Henry Abbot: Lakers FO can't wait for Kobe to retire

[Slava]

I would trust unnamed league sources if it comes from someone who genuinely has proven correct in the past, like Woj,

OK. This is from a Woj article following Dwight leaving LA.

In the final weeks and days and hours leading into Howard's decision, the most consistent negative recruiting pitch rivals made to him about Houston centered on Harden. In presentations and private conversations to Howard, Harden had been sold as a bad teammate and selfish player, multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports.

"He was told [Harden] would be another Kobe in his life," one source closely involved in the free-agent process told Yahoo! Sports. "It came from a lot of people, but never once from Dwight's mouth."

This isn't the first time other execs have been revealed to have these views on Kobe.

You missed the boat there. That was supposed to be part of Dallas' pitch to Dwight criticizing Houston and Morey himself said people play a bunch of dirty tricks in those situations.

[MistyMountain20]

I would trust unnamed league sources if it comes from someone who genuinely has proven correct in the past, like Woj,

OK. This is from a Woj article following Dwight leaving LA.

In the final weeks and days and hours leading into Howard's decision, the most consistent negative recruiting pitch rivals made to him about Houston centered on Harden. In presentations and private conversations to Howard, Harden had been sold as a bad teammate and selfish player, multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports.

"He was told [Harden] would be another Kobe in his life," one source closely involved in the free-agent process told Yahoo! Sports. "It came from a lot of people, but never once from Dwight's mouth."

This isn't the first time other execs have been revealed to have these views on Kobe.

That's what everyone is saying though - the one player you can point to as a definite loss in part due to Kobe is Howard, who is no dream teammate himself. That is of course ignoring other factors like a poor roster, terrible coaching hires, questionable front office etc. It's simple, easy, dumb and easily digestible which is why they're pushing this story. Howard not wanting to play with Kobe has turned into nobody wants to play with Kobe.

[Striders]

I would trust unnamed league sources if it comes from someone who genuinely has proven correct in the past, like Woj,

OK. This is from a Woj article following Dwight leaving LA.

In the final weeks and days and hours leading into Howard's decision, the most consistent negative recruiting pitch rivals made to him about Houston centered on Harden. In presentations and private conversations to Howard, Harden had been sold as a bad teammate and selfish player, multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports.

"He was told [Harden] would be another Kobe in his life," one source closely involved in the free-agent process told Yahoo! Sports. "It came from a lot of people, but never once from Dwight's mouth."

This isn't the first time other execs have been revealed to have these views on Kobe.

You missed the boat there. That was supposed to be part of Dallas' pitch to Dwight criticizing Houston and Morey himself said people play a bunch of dirty tricks in those situations.

The dirty trick was painting Kobe as a selfish player or bad teammate? That would be a legitimately dirty trick *before* Dwight joined the Lakers. Not after he's already played with Kobe for a year...after a year, Dwight already had his mind made up about Kobe. But MY understanding is the dirty trick here is painting Harden as selfish. Otherwise---this also proves that there's multiple teams out there (Note: Presentation(s)---plural) that think Kobe is a bad teammate and not a draw for other free agents.

[Slava]

OK. This is from a Woj article following Dwight leaving LA.



This isn't the first time other execs have been revealed to have these views on Kobe.

You missed the boat there. That was supposed to be part of Dallas' pitch to Dwight criticizing Houston and Morey himself said people play a bunch of dirty tricks in those situations.

The dirty trick was painting Kobe as a selfish player or bad teammate? That would be a legitimately dirty trick *before* Dwight joined the Lakers. Not after he's already played with Kobe for a year...after a year, Dwight already had his mind made up about Kobe. But MY understanding is the dirty trick here is painting Harden as selfish. Otherwise---this also proves that there's multiple teams out there (Note: Presentation(s)---plural) that think Kobe is a bad teammate and not a draw for other free agents.

How did that work out for them then? Howard seems happy to sign with Houston and play with Harden.

Does it also mean there's multiple team(s) out there that think Harden is a bad teammate and not a draw for other teammates?

[TyCobb]

Almost 40-year-old Kobe is a bad draw for other free agents, not him as a teammate.

[MistyMountain20]

You're conflating. These presentations are painting Harden in a negative light and at least one tried to equivocate between Harden and Bryant. It does not mean that multiple presentations were being made that Kobe is a bad teammate. Aside from that, even if each and every single one of those presentations featured some kind of sell as Kobe being a negative, these presentations were meant for Howard and him alone. That doesn't mean they think no one wants to play with Kobe, just Howard.

[Striders]

How did that work out for them then? Howard seems happy to sign with Houston and play with Harden.

Does it also mean there's multiple team(s) out there that think Harden is a bad teammate and not a draw for other teammates?

There probably are. That story about Dwight and Harden eating together, alienating their teammates, blew up like crazy, remember?

That has nothing to do with what we're talking about anyway.

[bruh]

If you're dumb enough to think there's a lot of truth behind this then you are ESPN's target audience.

