The Kobe thread (Formerly Kobe to be traded by Oct 30)

[David]

I've heard that Koby wants to sign with Duke.

 

Who's "Koby"? :wink:

 

I guess he could - he hasn't used up his college eligibility. (double :wink:)

 

Whoops....Koby Bryent?

 

He always wanted to play for Coach K so I thought it would be a perfect place.

 

I think he meant the spelling.

 

Kobe Bryant

[USSoccer]

I think the troubling thing with Paxson is that he's had chances to deal for top tier players, and in all three instances it seems like he hesitates at the "moment of truth", so to speak. It's as if he is apprensive about making a deal and breaking up the core.

 

As others have pointed out, this team is pretty much what they're going to be, unless someone makes a big jump in development, or unless they deal for a difference maker.

[CuseCubFan69]

I've heard that Koby wants to sign with Duke.

 

Who's "Koby"? :wink:

 

I guess he could - he hasn't used up his college eligibility. (double :wink:)

 

Whoops....Koby Bryent?

 

He always wanted to play for Coach K so I thought it would be a perfect place.

 

I think he meant the spelling.

 

Kobe Bryant

 

Thanks dav, I saw that and that's why I spelled the last name wrong too!

[CuseCubFan69]

I think the troubling thing with Paxson is that he's had chances to deal for top tier players, and in all three instances it seems like he hesitates at the "moment of truth", so to speak. It's as if he is apprensive about making a deal and breaking up the core.

 

As others have pointed out, this team is pretty much what they're going to be, unless someone makes a big jump in development, or unless they deal for a difference maker.

 

I think if he is going to do this I'd do it early. It took too long for Melo and AI to get it together and I think it would take some time for the Bulls and Kobe to mesh too.

[David]

I've heard that Koby wants to sign with Duke.

 

Who's "Koby"? :wink:

 

I guess he could - he hasn't used up his college eligibility. (double :wink:)

 

Whoops....Koby Bryent?

 

He always wanted to play for Coach K so I thought it would be a perfect place.

 

I think he meant the spelling.

 

Kobe Bryant

 

Thanks dav, I saw that and that's why I spelled the last name wrong too!

 

I figured. I actually typed in that I thought it was on purpose and was just "bait" but then I thought you thought he was just referring to the fact that you were referring to him by first name only (I think there was a mini-rant on that recently, by Meph, I think) and I deleted it. Meh. :)

[David]

I think the troubling thing with Paxson is that he's had chances to deal for top tier players, and in all three instances it seems like he hesitates at the "moment of truth", so to speak. It's as if he is apprensive about making a deal and breaking up the core.

 

As others have pointed out, this team is pretty much what they're going to be, unless someone makes a big jump in development, or unless they deal for a difference maker.

 

While I do sort of get that impression, I don't think we've reached the moment of truth in Kobe talks yet. This will continue to drag on.

[Soul]

I think the troubling thing with Paxson is that he's had chances to deal for top tier players, and in all three instances it seems like he hesitates at the "moment of truth", so to speak. It's as if he is apprensive about making a deal and breaking up the core.

 

As others have pointed out, this team is pretty much what they're going to be, unless someone makes a big jump in development, or unless they deal for a difference maker.

 

I think if he is going to do this I'd do it early. It took too long for Melo and AI to get it together and I think it would take some time for the Bulls and Kobe to mesh too.

 

Sure, and if we can get Kobe for what the Nuggets gave up for AI, I'd do it too. There's a difference between being "gunshy" and being unwilling to get raped. The Nuggets didn't have to give up their other top player, that was the whole reason that deal even happened.

[CuseCubFan69]

I think the troubling thing with Paxson is that he's had chances to deal for top tier players, and in all three instances it seems like he hesitates at the "moment of truth", so to speak. It's as if he is apprensive about making a deal and breaking up the core.

 

As others have pointed out, this team is pretty much what they're going to be, unless someone makes a big jump in development, or unless they deal for a difference maker.

 

I think if he is going to do this I'd do it early. It took too long for Melo and AI to get it together and I think it would take some time for the Bulls and Kobe to mesh too.

 

Sure, and if we can get Kobe for what the Nuggets gave up for AI, I'd do it too. There's a difference between being "gunshy" and being unwilling to get raped. The Nuggets didn't have to give up their other top player, that was the whole reason that deal even happened.

 

That wasn't my point Soul. I was talking about having the players mesh together, not about how the deal itself is structured.

[Soul]

I think the troubling thing with Paxson is that he's had chances to deal for top tier players, and in all three instances it seems like he hesitates at the "moment of truth", so to speak. It's as if he is apprensive about making a deal and breaking up the core.

