They didn’t get Boozer…another huge salary they didn’t want to pay. They didn’t want to give West control or pay him, and all this leads to Kobe telling the truth.
Like many of you, I will follow Kobe now. Lakers organization have lost my trust, and my loyalty. I only said it a few days ago to my bro. that I will be a Lakers fan for life even if they traded Kobe, but after hearing all this B.S. it as all changed. I will be a Kobe fan for Life!
DIS IS SO F***ED UP… WE ALL HAD KOBE’S BACK THROUGH ALL THE THINGS HES BE TROUGH, FROM THE CASE IN COLORADO…TO THE BREAK UP WITH SHAQ, AND NOW THAT THINGS ARE GOING BAD HE DECIDES TO LEAVE US. DOES HE NOT KNOW THAT THE LAKER FANS ARE UPSET TOO, BUT WE AINT GETTIN MILLIONS TO PUT UP WITH IT, WE SPEND OUR HARD EARNED MONEY TO BUY HIS SHOES,JERSEYS, AND TICKETS TO WATCH HIM PLAY…MAN AT TIMES LIKE THIS YOU REALLY WISH KOBE WAS MORE LIKE K.G.
it shouldn’t hurt this much to be a fan.
Maybe it’s some form of a blackmail???….
keepkobe.com?
I LOATHE JIM BUSS AND THE REST OF THE FRONT OFFICE! TELL ME WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU GET RID OF PHIL RESIGN KOBE GET BACK PHIL JUST TO SAY THAT THEY’RE IN A LONG TERM REBUILDING PROCESS?! IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE! KOBE IS THE BEST LAYER ON THE PLANET AND THERE’S NO ONE THE LAKERS CAN BACK WHO CAN EVEN BE IN THE SAME CALIBER AS HIM! WHAT THE HECK HAVE THEY DONE?! THIS IS THE WORST EVER. IF THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO GET UNDER THE SALARY CAP THEN WHY RESIGN KOBE? THEN SIGN PHIL? I HATE THE LAKER ORGANIZATION! I HATE JIM BUSS!
the lakers have handled this whole ordeal horribly!!!
they threw kobe under the bus and let him take the heat
for the whole shaq thing, and he kept quiet until
now. they made their bed now they have to lay in it.
they better do whatever they can to make kobe happy,
because if he leaves he’s taking alot of fans with
him, including me.
Need to start Stay Kobe PLEASE WEB PAGE:)
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2886927
This is the worst day of my life.
Um. He’s not going anywhere. He’s not going to sit out for two years.
Unless every team in the league decides to block any potential trade the Lakers pitch over the summer (and Mitch is going to put Bynum, Odom and anyone else that a team might consider on the trading block) or the Lakers don’t many any moves over the next year and a half, Kobe can’t do anything.
And there are a lot of trades that Mitch and the ownership can figure out…
I have my toothbrush ready ‘cos I’m moving where Kobe is.
Can somebody please get Magic Johnson to keep the peace? Nobody is bigger than the Lakers, including Kobe. If Kobe is that p.o.’d and wants to leave because he got ratted out, then let him leave. But he cannot dis the organization and the town that’s given him so much faith and opportunity in his game (we picked him up when he was a teenager, remember those airballs that ended our playoff seasons in the late 90’s?).
Maybe we can start by trading Kobe for Oden out of Ohio St. and begin building a powerful team once again. The Lakers have always succeeded with a great center in presence, and that has been lacking.
What y’all think? I’m Laker fan 1st, Kobe fan 2nd. And I hate the mess we’re in. When a player says he wants to be traded, they don’t usually take it back
You know what really sucks is that even though Kobe is telling the truth. The Kobe haters out there we still say this is just Kobe being Kobe. That he is only looking out for Kobe. Its so unfair. He is the greatest player to ever play the game. Give him the respect that he deserves. Give the guy some credit. Give the guy what you promised him. I chance to win. A team to win with. Lets start a new web page and call it GETRIDOFMITCH. Thats what needs to happen. This organization needs a new leader, a leader with vision and a leader not afraid to take risk and stand up to the boss “Jerry Buss” when his risky trades are questioned. Mitch is a yes boss, what ever you say boss executive. What we need is someone who will put Buss in his place we it comes to making trades. To stand up and say were making this trade because I have a gut feeling its right. Damit!!!!
