No Kobe is OK by Pistons

[Big Bid'Ness]

FrometNews.com

AUBURN HILLS -- Even some Pistons heard it.

Let's call it: The Rumor.

The tall tale went like this: The Pistons could get Lakers guard Kobe Bryant in a trade.

Given the disappointment of losing to Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals, many believed the Pistons were going to work a major deal in the offseason by breaking up the championship nucleus.

Enter Bryant.

The buzz was the Pistons would part with Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Amir Johnson and/or a first round pick for Bryant, arguably the best player in the NBA.

"Yeah, I heard that, too," Chauncey Billups said before the Pistons beat the Wizards, 104-85, at The Palace Wednesday night.

Then again Billups, who signed a five-year contract this summer, heard about many sign-and-trade deals. One had Mr. Big Shot himself going to Houston.

But Billups is still here and Bryant is on the West Coast.

Staying intact is OK
Clearly, there was nothing to the Bryant talk. Even after Bryant spewed all over sports-talk radio shows from coast-to-coast that he wanted out of L.A. The Lakers weren't interested in dealing him.

That's changed, though.

There's a real chance that Bryant will be traded by next Wednesday. If the Lakers want to get maximum value, the time to deal is now.

Either way, the Pistons -- who are expected to be in the mix for the conference title again -- are happy president Joe Dumars believes in them and didn't make a trade.

Dumars vowed he would only make a deal that would make the Pistons markedly better. He wasn't going to overreact and break up a team that has gone to five straight conference finals. Obviously, that trade wasn't out there because Dumars didn't pull the trigger.

"We're cool," said forward Rasheed Wallace when asked if he was disappointed the status quo was maintained. "We have our main core back. So I like our team the way it is."

That doesn't mean if there was a real chance to get Bryant the Pistons wouldn't look into it. That's just business.

Power player
The talk in the East would certainly shift from LeBron James and Kevin Garnett if a trade happened. For sure, Kobe would trump those two -- he has won three championships.

"He's one of the best players in the league," said guard Lindsey Hunter, who played with Bryant in L.A. "Either Tim Duncan or Kobe are the best in the NBA. It's Kobe if you're talking skill-wise."

Wallace didn't hear about Bryant coming to Motown.

"I never heard any rumors about where he's going," he said. "I don't listen to a rumor mill or get caught up in it.

"Wherever he goes, good luck to him."

Good thing Joe D did not make the trade happen.

 

[playmaker7]

No trade is gonna happen. Pistons wouldnt have worked out anyways.

 

[Mexi]

Rip Hamilton for kobe!?
LMAO

and PM7, Kobe's gonna get traded. maybe not now, but eventually
we have to so we could get something in return rather than losing him for NOTHING

 

[thilianwij]

i am hoping he doesnt get traded...

but once i hear the news that he has been traded, im gonna be sad he's goooon

 

[Josh10_10]

Rip Hamilton for kobe!?
LMAO

and PM7, Kobe's gonna get traded. maybe not now, but eventually
we have to so we could get something in return rather than losing him for NOTHING

It's Rip and Prince... Prince is a big part of it.

 

[playmaker7]

Rip Hamilton for kobe!?
LMAO

and PM7, Kobe's gonna get traded. maybe not now, but eventually
we have to so we could get something in return rather than losing him for NOTHING

He's not goin this season and if the front office actually makes a good change he could resign. Think about that.

Also, since he's not goin now then stop with trying to predict his "next destination". People need to stop putting rumor articles up about him <_<

 

[Mexi]

It's Rip and Prince... Prince is a big part of it.

i know, but seeing rip just makes me laugh

 

[Mexi]

He's not goin this season and if the front office actually makes a good change he could resign. Think about that.

Also, since he's not goin now then stop with trying to predict his "next destination". People need to stop putting rumor articles up about him <_<

idk pm7, i'm ready to rebuild
be gone with him!

 

[Whisper]

Indeed... AWAY WITH KOBE!

 

[playmaker7]

idk pm7, i'm ready to LOSE FOR YEARS AND YEARS!
be gone with him!

Fixed.

Why do you want the team to go downhill? And rebuild? Build around Kobe. Win. End of story

 

[Whisper]

The Orginization is willing to trade away one of the greatest players to ever play the game rather then an unproven kid that has shown minimal flashes of his talent, heck they're talking about giving Kobe away day in and day out yet they have Andrew Bynum on some kind of lock. What the hell does that tell you about management?

Do you really think that the lineup we have is set to win a championship anytime soon? Did you forget how it was Derek Fisher's stellar defense on Troy Hudson of all people that almost cost us the WCF against the T'wolves a couple seasons ago, hell he still can't play proper D, when he was with GS, with Utah, and now that he's back with us I don't expect that to change anytime soon. Do you really think he's going to help us out THAT much? What the hell do you expect management to do when our biggest trading piece besides Kobe(Bynum) isn't going anywhere according to the front office? What are you expecting? What is there to win especially since the WC is only improving rather then declining? Continuous first round knockouts with Kobe? Nuh uh, I 'm done with that.

Start with the rebuild process already, I've never seen a rookie for the Lakers as confident and willing to play as Javaris ever since Kobe. Javaris will be the man for the Lakers organization in years to come, mark it.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

The Lakers would have been so stupid to pull this trade, because A they have much better offers on the table and B the Pistons really don't have the pieces to trade for Bryant...

 

[Pugz]

This is old news.
In an interview Joe Dumars said if he were to witch he wouldn't it would have been Hamilton,Prince,Amir,And McDyess. And maybe some picks in a future draft.

 

[Whisper]

All these trade scenarios for Kobe... I don't like this trade in particular to but think... had Mitch Kupchak actually listened to the damned team scouts, Kobe could have been playing with Tayshaun Prince from the very beginning. Prince worked out with the Lakers prior to his draft, the team scouts loved him, but instead, Kupchak took Kareem Rush who the Lakers NEVER invited to work out with them ever, much less talk to them prior to when they were drafted.

It's the same thing with Josh Howard, he came to workout with the Lakers, scouts loved him, Ron Harper worked out with Leandro Barbosa and told the team to draft him, instead Mitch takes Brian Cook right before these guys who just like Rush never ever worked out with the team.

Mex, this is why I stopped posting at LGL, those guys are all delusional and truely believe that Mitch with all the amazing moves he has made so far has what it takes to build around Kobe, when obviously even though the Front Office might not know it but besides Kobe, the current lineup is a youth/future movement rather then a build around Kobe and win now movement. It's such a laugh, an insanely huge one.

So far in four years his best offseason move ever made was Luke Walton, a second round draft pick. It's still too early to judge the Bynum pick, and Crittenton (who I'm really optimistic about). All these talks about Kobe being traded for players who he could've been playing with from the very beginning makes me sick.

 

[RipCity32]

i know, but seeing rip just makes me laugh

Thinking about your team crumble makes me laugh.

 

[RipCity32]

And another thing that is funny is that Rip is better than any of the players on your team aside from Kobe.

 

[Pugz]

And another thing that is funny is that Rip is better than any of the players on your team aside from Kobe.

Ummm like Andrew Bynum is going to be a beast.

 

[Whisper]

Rip, better than Lamar Odom? Maybe when Odom is injured.

 

[DJT]

Well Lamar is better at some things, like rebounding...etc. But I think overall Rip is a better player.

 

[Whisper]

How is he the better player? He's the better scorer, but rebounder? Passer? Defender? Psh, who's the one that gets the upper hand on Marion on both end of the court when LA plays the suns? Can Hamilton up Marion one on one? Nuh uh.