Jun
20
Bryant’s Shortlist Allegedly Includes Chicago, New York and Phoenix
So Kobe Bryant wants out of Los Angeles and has the Bulls on the shortlist of teams that he would accept a trade to. In today’s Chicago Sun-Times, columnist Carol Slezak basically writes that the Bulls should sell the farm to get a player of Bryant’s star status and scoring ability. She proposes a trade of Ben Wallace, Ben Gordon and the number nine pick in next week’s draft for the enigmatic star. Other reports have said that the Lakers would want Luol Deng, Gordon and more for Bryant. Slezak couldn’t be more off base as the selfish Bryant has too much baggage and is not worth depleting Chicago’s impressive young core.
After rebuilding the Bulls in short time after the mess that Jerry Krause created in the post-Jordan era, Chicago Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson has built a young team of collegiate winners who value team ball. Kobe Bryant is the antithesis of being a team player, despite his recent spinning that he will never sacrifice winning (even though Bryant has put winning to the back burner the last two seasons in exchange for flaunting his individual skill and scoring outbursts).
Bryant perfectly encapsulates the image of the modern-day spoiled superstar. In the last couple of weeks, Bryant has made a fool of himself, saying that he wants to be traded one minute, then recanting a couple of hours later and now tying to pressure his way out once again. Kobe Bryant’s fickle mind would be poison for a young Bulls’ team that is not too far away from winning the East without the league’s two-time defending scoring champion.
Bryant has a personality that is a direct contrast to the abrasiveness of Head Coach Scott Skiles, who would lose his head and eventually his job with Kobe’s pouting, fakeness and ability to stab others in the back. While he is the league’s most talented player, Bryant is not worth the hassle. Despite entering his 12th year in the NBA, Bryant is still very immature and not the player who would take the Bulls to the next level.
The Lakers are holding strong, saying that the organization will not trade Bryant, despite a recent report of a video of Kobe ripping Mitch Kupchak and young center Andrew Bynum. The Lakers have invested too much time in bending over for Bryant over the years and what would stop them. They are the perfect franchise for the glitzy Bryant.
Here’s hoping the Lakers stand pat and not move Bryant. While the idea of Bryant coming to the Bulls may seem appealing, Paxson is not dumb and would know deep down that he would be sacrificing a lot – including the very notion of what he has built the Bulls into. Chicago may need a superstar and Bryant is one. With that said, he would be a bad fit.
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Dear Jon, why did you pick Noah. I know you like winners but you won’t win any NBA titles with him on the team unless hes mostly on the bench or you get a LOW POST SCORER. I hope you didn’t catch the Kenny Williams cold because your not improving the bulls. I hope Noah gets some of Als game because he can’t shoot. Whats up with the curry pick. You had Nichols (6′7) you said you wanted size. Bad draft for the bulls. If you dont want to win titles you can call Scottie back and draft me b/c we can do more than Noah.