 

As others have pointed out, this team is pretty much what they're going to be, unless someone makes a big jump in development, or unless they deal for a difference maker.

 

I think if he is going to do this I'd do it early. It took too long for Melo and AI to get it together and I think it would take some time for the Bulls and Kobe to mesh too.

 

Sure, and if we can get Kobe for what the Nuggets gave up for AI, I'd do it too. There's a difference between being "gunshy" and being unwilling to get raped. The Nuggets didn't have to give up their other top player, that was the whole reason that deal even happened.

 

That wasn't my point Soul. I was talking about having the players mesh together, not about how the deal itself is structured.

 

OK.

 

Well -- if we trade Gordon, Deng, TT, and Hinrich for Kobe, then we can all look forward to Kobe meshing together with the likes of Gray, Sefolosha, and Chris Duhon.

 

Might need quite a bit of time for that chemistry to kick in, LOL.

[CuseCubFan69]

I think the troubling thing with Paxson is that he's had chances to deal for top tier players, and in all three instances it seems like he hesitates at the "moment of truth", so to speak. It's as if he is apprensive about making a deal and breaking up the core.

 

As others have pointed out, this team is pretty much what they're going to be, unless someone makes a big jump in development, or unless they deal for a difference maker.

 

I think if he is going to do this I'd do it early. It took too long for Melo and AI to get it together and I think it would take some time for the Bulls and Kobe to mesh too.

 

Sure, and if we can get Kobe for what the Nuggets gave up for AI, I'd do it too. There's a difference between being "gunshy" and being unwilling to get raped. The Nuggets didn't have to give up their other top player, that was the whole reason that deal even happened.

 

That wasn't my point Soul. I was talking about having the players mesh together, not about how the deal itself is structured.

 

OK.

 

Well -- if we trade Gordon, Deng, TT, and Hinrich for Kobe, then we can all look forward to Kobe meshing together with the likes of Gray, Sefolosha, and Chris Duhon.

 

Might need quite a bit of time for that chemistry to kick in, LOL.

 

BALCO can help you with the chemistry part. Just call 1-800-BARROID.

[Soul]

I think the troubling thing with Paxson is that he's had chances to deal for top tier players, and in all three instances it seems like he hesitates at the "moment of truth", so to speak. It's as if he is apprensive about making a deal and breaking up the core.

 

As others have pointed out, this team is pretty much what they're going to be, unless someone makes a big jump in development, or unless they deal for a difference maker.

 

I think if he is going to do this I'd do it early. It took too long for Melo and AI to get it together and I think it would take some time for the Bulls and Kobe to mesh too.

 

Sure, and if we can get Kobe for what the Nuggets gave up for AI, I'd do it too. There's a difference between being "gunshy" and being unwilling to get raped. The Nuggets didn't have to give up their other top player, that was the whole reason that deal even happened.

 

That wasn't my point Soul. I was talking about having the players mesh together, not about how the deal itself is structured.

 

OK.

 

Well -- if we trade Gordon, Deng, TT, and Hinrich for Kobe, then we can all look forward to Kobe meshing together with the likes of Gray, Sefolosha, and Chris Duhon.

 

Might need quite a bit of time for that chemistry to kick in, LOL.

 

BALCO can help you with the chemistry part. Just call 1-800-BARROID.

 

I think after this week of swirling trade rumors, I'm going to call J.D. instead 8-)

[RynoRules]

Other than that, nothing has changed from 24 or 48 hours ago, and don't believe for a second that this deal is dead.

 

The Bulls still want Kobe Bryant and he still wants them, but John Paxson has made it clear that he will let this deal die a slow and painful death if reason isn't brought to the table.

 

The next move is theirs

 

I bet this is dead-on.

[David]

One of the few (but not insanely rare) times I agree with a Mariotti column.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mariotti/632176,mariotti110207.article

Over? Actually, the Kobe Stakes only are beginning, despite John Paxson's clumsy attempts Thursday to shut it all down and protect his weary players from -- cue the dark, sinister music -- the evil media.

 

Once he ventured onto Kobe Bryant Highway, Paxson should have known he was entering the long-term trade fray and that he'd run the risk of scarring egos, raising insecurities and creating distractions.

 

With Paxson and Jerry Reinsdorf intrigued enough by Bryant to plunge into trade discussions for a week, why would they suddenly stop now? What happened Thursday at the Berto Center was a frantic exercise in spin control and tourniquet application, a coating of salve for a team that was shaken by the national frenzy of the Bryant buzz and played like it in the first half at New Jersey. Using a well-known and laughably Reinsdorfian strategy, Paxson ripped reporters for spreading "misinformation'' when, in fact, much of the reporting was accurate and coming from leaks in the Bryant and Lakers camps. He had to do something to ease locker-room anxiety, because as long as Bryant is in a Lakers uniform, the Bulls must try and win an Eastern Conference title with their current roster. That could be a difficult chore under the perpetual Kobe cloud, which continues to hang after Paxson refused to definitively pop it.

