Kobe must speak up on KG
It's been 27 days since Kobe Bryant sought out every microphone in the Western Hemisphere to proclaim loud and clear that he wants the Lakers to trade him.
Now that the Lakers are making a bold effort to placate him by engaging in serious talks to acquire Kevin Garnett, where is Kobe now?
We know he is back from Spain, where he watched soccer and met with Lakers owner Jerry Buss, whom he allegedly called "an idiot" in an audio clip being peddled by the shameless "Kobe Video Guys." This was around the end of last month, and on the same clip, Bryant evidently told the wannabe news reporters who asked if he'd be playing for the Lakers next season, "Get a Bulls uniform, fellas."
We know Kobe is planning to attend at least one day of his basketball camp in Santa Monica, Calif., this week, but I'm told that Kobe hasn't decided which day. The timing doesn't matter to me, but it's clearly time for another Kobe tantrum. It's about time the most talented and disgruntled player in the NBA came out of hiding and put his cards back on the table now that the deck has been shuffled a bit.
He needs to say whether getting Garnett would be enough to keep him happy in L.A. or not. And if not, then he needs to say -- as loudly and emphatically as he did during his media whirlwind of May 30 -- that he still wants out.
The only sign of a comment from Kobe after news of the Lakers' pursuit of Garnett broke Monday was a report on ESPN from one of the few reporters with a direct pipeline to Bryant. Kobe spokesman Ric Bucher said the prospect of playing with Garnett wouldn't cause Bryant to back off his trade demand.
That's what we need to hear, but we need to hear it from Bryant himself. Short of that, it's fair to say that Bryant's public outcry has begun to lose its luster.
And if the public is bored with Kobe, imagine how Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak and Dr. Buss feel.
The actual news on the Garnett talks Tuesday didn't advance the situation much, either. The Celtics don't want to give up the No. 5 pick if all they get is Jermaine O'Neal from the Pacers. The Timberwolves don't think the Lakers' offer of Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown is enough for Garnett. So it's a stalemate, for now.
Either the offers will have to be sweetened, or new trading partners will have to be found. With tomorrow's draft having as much potential for blockbuster deals as any in the past decade, there will be no shortage of those.
But Kobe had better speak up soon, because he's about to be upstaged. Word is that the Celtics Paul Pierce plans to make his own trade demand if the Celtics keep the No. 5 pick, a move he equates with rebuilding.
Funny, I don't remember Pierce having any misgivings when the Celtics gave him $59 million over three years last summer. Nor do I recall Kobe issuing any ultimatums when the "idiot," Dr. Buss, gave him $136 million over seven after trading Shaq to the Heat.
Anyone can buy a Bulls' jersey, but Chicago general manager John Paxson has made it pretty clear that Bryant isn't getting one from him. If you believe Paxson, then what? The only team left on Bryant's list of acceptable destinations -- unless you buy into the idea that the Lakers would send him to Dallas or Phoenix -- would be your Knickerbockers. But how could Dr. Buss sell his team's stargazing fan base on Stephon Marbury, David Lee, Jamal Crawford, et al after titillating them with the possibility of Garnett?
Let's assume for a moment that the Lakers can swing a deal for Garnett, and that it isn't good enough for Kobe. What then?
The shelf life on trade demands and tantrums isn't what it used to be. It's time for Kobe to give us another one.
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