Kobe Bryant reitterates Trade Demand

BKPlatinum · 06-19-2007, 12:27 AM

We've seen this script before guys.

Do you think he will be traded before the draft starts? If so, to who? He mentioned only three teams he'd like to go to: Phoenix, Chicago, or New York.

**chiliwilly** · 06-19-2007, 11:46 AM

Strange choice of Phoenix, but the other BIG markets I can easily understand. I think he would put the Bulls over the top.

Raptasguyvc15 · 06-19-2007, 12:23 PM

I look for it to be the bulls, that would be a very dangerous squad, but i read in an article the bulls would have to give up deng and gordon....i think deng is the most promising player on that team.

Raptasguyvc15 · 06-19-2007, 12:30 PM

Here is the article

Quote:

Kobe talk heats up in L.A.-area papers
DEMANDING | Bulls are one of three teams Bryant would accept

June 17, 2007
BY BRIAN HANLEY bhanley@suntimes.com
Lakers star Kobe Bryant is not backing off his trade demand, according to published reports Saturday out of Los Angeles, and the Bulls are one of three teams he reportedly would agree to join.
Bryant met with Lakers owner Jerry Buss on Friday in Barcelona, Spain, where Bryant was vacationing, and reiterated his demand to be traded, according to the Los Angeles Times and the (Riverside) Press-Enterprise.

Sources say the Bulls are monitoring the situation but don't believe the Lakers will trade Bryant, who has four years and $88.6 million left on the seven-year, $136.4 million contract he signed as a free agent in 2004. Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and general manager John Paxson flew to Los Angeles at that time to persuade Bryant to sign with the Bulls. Bryant told them he liked the Bulls and could see himself playing for them.

The Times said Lakers sources ''vehemently insisted'' there were no plans to trade Bryant, a nine-time All-Star. But Bryant again voiced ''concerns about the direction'' of the Lakers and told Buss he still wants out.

The Press-Enterprise reported Bryant is the only NBA player with a no-trade clause and that he had said he would waive that clause for a deal with one of the teams on his three-team wish list, which reportedly includes the Bulls and New York Knicks.

Bryant said last month that he wanted Jerry West to return to the front office and that the Lakers needed to make trades to become title contenders again. Talks with the Indiana Pacers on a deal that would send Jermaine O'Neal to the Lakers have reportedly stalled because of the Pacers' price of Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum.

One report had the Lakers hoping to acquire Ben Wallace, Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and the Bulls' top pick (No. 9) in the draft June 28 for Bryant should they decide to trade the two-time scoring champion, who led the league with 31.6 points per game in 2006-07.

The Lakers confirmed Friday night that Bryant met with Buss, who was on vacation in China before going to London and then to Barcelona.

''Our position is that it's a private meeting between the two of them, and it shall remain private between the two of them,'' Lakers public-relations director John Black told the Press-Enterprise on Friday.

Any team that trades for Bryant cannot deal players whose salaries exceed 125 percent of Bryant's $19,490,625 salary next season. The Bulls' Wallace will earn $15.5 million in 2007-08, Gordon will get $4.88 million and Deng $3.32 million.

Bryant also has a 15 percent trade kicker in his contract, according to the Press-Enterprise, that the team that acquires him has to pick up for $13,289,062 to be spread over the last four years of his contract. Bryant reportedly also has an ''early-termination option'' in his contract that allows him to opt out after the 2008-09 season

ugi802004 · 06-19-2007, 02:18 PM

I feel its going to be an AI situation where he stays but not because he wants to....unless the bulls really give up gordon, deng, wallace, and #9....knicks don't have nearly enough for him, and LA will not keep him in the west. I think hes staying in LA, but will not be happy, so hopefully they can put some more talent around him, but who knows.

BKPlatinum · 06-19-2007, 04:34 PM

Yeah the most logical team out of the three is the Bulls -- but the Bulls it sounds like would have to give up alot.. Just an interesting situation to see how it plays out.

ugi802004 · 06-19-2007, 07:26 PM

I agree....The bulls are the only team who can send that package and still have some talent left over for Kobe to happy in the east that is....I mean having krik and himself in a back court would be real solid..but I just dnt know if the Bulls are willing to even give that much up for 1 player even if it is Kobe. I mean ur talking about 4/5 of a potential starting lineup.