 

The delay smacks of art-of-the-deal poker playing, which is wise on Paxson's part. After all, the longer Bryant stays with the Lakers, the more games he loses. And the more he loses, the more trouble he causes and more boos he hears. And the more boos he hears, the more it will entice all those crazy Busses to ship him away even if they don't receive all the players they want. Right now, to use Paxson's phrase, the Lakers have to sell this deal to their angry fans, not wanting to trade Bryant for a mediocre package three years after trading Shaquille O'Neal for modest returns. As it is, Jerry Buss looks like an all-time moron for not accommodating two of the game's greatest players ever and exposing both to trades. If Bryant's moping is unstoppable, Buss will have no choice but to take the public-relations hit and accept whatever deal is out there. That way, Bryant would win his power play, craft the trade he wants -- that's why they negotiate no-trade clauses -- and guarantee a competitive team in his next city. Paxson is waiting out the mess, hoping for a Richter-scale fissure, knowing the Lakers and Bryant want very much for him to be in the East.

 

We all can agree the Kobe Watch is riveting theater. We've simply arrived at intermission, right now.

 

 

I think he's spot on.

[RynoRules]

I love what Pax has done with this team over the last several years, but he needs to strike this deal or this team will never make it out of the East. They have almost no one who can consistently get his own shot (except for Deng, who is developing that ability but is not a go-to-guy yet). Even Gordon needs to be set-up. Kobe is perfect for this team on so many levels.

[David]

Schuster will be on WSCR with a Kobe update at 2

[USSoccer]

Schuster will be on WSCR with a Kobe update at 2

 

I hope it's something like "Wallace, Gordon, Noah and assorted crap for Kobe"

 

Although if something were close to imminent, it would have broken elsewhere.

[wolf stansson]

Schuster will be on WSCR with a Kobe update at 2

 

I hope it's something like "Wallace, Gordon, Noah and assorted crap for Kobe"

 

Although if something were close to imminent, it would have broken elsewhere.

Yeah, I don't think Schuster is going to scoop anyone.

 

It'll be something along the lines of "Paxson said it's dead now, but that doesn't necessarily mean it is not going to happen..." or some other crap that we already know.

[GoCubsGo1679625768]

Schuster will be on WSCR with a Kobe update at 2

 

I hope it's something like "Wallace, Gordon, Noah and assorted crap for Kobe"

 

Although if something were close to imminent, it would have broken elsewhere.

 

It was just on..yeah, much ado about nothing.

[UMFan83]

Schuster will be on WSCR with a Kobe update at 2

 

I hope it's something like "Wallace, Gordon, Noah and assorted crap for Kobe"

 

Although if something were close to imminent, it would have broken elsewhere.

 

It was just on..yeah, much ado about nothing.

 

What did he say

[GoCubsGo1679625768]

Schuster will be on WSCR with a Kobe update at 2

 

I hope it's something like "Wallace, Gordon, Noah and assorted crap for Kobe"

 

Although if something were close to imminent, it would have broken elsewhere.

 

It was just on..yeah, much ado about nothing.

 

What did he say

 

I forgot.."nothing new on the Kobe front" I think?

[David]

They're talking about it right now.

[UMFan83]

They're talking about it right now.

 

Tell me if anything of substance is said please

[David]

They're talking about it right now.

 

Tell me if anything of substance is said please

 

Deal is not dead.

 

Yesterday was a smokescreen to quell the rumors. Pax obviously does not like that so much of this is so public.

 

In the last 20 hours, lots of agents have been calling the Berto to get in touch with Pax, I think to try to work their players into potential 3 way stuff (I'm not positive on this part, I didn't hear a second of it).

 

 

It's still people higher than John Paxson that want Kobe here. Yesterday = GM-speak.

 

 

There's a belief that there is a deal on the table and we're waiting on Kobe's approval and that hold up is what Paxson is really referring to when he's saying that the situation is unfair to our players.

[David]

They made the point that, obviously, if the Bulls were as committed to Luol and Ben as Pax tried to make it seem yesterday, they would've made them better offers than the take it or leave it deals they did.

[YearofDaCubs]

I don't think we get Kobe. The Bulls have no problems getting rid of Gordon but they won't get rid of Luol and that's what most people want. If us fans can see Gordon's deficiencies I'm sure NBA GM's can to. I just think it will be hard to come up with a deal to satisfy both parties.