GO Lakers
Now Kobe and Shaq are friends. What a {Profanity isn't allowed on theLakersNation.com -- Please go back and edit your comment. Thank you.}ing {Profanity isn't allowed on theLakersNation.com -- Please go back and edit your comment. Thank you.}, TRADE ALL THE TEAM, DIRECTORS AND THE EGO STAR for a club in las vegas!
Guys what if he just wanted to spill the Shaq beans?????
Please let it be so(((
I’m so depressed now… didn’t even see this news coming. I bet it’s the Lakers organisation’s fault. I don’t know where to lean to when kobe leaves. The Lakers or the new team that kobe is going.
this is bad.. my favorite Player is leaving my favorite team.
To give you an idea of how much this hurts, its more painful than the following…
Kobe throwing up 3 airballs in the playoffs against Utah
Magic Johnson Retiring due to HIV
Kobe and Shaq not winning a title under Del Harris
The firing of Phil Jackson
The trade of Shaq
and to top it off…… This hurts more than September 11 2001
Dont blame Mitch Cupcake, Blame Jerry Buss for hiring and not firing such an idiot!!!
I heard courtside seats are now on sale for 25 bucks!!!
The Laker fornt office should be smart now they cannot trade kobe for crazy players they cannot do a trade like what they did with shaq they need to get the best deal. This is what i´m going to say to kobe
KOBE YOUR MY FAVORITE PLAYER IN THE NBA. MY DREAM WAS TO WATCH YOU IN A LAKERS GAME. KOBE WHERE EVER U GO I WOULD STILL SUPPORT U BUT STILL I´M GOING TO STILL BE A LAKER FAN. LOVE U KOBE THANKS FOR EVERYTHING.
Don’t get all excited yet…nothing has been done yet…there still may be a chance for the lakers to pull their heads out of their A - - es!!! GET A BIG NAME LIKE YOU PROMISED AND STOP BEING A TIGHT ASS….WE PAY THE MONEY FOR THE TICKETS…WHAT OTHER REASON IS THERE BESIDES THE KOBE BYRANT SHOW…
I have a solution Jerry Buss need to sell the Lakers organization to someone who really wants to win and isnt counting his pennies everytime a trade possibility comes up. Give the fans what they want a quality team. Well pay to see that. NO KOBE, NO LAKERS. We are in desperate need of a HOLLYWOOD ENDING. Please Jerry Fire Mitch and Hire West and trade for Jermain Oneal. KEEP KOBE.
The Lakers Management sucks, it has been since Jerry West left. Jerry Buss put his son and daughter in charge. his son(JIm Buss) doen’t know anything about Basketball yet he is in charge of basketball decisions. Even if Mitch decides to do something, he can’t do it without JIm giving his approval.
U mean to tell me Baron Davis and Carlos Boozer called Kobe tellin’ him they’d like to join the Lakers, baron davis said he’d take less money and the Lakers Front office still didn’t get him???? Kareem, Magic, James Worthy, Jerry West must be all rolling in their graves right now.(a la charles barkley).
FIRE THE CUPCAKE!!! AND GIVE THE INSIDER TO CHUCK LIDDELL FOR 2 MINUTES!!!
Now we can really get Kevin Garnett. Maybe even Kidd. Shoot, that sounds better than just Kobe. Is Jim Buss out of jail yet? His DUI seems to coincide with the LA Times story. Our team is turning into a primetime soap opera/drama.
I am so upset, and sad at the same time. I agree 100% with what “WATZGOOD” had to say. We all stood by him even while he was accused of rape. I have never seen a team/player being idolized so much since MJ. The Laker nation is so strong that even when Kobe played in NY the Laker fans were screaming “MVP!” I understand that this is a business but there are so many Laker fans that are soooooo hurt right now because of Kobe’s decision. I have even seen people, including myself shed tears right along with the Lakers when they failed to 4-peat. If you truly love the Lakers like you say you do than you would try to make it work with an organization and a city that has treated you like royalty. This is not just Kobe’s fault either so my question to the Laker organization is, what are you going to do Jim and Jerry Buss? I can’t think of another player that will gain so much attention and people are willing to pay such high ticket prices for…not even D-wade, KG or LBJ.