They made an article the other day about Kobe's opinion on his ranking... that they made up themselves lmao. Talk about creating news for yourself.

[Shot Clock]

Here are scans of the mag: http://imgur.com/a/FDqmy

Interesting article.

He says the Lakers TV deal is tied to ratings. I can see the need to keep Kobe around just so they don't have to take an even bigger hit on ratings.

[MistyMountain20]

If you're dumb enough to think there's a lot of truth behind this then you are ESPN's target audience.

They made an article the other day about Kobe's opinion on his ranking... that they made up themselves lmao. Talk about creating news for yourself.

Since you put it like that, it reminded of when the Malaysia plane went missing and CNN did a bunch of different coverage including a guy in a plane simulator. They then did a story on their own guy who was doing the story of being inside a plane simulator. Informative stuff.

[LLcoleJ]

Apparently it's an upcoming story entitled "And Kobe Won't Leave" by Henry Abbott in the ESPN Magazine.

That link asks me to subscribe to ESPN Mag. I guess if true it will be leaked eventually.

In all seriousness though as a Lakers supporter wouldn't you finally want to see that money freed up? The Lakers are doing absolutely nothing for the next few years. The only possible reason for offering Kobe a deal that large is that they are tanking.

See the money freed up?

[LLcoleJ]

Who is asking for Abbott's opinion here? This is about the Lakers FO.

cute analogy though...

No fancytampon, unless abbott comes up with a direct quote, his only sources are his ass and his mouth.

Lakers would have a better season if they got advice from Abbott's ass and mouth.

How so?

[Mirjalovic]

Always felt Lakers are waiting for Kobe to retire already. Kobe is ruining their franchise's chance to pick up quality talent via free agency but so has management with their terrible moves.

I say they have 3 years till he retires and they can rebuild, they better stock up on lottery picks during this time

I guess I'll just repeat the same old question that's been asked a million times without a clear answer: what "quality talent via free agency" have the Lakers missed out on because of Kobe?

(waiting on someone to reply with Dwight)

this. still waiting for the answer. This is really a new narrative about Kobe..

Its only yesterday Nash decided to join with the Lakers...

[LeChosen One]

Kobe handicapped them by taking that contract.. Always talking about trying to win a 6th ring, then throws that out the window for money

The FO office offered him that contract, not like he demanded it

also that front office gave Jordan Hill $9 million a year. they probably would have overpaid another guy if Kobe was signed to less money.

Did he have to accept the offer? No. If he wanted to win he wouldn't have. I don't mind him taking the money, just don't act like you're all about championships when you're clearly not.

[rockersdash]

If this is true, this says more about them than about Kobe. Why in the world did they sign him for $48 million if they don't want to keep him?

Came into same the same thing.

If the despise Bryant so much, why give him 48m over 2 seasons?

Because Kobe brings them $ and not signing him would be a nightmare.

They decided to make $ now, screw winning for 2 years. Get back on track after he's gone.

[JellosJigglin]

Kobe handicapped them by taking that contract.. Always talking about trying to win a 6th ring, then throws that out the window for money

The FO office offered him that contract, not like he demanded it

also that front office gave Jordan Hill $9 million a year. they probably would have overpaid another guy if Kobe was signed to less money.

Did he have to accept the offer? No. If he wanted to win he wouldn't have. I don't mind him taking the money, just don't act like you're all about championships when you're clearly not.

It's not the player's responsibility to manage the cap. That responsibility falls on management. The cap nerds on this message board probably know 10x more about the cap and all of its wrinkles then the actual players do.

[Blkbrd671]

Lol

So Lakers resign Kobe making him the highest paid SG in the league to avoid a PR nightmare and then put out comments stating"Kobe's destroying the lakers" which is horrible for PR.

[NO-KG-AI]

The FO office offered him that contract, not like he demanded it

also that front office gave Jordan Hill $9 million a year. they probably would have overpaid another guy if Kobe was signed to less money.

Did he have to accept the offer? No. If he wanted to win he wouldn't have. I don't mind him taking the money, just don't act like you're all about championships when you're clearly not.

It's not the player's responsibility to manage the cap. That responsibility falls on management. The cap nerds on this message board probably know 10x more about the cap and all of its wrinkles then the actual players do.

This. And teams (especially the Lakers) have shown they can build a championship roster without loads and loads of cap space all the time.

[ChartFiction]

Kobe handicapped them by taking that contract.. Always talking about trying to win a 6th ring, then throws that out the window for money

The FO office offered him that contract, not like he demanded it

also that front office gave Jordan Hill $9 million a year. they probably would have overpaid another guy if Kobe was signed to less money.

Did he have to accept the offer? No. If he wanted to win he wouldn't have. I don't mind him taking the money, just don't act like you're all about championships when you're clearly not.

Who is "all about championships" in your eyes then? Because all of these guys could take the minimum. Do you just arbitrarily decide in your mind the cutoff salary for "being all about championship."

[roldy]

FO can't wait for 21pts on 31% shooting to leave indeed.