Dirk for Kobe? The world is ending...

[kjbad]

DAL fans are really desperate now...too funny!

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/052907dnspotaylor.2a77db3.html

Dump Dirk? For Kobe, Mavs should

11:31 PM CDT on Monday, May 28, 2007

It doesn't matter whether Mark Cuban or Donnie Nelson makes the phone call, but one of them needs to contact Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak today and find out what it takes to get Kobe Bryant.

If the answer is Dirk Nowitzki, then so be it.

Straight up. No frills. A simple blockbuster.

One first-team All-NBA star in his prime for another.

Bryant has been dropping subtle hints for a week that he wants out of Los Angeles. Superstars have been dealt before.

Wilt Chamberlain was traded. So was Oscar Robertson. And Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Don't forget to add Shaquille O'Neal to the list.

So don't act like it's blasphemous to consider trading Nowitzki, the league's MVP. Or have you forgotten Philadelphia dealt former MVP Allen Iverson this season.

No one said it would be an easy decision. Or a popular decision. Or that Cuban even has the courage to trade his favorite player.

But it must be considered.
Mavericks/NBA

Mavs blog

Taylor: Kobe worth trading Dirk

Tell Us: Move Dirk?

More Mavericks

This is not a knee-jerk reaction to Nowitzki's performance in the Mavericks' shocking first-round playoff loss. This is about positioning the Mavericks to win a championship by acquiring a player who embraces pressure and plays best in big games.

Besides, I've already made the trade on a Web site that analyzes the feasibility of trades to make sure there wasn't any problem with the salaries.

There isn't.

Kobe is scheduled to earn a little more than $17 million this season, while Nowitzki is supposed to get about $15 million. According to this Web site, the deal is fine. Just to make sure, I proposed a deal of DeSagana Diop, Greg Buckner and Jason Terry for Bryant and the computer GM promptly rejected it.

Over the holiday weekend, an ESPN report quoted Bryant as saying he would consider waiving his no-trade clause unless the Lakers re-hired Jerry West and gave him full control of the organization.

As you would expect, he's denying the story.

Too late.

Bryant is mad at the only franchise he's ever played for because they haven't gotten him enough help to make the Lakers a legitimate contender.

And nothing is going to change this off-season because Lamar Odom's shoulder injury means he has little trade value. Neither does Kwame Brown, the only other player on the roster worth more than a Wal-Mart gift card, though his contract expires at the end of next season.

It's Bryant's fault he's in this predicament because he's the one who chased off O'Neal, so he could be the focal point of the team. Now that it's not working out, he wants to wear a new uniform next season if he doesn't get what he wants.

We all know Cuban has a soft spot for Nowitzki because of the 7-footer's work ethic, talent and ability to lead the Mavericks from the abyss of the '90s. Nowitzki is the most decorated player in franchise history, with a low-maintenance personality to match.

Those are just some of the reasons Cuban was so emotional at the news conference to announce that Nowitzki had been named MVP. But he also loves the Mavericks and he'll be doing his club a disservice if he doesn't explore every avenue to make it a better basketball team.

You can't convince me adding Bryant doesn't improve the Mavericks. I'll worry about who's playing power forward later.
If you think it's laughable to move Dirk Nowitzki (foreground) for Kobe Bryant, think again.
VERNON BRYANT / DMN
If you think it's laughable to move Dirk Nowitzki (foreground) for Kobe Bryant, think again.

It's not that Nowitzki isn't a great player. Winning the MVP proves that just in case you weren't impressed that he averaged 24.6 points and 8.9 rebounds for a team that won 67 games.

But we all know he doesn't always embrace the moment and deliver in the Mavericks' most important games. We all know he has a reputation for being soft, perhaps because he didn't learn the game on inner-city black tops, where you call your own fouls, or spend a summer playing at Rucker Park in New York.

He's had huge games in the playoffs before – 37 in Game 7 against San Antonio in 2006 comes to mind as does a 50-point performance against Phoenix – but pro sports is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business.

Miami's Dwyane Wade outplayed him in the final four games of the 2006 NBA Finals as the Heat rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win the championship. And Nowitzki was tentative and ineffective against Golden State as Dallas became the first No.1 seed to lose a best-of-7 series against a No.8 seed.