Buss is a drunker {Profanity isn't allowed on theLakersNation.com -- Please go back and edit your comment. Thank you.} {Profanity isn't allowed on theLakersNation.com -- Please go back and edit your comment. Thank you.}er,
Kobe is officially a BULLS! Time to keep track of WGN games!!!
Insider wrote an article about the scenario of trading Kobe Bryant.
Scenario 1 - Chicago Bulls - Lakers get Tyson Chandler or Eddy Curry, Erick Piatkowski, Othella Harrington & Ben Gordon
Scenario 2 - Memphis Grizzlies - Lakers get Stromile Swift, Mike Miller, James Posery, & Earl Watson
Scenario 3 - Seattle Supersonics - Lakers get Ray Allen & Radman
Scenario 4 - Los Angeles Clippers - Lakers get Corey Maggette, Chris Wilcox, & Marko Jaric
———
HAHAHAHAHA. and you guys thought shaq’s trade was bad! this is blasphemy!!!!!!!!!!
i’ll say we all meet Downtown Staples center & demand they fire kupcake & bring the Logo back, he is a Laker for life, Kobe said he wanted to be a Laker for life. hey we live here, this is our team too, our city, we should be heard or they’ll lose the whole fan base..cause im def not buying tickets to go see a bull player in Laker uniform, no {Profanity isn't allowed on theLakersNation.com -- Please go back and edit your comment. Thank you.}ing way !
GERGARNETT Guys…what do u do with this website if lakers trade kobe for garnett…..Do we really want Garnett that bad?!?!?!
Im a if they trade kobe
they wont trade KG for Kobe, they would send him to the east, if they wanted to trade with a west team they would have tried to get KG for Shaq 3 yrs ago ..
im a cry if they trade kobe im a still be a laker fan and a Kobe fan
kobe asked to be traded. have anyone heard any responds from the lakers org? or kupchak?
We need to rally at staples center this Saturday at 12 noon 6-2-07 and demand that Mitch Cupcake be fired!!!!!!! Lets do this!!!!
I can’t believe this. I saw it coming a couple of days ago but its still hard to believe. But I was trying to think of who the lakers could trade Kobe too and I really couldn’t come up with anything. His contract is huge plus he has to be paid when by the team he is traded too. not many teams have the peices or the money to trade to him. Chicago maybe (Luol deng, PJ brown, ben gordan or heinrich)
Denver maybe but they wont trade Carmello and Kobe and AI playing together would be interesing.
The knicks would have to trade the whole team to get kobe.
Arenas for Kobe but neither team gains anhything
Garnett for kobe: again neither team gains anything
Seattle: 1st round pick and ray allen plus filler, but I don’t think their willing to do that.
i dont think any of these trades work and Kobe has the power to veto any trade proposal he doesn’t like by virtue of his no trade clause.
So…. Ultimately I think Kobe stays in LA
Maybe Kobe is doing this to push the front office to make big things happen this off season. If I were working for the Lakers front office and heard of this I would be making calls 24/7 to get a big time player during the offseason. ex. KG or J-kid or somebody.
why would kobe veto when he is asking to be traded
im down Jeff, lets do it, im sure we can make some noise, after all we pay to see their games..
i want to go today, now… but Saturday at noon it is !
Kobe interview at 12:45 on am 570 KLAC. Hes calling the show
[quote comment="795"]im down Jeff, lets do it, im sure we can make some noise, after all we pay to see their games..
i want to go today, now… but Saturday at noon it is ![/quote]
We need to spread the word…. lets do this… I dont want to be the only guy standing on chick hearn way demanding Mitch Cupcakes firing
I think what the best is trade for a future star like Durant because next year L.A will be the WORST team in the west.
Ray Allen, Chandler, ARENT STARS
FACK YOU JIMMY BOY”!
but remember me: they will not trade kobe ;
kobe just said on 570am klac that he doesnt want to leave LA but they have to make a move for a trade not to take place.
I place blame on all parties - first for management for getting Kobe to this point and second on Kobe for making all these things public. The best case scenario is getting Kobe calmed down and get him talent now the worst case scenario is getting rid of Kobe for garbage players. The only silver lining in the worst case scenario is getting rid of all these Kobe fans, only true Laker fans will remain.
