With the recent rumore swirling around superstars Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett, i couldnt help but notice a large mistake that each franchise made while trying to "rebuld." The NBA is first and foremost a business and most owners are in the business of making money first and then winning later. ONe would think that both making money and winning are intertwined, but in certain situations thaye most certainly are not. That is where the Lakers and Timberwolves have made a large and costly mistake. Both farnchises have superstars that are good enough to bring fans to each game through their great play. Both the Lakers and the Wolves knew a few years ago that it was time to rebuild their respective franchise, but neither team was willing to suffer through the years of empty stadiums and lack of financial success that a rebuilding franchise must go through. So each team held onto their bic ticket player and tried, with litlle success, to rebuild their franchise successfully while alotting a large part of their funds to one player that would bring fans to the stadium for all 41 of his team's home games. THe idea of rebuilding AND filling the stadium is nice, but it is one that is very reality. Both teams succumbed to the temptations of having a star player and cashing in on ticket sales at the expense of having a good, young team a few years down the road. Not only has each team failed when it comes to rebuilding, but their star players also are starting to grumble and want to go to a team that can actually contend.

It would be unfair to only mention the teams that have failed to rebuild successfully. There are two teams in particular, one in baseball and one in basketball, that have gone through a few seasons of futility but now have a bright future ahead of them. The Arizona Diamondbacks, who have successfully rebuilt their franchise since tehir world series victory over the Yankees, have an extremely talented young core of players that figure to have the team in contention for the NL pennant for the next decade. In baseball, because there is no salary cap, it is very possible to rebuild and have success at the same time. Basketball, because of teh cap, presents a challenge. A superstar gobbles up a large chunk of a team's money and can really prevent a team from signing it's other players to large contracts and from going after the best free agents available.
The basketball team that has rebuilt well is my hometown Chicago Bulls. The Bulls, although it has taken a bit longer than it should have, have put together a great young core of players that looks to be a force to be reckoned with in the eastern conference for a very long time.

The main mistake that both teams' futility can be traced back to is the lack of oneness in the organization and lack of planning. A team has to be a team, meaning that one mission has to be carried out by the entire organization and any other idea that goes against that said goal is detrimental to the success of the organization. If a team wants to rebuild, it needs to rebuil all the way through. It can not afford to invest a large part of it's cap space in one player or it will jeapordize it's future. Other organizations would do well to learn from the Lakers and Timberwolves.

There is one particular thing that bothers me in the argument of Lebron over Kobe. When the Cavs players, other than Lebron, speak of what he has done for their confidence it says two things about the team. It tells me that Lebron has gone above what is required of him to instille confidence in his teammates. The other thing it tells me is that Lebron James is running a day-care center raher than a team over there in Cleveland. Just because Kobe isnt playing the father figure to Daniel Gibson(who should man up and not need Lebron's constant reinforcements) doesnt mean that Kobe doesnt attempt to raise the level of his teammate's play. I have read excerpts from books where old teammates of Michael Jordan admit that they were terrified of him and played their best because they knew Jordan would get in their faces and rip into them for missing big shots. Jordan has been known to be upset with players due to a simple lackluster performance. He didnt call out his teammates in the manner that Kobe did but thats because he didnt recieve the horrible supporting cast that Kobe currently has. Also, Kobe going out on the air and voicing his diespleasure in the Laker organization shows that at least he isnt a player that plays for a paycheck and goes home. He is a competitor and demands that his organization and teammates put as much into winning as he does.

Again, Lebron is in a unique situation where it seems his teammates need to be coddled more than what is the norm. The point is that every situation is unique and Kobe's "non coddling" is being mistaken fr poor team play. That is simply unfair.

Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers have beat the Pistons and advanced the NBA Finals. I got news for all of you who are saying Lebron should be teaching KObe a thing or two, or a "chapter" as somene previously blogged.(BY the way, if you are gonna blog about KObe learning from Lebron, write a blog that backs up your statement, not one freakin sentence.) If Kobe and his Lakers were in the East, he would be doing exactly what the Cavs and Lebron did, just probably in less games. And for those that really want to compare the situations that Lebron and Kobe are in, why dont we take a look at their respective teams.

