Will Kobe Be Traded? Western Conference
Preview
October 29, 2007
by Keith Dobkowski
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Entering 2007/08, the big question should be which West team will win the championship? Instead, all eyes
are focused on Los Angeles and whether the best player in the NBA will continue to suit up for the purple
and gold.
Kobe Bryant shared his frustrations with the Lakers over the summer and their inability to land a bona fide
star during the 2007 playoff push. Again the Lakers drew blanks over the summer by not landing Kevin
Garnett or Jermaine O’neal. As the season approached and the talks quieted, team owner Jerry Buss
reignited the fire by suggesting that Bryant could be traded.
Most rumors suggest that Bryant has three preferred destinations in Dallas, Chicago and Phoenix. However
a trade is not as simple as exchanging salaries, but finding an exchange that will allow the Lakers to sell out,
get on national TV and sell jerseys. There are very few players in the league who have that ability.
Furthermore, a Bryant trade would most likely deplete a new team of the surround parts needed for a
championship run.
Here are the top possibilities:
Dallas: The initial rumor of Kobe Bryant to Dallas for Dirk Nowitzki makes no sense on either end as it
would be the pairing of the stars that make the team formidable. However, Dallas offering a mix of Josh
Howard, Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse may be enough to get Bryant. The problem here is that
Stackhouse is a few years removed from selling tickets and jerseys.
Chicago: The current rumor has Noah, Thomas, Gordon and Deng heading to LA for Bryant. Deng may be a
star in the making, and Noah, Thomas and Gordon are all nice roll players, but would their departure be too
much for the Bulls to field a competitive team.
Phoenix: Most rumors have the Lakers wanting Amare Stoudamire for Bryant. This would not make sense
for Phoenix as they already have a small front line and must guard the likes of Tim Duncan, Carlos Boozer,
Elton Brand, Nowitzki and others on a regular basis. A better move may be Shawn Marion and Leandro
Barbosa for Bryant. The sticking point here would be Marion as he has played with two of the best point
guards of all-time (Jason Kidd and Steve Nash) and never had to create his own shot. One can easily see a
dip in his numbers by five or more points on average.
Though these rumors have been substantiated…
Golden State: A package of Harrington, Ellis, O’Bryant, Brandon Wright and cash for Bryant. Lakers would
get three starters and a center, but would be a lottery team in 2008. Bryant would play next to Baron
Davis, creating the best backcourt in the NBA.
Houston: Bryant for Tracy McGrady. This would be a great move for Houston as Bryant is a better
defender and shooter. The Lakers would probably bite as well as McGrady is a star who would keep the
stand full.
New Jersey: Vince Carter for Bryant. Similar to above and Bryant gets to play with Kidd.
Boston: Bryant for Paul Pierce which would make an even more impressive big three.
Best Move…
The Lakers best move is to stand pat and wait for the season to play out.
If Andrew Bynum shows that he was worth holding onto instead of moving for Jason Kidd, the Lakers will
have the third piece of the triangle along with Bryant and Lamar Odem. For those who caught Foxsports
new show, “Sport Science” Jordan Farmar looks like a much improved athlete. With a bit of tutelage from
Derek Fisher, Farmar may be quite a player.
The other possibility lays with blowups on other teams across the NBA. A poor start by Indiana may bring
O’Neal back to the trading block. Gilbert Arenas has announced that he will opt out after this season and
Washington may want to get something instead of losing him altogether.
The Top 8:
1. Phoenix Suns
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. Houston Rockets
5. Denver Nuggets
6. Golden State Warriors
7. Utah Jazz
8. Los Angeles Lakers
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