Bryant has never won an MVP trophy, but he understands how to impose his will on a game. He demands the ball in clutch situations and consistently attacks the bucket.

He is the NBA's best player.

Others like Nowitzki and Wade are part of the discussion, but we all know Bryant is the NBA's most feared player.

He wouldn't go 2-for-13, score eight points and passively hang around the perimeter in the most important game of the season. Bryant's confidence never wanes.

Nowitzki, the best European player ever, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame one day. But he lacks the arrogance to lead the Mavericks to a championship.

Bryant does not.

[Toro]

Remember the Kobe for Shawn Marion rumors a few years ago. I am not a big Kobe fan but I think it would be a great trade for the Suns.

[SO. CAL Heart-Throb]

if da suns got kobe, nba finals would involve phoenix

[Darth Llama]

Kobe for Marion? that's the funniest thing I have heard in a long time. Marion and Amare.. maybe.. but no way that the Lakers would even think about trading Kobe for Marion. They already have Lamar Odom who is, in my opinion, just as good as Marion. The Lakers have 5 Small Forwards, the last thing they need is another one.

On topic though, I don't think the Lakers would take a Kobe for Dirk trade unless Kobe demanded it. I'm not going to argue who's worth more, because I admit I'm biased and will always say Kobe is worth more. I do however follow the Lakers quite closely and I know that they won't trade Kobe 1 for 1 for any player in the NBA. The Laker organization believes firmly that Kobe Bryant is the single best player in the league and no 1 for 1 offer will land Kobe. I would have to think though that if Dallas looked to move Dirk, it probably wouldn't be for another guard, but I might be wrong.

I think the Lakers would only consider trades that involved either Amare or Kevin Garnett. In my opinion, Kobe and Amare are the two best players in the NBA. I see them both as untouchable unless they demand a trade. So far Kobe has not demanded a trade, and probably won't unless the Lakers continue to fail at bringing in anyone to help him.

For the record though.. adding Kobe to the Phoenix Suns would indeed gurantee at least 3 NBA titles. The thought of Kobe and Steve Nash in the same Back Court is enough to make them cancel the whole season and hand the Suns the title on the spot. :biggrin:

[ARZCardinals]

Kobe for Marion? that's the funniest thing I have heard in a long time. Marion and Amare.. maybe.. but no way that the Lakers would even think about trading Kobe for Marion. They already have Lamar Odom who is, in my opinion, just as good as Marion. The Lakers have 5 Small Forwards, the last thing they need is another one.

On topic though, I don't think the Lakers would take a Kobe for Dirk trade unless Kobe demanded it. I'm not going to argue who's worth more, because I admit I'm biased and will always say Kobe is worth more. I do however follow the Lakers quite closely and I know that they won't trade Kobe 1 for 1 for any player in the NBA. The Laker organization believes firmly that Kobe Bryant is the single best player in the league and no 1 for 1 offer will land Kobe. I would have to think though that if Dallas looked to move Dirk, it probably wouldn't be for another guard, but I might be wrong.

I think the Lakers would only consider trades that involved either Amare or Kevin Garnett. In my opinion, Kobe and Amare are the two best players in the NBA. I see them both as untouchable unless they demand a trade. So far Kobe has not demanded a trade, and probably won't unless the Lakers continue to fail at bringing in anyone to help him.

For the record though.. adding Kobe to the Phoenix Suns would indeed gurantee at least 3 NBA titles. The thought of Kobe and Steve Nash in the same Back Court is enough to make them cancel the whole season and hand the Suns the title on the spot. :biggrin:

Let me start with

Labron James
Steve Nash (not head to head, but he MAKES his entire team better -thus he has more value)

I'm not an NBA buff, so I'm sure others will add to the list.

[Darth Llama]

Let me start with

Labron James
Steve Nash (not head to head, but he MAKES his entire team better -thus he has more value)

I'm not an NBA buff, so I'm sure others will add to the list.

Of course people will disagree.. that's to be expected.

"Best player in the NBA" is a personal opinion. Arguments could be made for Kobe, Steve Nash, Amare, Tim Duncan, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, I could go on and on. I'm sure if you ask a Spurs fan who's the best, they will say Tim Duncan, and that's fine.