Kobe is definitely surrounded by lesser talent, and in a big way might i add. His point guard is Smush Parker, who universally is known as a nothing that doesnt deserve to be on an NBA roster. He can dunk a bit and pass a bit, but cant shoot and make good decisions. Luke Walton, for all his heralded ability to lpay in the triangle, is not that good of a player. He played poorly in the postseason and never got into a groove after coming back from his injury. The same can be said for Lamar Odom. The guy simply looked lost and didnt have his mind on the game. Who can really blame his? He had an injury and lost a child pretty recently. He is a good lpayer but just wasnt into the game. Kwame Brown is a lost soul. He doesnt know what the hell he is doing on offense and defense and aside from the rare easy dunk he cant but the ball in the basket. Andrew Bynum is a long way away from being a good player. He is young and has optential, but at this point is not much more than an all-right backup who is in the game strictly to get experince, not for his current ability. Jordon Farmar has some talent but showed that he really isnt ready for the NBA game yet. His hustle and effort is there very night though. Aside from Kobe it looks like he is the only one with his head in the game.

Now take a look at what Lebron has. It isnt all that much either but it definitely beats what Kobe has. The guards are Larry Hughes, Daniel Gibson and Eric Snow. I really dont like Larry Hughes too much. His shot is suspect and he needs to be a third option to perfor well offensively, like he was in Washington. He is good for a few steals a game and plays some defense, but he is definitely better than Smush Parker. Eric Snow has almost no offenive ability and is strictly in the game for his defensive spurts and his ability to run the offense. Teams always give him ample space to get shots off but he understands that he is not a shooter and plays within his very limited abities. Daniel Gibson is a defensive liabilty but has shown that he can fill it up from long range from time to time. But anybody that thinks that Lebron has found a reliable second scorer is in for a big surprise. Detroit played with no interest on Defense and seemed to lack the motivation they had against the Bulls. Detroit responds to trash talk and the Bulls' big talking via Nocioni lit a fire under the Pistons. SanAntonio will most likely elimnate the drive and kick that got Gibson open looks versus the Pistons. Clevelands guards arent that good either, but the defense of Hughes and Snow plus Gibson's shooting places them above the Lakers' guards, sans Kobe.

The bigs are where the Cavs really trump the Lakers. Bynum, Brown, Mihm and Turiaf really have nothing on Ilgauskas, Gooden and Varajao. I personally think that Big Z could toughen up a bit and play more in the post, but he has a nice outside shot and is a dependable 12-18 point per game scorer, something Kwame Brown can only achieve in his dreams. Varajao is an all energy guy who can really frustrate the opposition with his help on the offensive glass. He also gets a few put backs and easy dunks through the course o####ame. Gooden is really an X-factor. Sometimes he shows up big and other times he just dissappears offensively. However inconsistent his scoring is he still is huge on the boards for Cleveland and gets tons of offensive rebounds and tip outs.

Another clear advantage is where they play. Cleveland, residing in the East, which is improving but at this point is still very underwhelming, had to go through Washington, New Jersey and detroit. Only Detroit would have proved as a competitive challenge for any of the 8 playoff teams in the West.

The point is that Kobe is clearly in more difficult situation than Lebron, whether it be where they play or who they play with.

Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers have beat the Pistons and advanced the NBA Finals. I got news for all of you who are saying Lebron should be teaching KObe a thing or two, or a "chapter" as somene previously blogged.(BY the way, if you are gonna blog about KObe learning from Lebron, write a blog that backs up your statement, not one freakin sentence.) If Kobe and his Lakers were in the East, he would be doing exactly what the Cavs and Lebron did, just probably in less games. And for those that really want to compare the situations that Lebron and Kobe are in, why dont we take a look at their respective teams.