“getting rid of Kobe for garbage players.”????????????? We would get alot more than garbage players for Kobe Bryant, and it’s time that we start thinking about it…
Kobe will always be loved even if he’s traded… if he goes to the any other team and steps into the staples centre.. there wills till be cheers… NO BEEF ON KOBE.. BUT BEEF ON JERRY BUSS IN L.A.
Ok, ok, relax, we were not winning with Kobe. There is more to it, he wants out fine. But get the best you can for him. We still have Lamar and Bynum. The future can still be bright with the right trades. Remember the beginning of the season we were winning without Kobe. He is not the messiah, 2nd coming of Jordan. If that were true why did we lose sooo much. LA has enough drama without Kobe. Thanks for the memories goodluck. Now off to a fresh start go LAKERS. And I am a Kobe Fan, but Lakers first. Players come and go, next HOF please step up and put on a Laker jersey.
kobe just wants to go to the bulls because he wants to be like jordan
if he goes i will cry for the rest of my life if he goes ill go with him. i kno he wont go beacuse when he looks back at la and sees what he has brought and done and he looks at the fans eyes and the little kides eyes i kno he will be very sorry he left la
and kobe dont u dare every to get out of la plzz we all love u here
if kobe wants to be traded the teams whole team has to come to la beacuse kobe is better than every1
HE IS THE BEST
MEET U AT STAPLES CENTER 12:00 JEFF
thank you kobe. go to the bulls kill the eastern conference. LOOKS LIKE THIS SITE HAS NO USE.
HHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA, KOBE KOBE KOBE KOBE KOBE KOBE
-YEA IM SO EXCITED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[quote comment="840"]thank you kobe. go to the bulls kill the eastern conference. LOOKS LIKE THIS SITE HAS NO USE.
HHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA, KOBE KOBE KOBE KOBE KOBE KOBE
-YEA IM SO EXCITED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/quote]
Trade Kobe for Gordon/Deng/Thomas/PJ/Duhon? I would not do that. Haha
This site is your #1 source for LAKERS OFF-SEASON NEWS.
Anyone know kobe’s adress? Maybe we should make a parade outside his house.
The fact is that lakers is kobe. If you trade Kobe, as much as I love the lakers, it would be like supporting another team other than LA.
[quote comment="791"]We need to rally at staples center this Saturday at 12 noon 6-2-07 and demand that Mitch Cupcake be fired!!!!!!! Lets do this!!!![/quote]
WE HAVE TO DO THIS. IF KOBE SEES ALL OF US IN FRONT OF STAPLES, HE’LL REALIZE HOW MUCH THE HE MEANS TO THE FANS AND WE HAVE TO PROTEST. EVERYONE GET YOUR MARKERS AND POSTERS CAUSE WE HAVE TO SHOW THEM HOW WE LAKERS FANS WE REALLY ARE!!! HEY LD2K I HOPE YOU READ THIS AND MAYBE YOU CAN PLAN THIS OUT SINCE YOU ARE ONE OF THE MAIN GUYS ON THIS WEBSITE. IF ITS IN FRONT OF THE WEBSITE, PEOPLE WELL ACTUALLY DO THIS!!!! ARE YOU DOWN?
man I messed up on a sentence ahahah how embarrassing -__-
This Kobe hater is a real idiot. he says Kobe is not a winner, well the last time I checked he won 3 titles. He says Kobe is a whiner; oh excuse me I think it was Shaq who always whined about Kobe, even calling him names. This idiot Kobe Hater has forgotten all the things Shaq did to Kobe including thanking all of his teammates except Kobe after they won those titles. This Kobe hater is a real IDIOT.
[quote comment="779"]FIRE THE CUPCAKE!!! AND GIVE THE INSIDER TO CHUCK LIDDELL FOR 2 MINUTES!!![/quote]
And what? He’ll probably knock CHUCK out in less than two minutes just like the 1:53 TKO that Jackson pulled last weekend…
I’m with Kobe on this one. The management needs to take risks and stop counting the pennies. At least with the risk taking, it’ll look like you’re actually trying to manage the team. If anything, the management should at least tell him something like they’re going to acquire Garnett after his contract is up next year.
As for the Shaq/Kobe fiasco, quit repeating the damn rumor that Kobe made him leave, etc… They’ve both agreed that the management was the one who traded Shaq due to his injury risks and getting what’s left of him and his career.
it almost brought tears to my eyes when i heard the news. If the lakers trade kobe it will be like dejavue (shaq trade)