I feel that way cause I'm a Laker Fan. Be that as it may, I would never deny the talent of amazing players like Steve Nash or Tim Duncan. There are valid arguments for about 10 different guys. To the Lakers though, Kobe is the best, they will approach trade prospects with the mindset that they have the single best player in the NBA.

[kjbad]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6864820

Trade me: Kobe tells Lakers he wants out
Posted: 32 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant asked to be traded from the Lakers on Wednesday, a day after calling the team's front office "a mess." He said there was nothing the Lakers could do to change his mind.

"I would like to be traded, yeah," Bryant told ESPN radio. "Tough as it is to come to that conclusion there's no other alternative."

Bryant, who helped the Lakers win three consecutive NBA championships, has four years left on the seven-year, $136.4 million contract he signed July 15, 2004. That was a day after Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat.

Bryant became infuriated Tuesday when a Los Angeles Times columnist quoted what he called a Lakers insider as saying it was Bryant's insistence on getting away from O'Neal that prompted the trade to Miami.

The Lakers did not immediately respond to a message left by The Associated Press.

Bryant, an 11-year veteran who turns 29 in August, urged the team at season's end to do whatever it takes to get back into championship contention. He essentially repeated those comments last weekend in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

On Sunday, he suggested former Lakers general manager Jerry West should return to the team. West left the team in the summer of 2000 and was succeeded by current GM Mitch Kupchak.

West, an employee of the Lakers for some 40 years as a player, coach and executive, is under contract as the Memphis Grizzlies' president until July 1. He turned 69 this week and has remained a close friend of Kupchak's. West said in a statement he has "no plans to seek employment with any other organization."

On Tuesday, Bryant did a series of radio interviews bashing the Lakers. He contended owner Jerry Buss misled him three years ago, saying the team would try immediately to rejoin the NBA's elite.

Bryant earned $17.72 million last season and is owed $88.6 million over the next four years. He can terminate his contract following the 2008-09 season.

He would obviously waive his no-trade clause, but he has a trade clause in his contract that is believed to add about $13 million to his total contract value, a cost to be absorbed by any team that acquires him. The money would be paid like a signing bonus and would not count toward the salary cap. The Lakers had to pay a similar fee to Lamar Odom when they acquired him from Miami three years ago, paying him about $8 million.

With O'Neal and Bryant leading the way, the Lakers won championships from 2000-02 and reached the NBA finals again in 2004, losing to the Detroit Pistons in five games.

The team was broken up at that time, with O'Neal traded, coach Phil Jackson leaving and other stalwarts - Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Derek Fisher, Robert Horry and Rick Fox - going elsewhere or retiring.

The Lakers failed to make the playoffs the following season. With Jackson returning, they finished seventh in the Western Conference in each of the past two years but were eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs.

[SO. CAL Heart-Throb]

trade kobe to seattle for there 2nd overall pick and rashard lewis, that be sweet for seattle

[kjbad]

Their 2nd isn't worth $17M a season...but Marion or Nowitzki are. :)

[SO. CAL Heart-Throb]

lakers gettin kevin durant or greg oden is way more valuable then marion are u kidding me??? dirk i can see that but marion? lol lol lol

[kjbad]

lakers gettin kevin durant or greg oden is way more valuable then marion are u kidding me??? dirk i can see that but marion? lol lol lol

I didn't say Marion for Kobe was SMART, just that the salaries are in line. Durant or Oden...I doubt it. The Lakers should trade Kobe to a team outside the Pacific division, maybe even the Western Conference...he would play for CHI, but I doubt they have enough to give for Kobe.

[SO. CAL Heart-Throb]

kobe should go to ny, no bigger stage then MSG... isiah get on the horn

[kjbad]

Kobe's worth more than NY's ENTIRE TEAM... :lollollol:

[SO. CAL Heart-Throb]

thats true...i think thats the best place for kobe to go.. like i said biggest stage of them all.. idk what the knicks would have to offer for kobe, but if kobe got it done in NY, forget about it.. Cement his name atleast behind MJ if not ahead...

[kjbad]

Young: Can Suns get Kobe?

