Author Topic: Kobe Bryant passed on trade after this lesson from Jerry Buss  (Read 915 times)

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Kobe Bryant passed on trade after this lesson from Jerry Buss
« on: February 18, 2013, 09:53:07 PM »

Offline JSD

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Quote
After all the anger and angst and fury of the immediate post-Shaq era had inspired Kobe Bryant to make a trade demand, Jerry Buss finally called his superstar guard to the owner's home in the Los Angeles hills on an autumn evening in 2007.

The Los Angeles Lakers had found a trade for Bryant, but Buss warned him that it wasn't to one of his selected destinations. "Detroit," Buss said...

http://lakernation.com/forums/index.php?/topic/61617-kobe-bryant-passed-on-trade-after-this-lesson-from-jerry-buss-its-good-to-be-a-laker-for-life/


The opinion exists that Bryant would have bolted in spite of Buss' best efforts to retain him had a trade been in place to a more favorable destination. The Lakers were a .500 club at the time with limited cap flexibility and young talent to acquire a legit star to put alongside Kobe and a young Bynum that would have catapulted them into contention. It is feasible to suggest that Buss had a trade lined up with Detroit knowing that Kobe would ultimately reject it and choose to stay a Laker for at least another season buying the franchise more time to make something happen… And obviously something did happen.

Woj should have made this less about Kobe having a moment of clarity when faced with a decision to go somewhere he did not want to go anyway and more about the steps Buss took to persuade Kobe to stay. That includes only giving Bryant options he knew would not fly.

Too bad he succeeded in this endeavor. Boston would likely be up 18 to 14 in the title count. Buss was a great owner.
The only color that matters is GREEN

Re: Kobe Bryant passed on trade after this lesson from Jerry Buss
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2013, 09:54:36 PM »

Offline CelticConcourse

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Lesson 2: Detroit is not a good destination
Jeff Green - Top 5 SF

[Kevin Garnett]
"I've always said J. Green is going to be one of the best players to ever play this game"

Re: Kobe Bryant passed on trade after this lesson from Jerry Buss
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2013, 10:00:21 PM »

Offline ScottHow

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Kobe being upset always amused me. He ran shaq out of town, then complained about being awful, lol