Sending a critical player to a conference rival would anger any team leader. Kobe Bryant made sure that was heard when he publicly criticized the Los Angeles Lakers for trading Lamar Odom. Was it a smart move and a subtle warning?
Phil Jackson retiring was bad enough. Getting swept by the Dallas Mavericks hurt too, but Kobe understood the pressure on his team when Lamar Odom left for Dallas. Suddenly the defending champions got stronger, and the Los Angeles Lakers got weaker. Already they failed to trade for Chris Paul, leaving many in doubt on whether they can complete a deal with Orlando for star center Dwight Howard. Bryant believes trading Odom was a mistake and doesn't want teammate Pau Gasol leaving as well. That is almost a certainty if L.A. wants any chance at nabbing Howard in a trade deal. Kobe Bryant knows breaking up a championship team for younger talent is a terrible risk. Ask the New England Patriots. Bryant doesn't want that same fate for his Lakers on the eve of his probable retirement over the next few seasons.
NBA interference has put Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak in bad spot
Mitch Kupchak is a celebrity by himself in L.A. It was his brilliant maneuvering that rebuilt the Los Angeles Lakers back into championship form after just five years by trading for Pau Gasol. He almost pulled off another one when aiming for Chris Paul, but a recent block from the NBA has placed the normally savvy Kupchak directly in the sights of Kobe Bryant after letting Lamar Odom out the door for money and draft picks. Bryant knows his team had enough trouble with the Dallas Mavericks before handing the Sixth Man of the Year over to them. Now all the Lakers have in return are question marks. Kupchak no longer has a shot at Chris Paul, and unless he makes a deal happen for Dwight Howard, he won't sit on Bryant's good side for long.
Lamar Odom departure leaves hard feelings for wife Khloe Kardashian
No one ever said the Lakers handled business with a soft touch. After the Paul trade fell through and word came out that no one told Lamar Odom, things went south fast. Odom left practice early the next day and left the team shortly after that. It didn't surprise wife Khloe Kardashian, who knew her husband was deeply hurt by not getting told. The Los Angeles Lakers let him down, and after helping them win two championships no less. This lack of common decency drew understanding from Bryant as well, who publicly defended Odom and Kardashian after the trade.
Kobe Bryant didn't want Lamar Odom to leave. He felt the Los Angeles Lakers were still good enough to win without changing the formula. Now that a key ingredient is gone, how long will it take him to vent his frustrations should his team fails to find a suitable replacement?
source http://sports.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474980896801
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