Plenty of obstructions in way of bringing Bryant to the desert

Bob Young
The Arizona Republic
May. 30, 2007 12:00 AM

We figure it's only a matter of time before people start wondering about this -- especially after Kobe Bryant's comments on Wednesday morning asking for a trade -- so we'll just get it out of the way.

Could the Suns make a trade for Kobe Bryant?

Well, sure, they could.




But it's never as simple as that. We can remember when Hakeem Olajuwon was on the market years ago, and people were saying the Suns should just package Negele Knight, Jerrod Mustaf and Cedric Ceballos to go get him.

Oh, sure.

The Rockets must have been sitting by the phone waiting for that offer, huh?

Anyway, it doesn't mean it isn't fun to speculate, especially since there's no playoff run to follow around here anymore.

Kobe in a Suns uniform? There are some big IFs:


• IF the Suns actually want him. Heck, do you want him?

He's got some baggage, what with that episode up in Colorado and the tendency to shoot too much or not at all. And there are a lot of miles on him for a guy who is only 28.


• IF he'd fit in.

That, of course, depends a lot on what the Suns had to give up to get him in the first place. But we have to figure that he'd take a lot of the playmaking pressure off of Steve Nash, who happens to be a terrific spot-up shooter.

So Nash could play off Kobe and Kobe could play off Nash. And we figure Nash would make sure everybody else gets their shots, whoever they might be.


• IF Kobe wanted to play here.

He has a no-trade clause, and according to a report in the New York Post has told the Lakers there is only one NBA team he would agree to be traded to.

OK, so there's no reason to think Phoenix is the only team, but it never hurts to ask.

Now that's he's gone public with his demand, he isn't going to be able to limit the Lakers' options to one team. So. . .we're saying there's a chance!


• IF the Suns have anything the Lakers would want in return.

Oh, you had better believe they'd love to get Amaré Stoudemire to build around.

And for Kobe the Suns might just part with their young superstar. After all, Amaré's comeback from double knee surgery was spectacular and all, but the fact remains - it was double knee surgery, and he's only 24 years old.

There is always the risk that more knee troubles lie ahead.

However, even if the Suns decided it is a deal worth making and the Lakers were willing to listen, Stoudemire is very difficult to include in any transaction because of the contract extension he signed.

The NBA's fun-spoiling collective-bargaining agreement designates him as a "base-year-compensation" player.

Essentially, it means that his salary-cap number is much lower than his salary.

So they can't trade him for his full value without having room beneath the cap to absorb the difference. The Suns are not only over the cap, they're way over it and into luxury-tax country.

Other teams have to be involved. It gets messy. Nobody's happy.

Oh, yeah, and both Stoudemire and Bryant have "trade kickers" which increase their deal if they are traded. On the bright side, there is no "poison pill" involved, whatever that is.


• IF Kobe pressures the Lakers to make a move anyway, and the Suns offer a palatable alternative.

There is one decent package that works - mathematically anyway. First, Kurt Thomas would have to exercise the option in his contract for next year (a no-brainer). Then, he and Shawn Marion could be packaged for Bryant and a throw-in player. Shooting guard Sasha Vujacic works, for instance.

Marion is an All-Star, and Thomas, with an expiring contract after next season, would free up salary-cap room for the Lakers. Cap flexibility is all the rage.

The Suns also have two first-round picks this year and that Atlanta pick next year that could be useful chips.

But just because the numbers work doesn't mean the Lakers would agree to it in a million years.

Nor does it mean that they couldn't get a whole lot more from some other team - even if Bryant is forcing its hand.

Still, it's sort of fun to imagine Nash at the point, Raja Bell at shooting guard, Bryant at small forward and Stoudemire at center or power forward with Leandro Barbosa coming off the bench.

Do you suppose Mike D'Antoni's system could put up some crazy offensive numbers with that group?

Of course, there's that little matter of guarding Tim Duncan.

The Suns could hope to draft a big body or maybe look via free agency to replace Thomas, but those players aren't just lying around for anybody to pluck. OK, Pat Burke is.

Oh, well, we can dream, right?

[kjbad]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/pics/0530kobecov-autosized258.jpg

"Hey Kobe, There's a locker open next to mine..." :)

[SO. CAL Heart-Throb]

kobe goin to phoenix no one would care, as much as i would want him in seattle or utah again, who would care... Kobe has to go to the Big Stage.. Ny or Chicago are the 2 biggest of them all, even Boston would be huge cause of there past history...

