Home Is Where The Hardwood Is...
Seriously, where would Kobe Bryant have had a better chance to win now and in the future? Name a better organization or team. I can’t. Because any org that the Lakers could have traded him to would have had to give up their core strength to get him, effectively putting Kobe right back in the very same situation. If not a worse one. Though we all loved and appreciated Kobe, none of us wanted to see a disgruntled cancer in the locker room. The problem was how to move him intelligently.
In a very strange twist of fate, it was Kobe’s own special deal that may have finally made it impossible to move him. A reality which ultimately made it possible for us to be where we are today.
Kobe forced the Lakers to put a “no trade” provision in his contract. It meant he could not be traded without signing off on it. So, unless the trade was to a team and a market he wanted to play in, he could say “No f’n way!” A star like Kobe is not going to be happy playing in Podunk, and there simply aren’t too many major media market teams out there. Nobody could see him playing in Toronto or Milwaukee or, well, most of the NBA franchises! In effect, the “Kobe clause” not only saved the Lakers, it may well have saved Kobe’s career – whether he realizes it or not.
Perhaps we should sing the praises of Kobe’s agent, Rob Pelinka, too.
Full Circle To La-La Land
During the imbroglio, some believed No. 24 was going to New York. And though he and Stephon Marbury had once speculated about playing together (they’re buds), Starbury had been suspended indefinitely by the now-ousted Isiah Thomas and the entire organization was in freefall. The ridiculous notion of those two players co-existing on the same team aside, there simply wasn’t anybody the Lakers really wanted from the Knicks. After all, in recent years they’d had very ugly experience with overpaid, immature, spoiled man-baby’s and locker room cancers. Why take on more?
Speaking of man-babies and locker room cancers...
Do I have to point out the splendid irony that Kobe has won the MVP during the same year that Shaq and his new team have flamed out? After his recent trade, “the most dominant player of all time” described the Phoenix Suns as being “the best team I’ve ever been on,” or something to that effect. First of all: huh? Second of all: wha happa, Shaq Doody? But I digress...
Fortunately for all concerned, cooler heads prevailed in Laker Land and things began to click. Though he was unhappy, Kobe decided to be a professional again (phew!) and came to camp ready to play. Derek Fisher returned. Bynum showed his off-season labors had born fruit. Lamar was more focused than ever before, despite his many injuries from last year and personal challenges. The “bench mob” began to produce. And then, to top even this, the miracle of miracles occurred. After losing Bynum to a knee injury, the team traded for Pau Gasol and jettisoned the consistently underachieving Kwame Brown!
News To Make You Bynum-d
The great news of Kobe’s MVP comes on the same day as news of a less spectacular nature. The local rag sheet (The L.A. Crimes) is reporting that Andrew Bynum’s knee is not ready for action, and won’t be anytime soon. In effect, he’s not coming back this season, folks. I think it’s safe to say that A) the injury was either worse than anybody realized and/or B) like Trevor Ariza (who re-broke his broken foot while trying to get better), Drew suffered some kind of setback.
It was just a few short weeks ago that Bynum had been preparing to start practicing. He’d been running on the underwater treadmill and saying he expected to graduate to the real thing – and simple drills – shortly. In the meantime, something bad must have transpired. The net effect is that we won’t see him back on the court until next year.
Basketball Gods forbid that the injury is career altering! Pray Laker fans. Pray.
The B-Ball Gods are a fickle bunch (as gods are everywhere). They giveth and they taketh away. So, we must bow down to them now and forever for the Pau Gasol trade! Without him, we wouldn’t have a chance to advance to the Western Conference Finals. But we must also beg them to restore Andrew Bynum to complete health...
Without Drew, I’m not sure we have enough D to go all the way. As I’ve said before, Pau is a very good offensive player. At times, he’s even a great offensive player. He’s not terrible on help defense. But I don’t think anybody would accuse him of being a bruiser under the boards, and that’s what you need to win all the marbles.
Without Bynum on the block, the Lakers middle frequently looks like the express lane, and that is what’s got me worried....