[kjbad]

kobe goin to phoenix no one would care, as much as i would want him in seattle or utah again, who would care... Kobe has to go to the Big Stage.. Ny or Chicago are the 2 biggest of them all, even Boston would be huge cause of there past history...

Boston has NOTHING to offer for Kobe...and he won't play there anyway. Chicago I can see, because he would love the challenge of upstaging Jordan in his home city. New York may have the market, but they do not have the players to make a real trade. He could still end up a Clipper, I guess, but they underachieve more than the Lakers do.

[SO. CAL Heart-Throb]

good post kj... kobe has to hit a big market team, cause him winning wit phoenix or utah or seattle if u will is a "so what".. first thing everyone would say is "shaq won wit Miami".. chicago would be huge.. IMO Ny's gotta figure a way to get kobe i think... the nets might work out too, they are movin to brooklyn... thats a possibility, lakers did want jason kid...

[Darth Llama]

As nice of a thought as it is.. Kobe will not be a Sun. Don't get me wrong, I would love it, Kobe is my favorite player and if he came here, I could see him play all the time.. I would LOVE that.. but I just don't see the deal happening.

Kobe's not going to care if the team is a "Major Market" team, Kobe wants to win. Nothing puts you in the spotlight like winning and taking titles. Kobe to Chicago as "The Next Jordan" is an interesting concept if Chicago could swing it. Kobe to the Knicks would be a total disaster, Boston.. well that would be interesting indeed. The problem in boston is they don't really have any real star for Kobe to play with. Pierce would probably be involved in the trade to get Kobe.

I will say, as a Laker Fan of 25 years, it's disgusting to see the way the Lakers are running their once proud franchise into the ground. It's come out now that the Lakers had a chance to get Baron Davis, and he was willing to take less money just to be a Laker, and they simply didn't do it. The Lakers had a good shot at Carlos Boozer.. again.. just did nothing. The Lakers might be content to barely make the playoffs and lose in the 1st round every year, but whats in it for us fans? Why bother?

That being said, I hope Kobe lands someplace where he can get a few more rings before he hangs it up. In my opinion, Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant would be the best back court probably in NBA History.. even if it costs them Amare, if they can do it.. they should. I do find it funny though how after the Colorado thing, everyone was booing Kobe and calling him a "rapist," but now that he might come here everyone loves him.

[kjbad]

Kobe backed off his trade me statement, so I guess he wants to exit the 1st rd of the 2008 playoffs as a Laker too. :)

[Darth Llama]

Kobe backed off his trade me statement, so I guess he wants to exit the 1st rd of the 2008 playoffs as a Laker too. :)

Unless the Lakers make some serious changes, I would expect him to make the demand again. I think Phil just convinced him to give the Lakers a little time.

Make no mistake, if they don't use that time to make some signifigant moves, Kobe will ask for a trade. I would too if I were him. If you're not going to play for a title..there is no point in taking the court.

[kjbad]

Unless the Lakers make some serious changes, I would expect him to make the demand again. I think Phil just convinced him to give the Lakers a little time.

Make no mistake, if they don't use that time to make some signifigant moves, Kobe will ask for a trade. I would too if I were him. If you're not going to play for a title..there is no point in taking the court.

I hear you, but I have to disagree a little bit. There's no Kobe clause that guarantees that he will be on a championship team OR ELSE. He wants them to get more help for him, which I understand, but he gets paid a lot of $$$ and the Lakers haven't bounced any of his checks, last I heard. I like Kobe's fire, but I don't like the "I deserve a championship team or else I walk" mentality.

[JollyRoger]

I'm not sure that's exactly what he's saying. He was upset they didn't trade for Kidd when they had the chance. He wants to see something from the FO. That they are at least trying to get him some talent to be a contender. Not "guarantee that he will be on a championship team OR ELSE." So if the Suns would give up Amare or T-wolves give KG that would be great. :whistle:

[kjbad]

I'm not sure that's exactly what he's saying. He was upset they didn't trade for Kidd when they had the chance. He wants to see something from the FO. That they are at least trying to get him some talent to be a contender. Not "guarantee that he will be on a championship team OR ELSE." So if the Suns would give up Amare or T-wolves give KG that would be great. :whistle:

What makes me upset about the Amare thing is that when he came back and played more games than anyone else in a PHX uni, he was great. Now that the season's over, people are concerned about his knees holding up for the rest of his contract. That's not fair to the guy - all he did was light it up on the court and give PHX some interior offense! If they trade him for that lame reason, it's sad.

As for Kobe, he does not sound like a player that feels like he needs to work to get better. He basically threw the rest of the team under the bus, and there will at least be a few of them that have to play with Kobe next year if he stays in LA. That's really good leadership...:sarcasm:

[JollyRoger]

As a leader, he's(kobe) no Magic Johnson.
That's for sure.
I didn't know about the Amare stuff. I thiought the was great. Any team would love to have that guy.

[captjack]

now that he might come here everyone loves him.

not me.........i could barely deal with nance, green, rambis, penny, and i am sure there are a couple of others, but seeing kobe in a suns uniform would be to much for me to handle. and if we had to give up stat to get him...........NFW.

[Darth Llama]

As for Kobe, he does not sound like a player that feels like he needs to work to get better. He basically threw the rest of the team under the bus, and there will at least be a few of them that have to play with Kobe next year if he stays in LA. That's really good leadership...:sarcasm:

That's a tough judgment though.. because honestly, Kobe doesn't really need to get any better. He is good at pretty much every single facet of the game. The reason he "threw his team under the bus" is because they deserved it.

There have been numberous articles all year about how Kobe was working with the guys, being a leader, trying to teach them and show them how to be better players. They just simply don't have the talent. At this point, honestly, what's Kobe to do? He's on a team with Lamar Odom and a bunch of other people that might or might not show up on any given night, the team has limped into the playoffs 2 years in a row only to lose in the first round. He does the right thing, keeps his mouth shut in the media, says nothing publically after the Lakers lost to the Suns, waits till his interview with the team, then brings his concerns to them like a man. He told them he's here for rings, that's why the Lakers want him to begin with, and the Lakers tell him "Sorry Kobe, we're happy losing." Kobe found out the team passed on Baron Davis and Carlos Boozer in favor of who? Smush Parker and Kwamie Brown? Are you kidding me? These guys are playing like High School players and being protected from being replaced or Traded?

Kobe IS trying to be a leader, but sadly he's being expected to lead the franchise, not just the team on the court. As a Laker fan myself, I find it disgusting that the Lakers aren't taking active and aggressive steps to build around Kobe and I don't blame him for being angry. After the last title in 2002, the Lakers had been in LA for 42 years. They had appeared in the NBA Finals.. 21 times.

Think about that.. The Lakers averaged a trip to the FINALS, every other year. Now all the sudden, with Jerry West gone.. losing is acceptable? I love the Lakers, but I don't blame Kobe one little bit. If the Lakers don't step up, they're going to lose a lot of fans. And they'll deserve it. At the risk of sounding like I'm bashing other cities..which i'm not.. Losing is acceptable in some cities. It's not acceptable in Los Angeles if you're a basketball fan. 2 Years of 1st round Elimination is just unacceptable. Kobe has given them the ultimatum.. Fix it.. or I walk.

I agree with him.

[kjbad]

If that's true, then Kobe should not have recanted his "trade me" speech. He should have stuck to his guns and waited to see who steps up.

It's going to be the year of the disgruntled veteran...seems like every team has a player who sounds like he'll hold out or ask for a trade.

[Darth Llama]

If that's true, then Kobe should not have recanted his "trade me" speech. He should have stuck to his guns and waited to see who steps up.

It's going to be the year of the disgruntled veteran...seems like every team has a player who sounds like he'll hold out or ask for a trade.


My guess.. and this is pure speculation here..

After the Lakers realized Kobe wasn't just going to sit there and take it, they called him into the office and promised to be more aggressive in pursuing some better players. As stated in another post, people pay $2200 for a court side seat at Staples to see one person.. Kobe. They don't pay that much money to watch Kwamie Brown miss a layup and roll his ankle. If they lose Kobe, they have absolutely nothing. Simply put, I think (I hope) the Lakers decided to fold and meet Kobe's demands.