Kobe is definitely surrounded by lesser talent, and in a big way might i add. His point guard is Smush Parker, who universally is known as a nothing that doesnt deserve to be on an NBA roster. He can dunk a bit and pass a bit, but cant shoot and make good decisions. Luke Walton, for all his heralded ability to lpay in the triangle, is not that good of a player. He played poorly in the postseason and never got into a groove after coming back from his injury. The same can be said for Lamar Odom. The guy simply looked lost and didnt have his mind on the game. Who can really blame his? He had an injury and lost a child pretty recently. He is a good lpayer but just wasnt into the game. Kwame Brown is a lost soul. He doesnt know what the hell he is doing on offense and defense and aside from the rare easy dunk he cant but the ball in the basket. Andrew Bynum is a long way away from being a good player. He is young and has optential, but at this point is not much more than an all-right backup who is in the game strictly to get experince, not for his current ability. Jordon Farmar has some talent but showed that he really isnt ready for the NBA game yet. His hustle and effort is there very night though. Aside from Kobe it looks like he is the only one with his head in the game.

Now take a look at what Lebron has. It isnt all that much either but it definitely beats what Kobe has. The guards are Larry Hughes, Daniel Gibson and Eric Snow. I really dont like Larry Hughes too much. His shot is suspect and he needs to be a third option to perfor well offensively, like he was in Washington. He is good for a few steals a game and plays some defense, but he is definitely better than Smush Parker. Eric Snow has almost no offenive ability and is strictly in the game for his defensive spurts and his ability to run the offense. Teams always give him ample space to get shots off but he understands that he is not a shooter and plays within his very limited abities. Daniel Gibson is a defensive liabilty but has shown that he can fill it up from long range from time to time. But anybody that thinks that Lebron has found a reliable second scorer is in for a big surprise. Detroit played with no interest on Defense and seemed to lack the motivation they had against the Bulls. Detroit responds to trash talk and the Bulls' big talking via Nocioni lit a fire under the Pistons. SanAntonio will most likely elimnate the drive and kick that got Gibson open looks versus the Pistons. Clevelands guards arent that good either, but the defense of Hughes and Snow plus Gibson's shooting places them above the Lakers' guards, sans Kobe.

The bigs are where the Cavs really trump the Lakers. Bynum, Brown, Mihm and Turiaf really have nothing on Ilgauskas, Gooden and Varajao. I personally think that Big Z could toughen up a bit and play more in the post, but he has a nice outside shot and is a dependable 12-18 point per game scorer, something Kwame Brown can only achieve in his dreams. Varajao is an all energy guy who can really frustrate the opposition with his help on the offensive glass. He also gets a few put backs and easy dunks through the course o####ame. Gooden is really an X-factor. Sometimes he shows up big and other times he just dissappears offensively. However inconsistent his scoring is he still is huge on the boards for Cleveland and gets tons of offensive rebounds and tip outs.

Another clear advantage is where they play. Cleveland, residing in the East, which is improving but at this point is still very underwhelming, had to go through Washington, New Jersey and detroit. Only Detroit would have proved as a competitive challenge for any of the 8 playoff teams in the West.

The point is that Kobe is clearly in more difficult situation than Lebron, whether it be where they play or who they play with.

Is it possible that the San Antonio Spurs will be the last real NBA dynasty. They wouldnt even qualify in a dynasty a few decades back, but they contend every season and grab a'chip every two/three years. In the present era of big money free agent contracts,players' inflated egos and superstars with me-first attitudes, great, long lasting teams may become extinct after the San Antonio Spurs finish their impressive albeit boring run.

For a team to win Championships consistently it needs a unique blend of a few superstars surrounded by great role players that accept their position as role players and do not in anyway resent the stars for being stars. One of the most successfully assembled dynasty teams that illustrates this point is the Bulls of the 90's. They had the superstars in Jordan and Pippen, who by the way does not get enough credit for some of the things he did while in Chicago. I recently was watching some highlights of the Bulls and remembered just how physically giftet and talented Pippen was. I firmly believe that if he was the "main man" on any other team he would have raised himself to a level just under the one where Jordan, Magic and Bird reside. For the first three chamionships they had the grinders in the paint in Stacie King and Bill Cartright along with 3 point sharpshooters John Paxson and BJ Armstrong. Horace Grant was vastly underrated and was an above average forward and produced greatly in a somewhat limited role. Many forget that Oakley was there too. He was somewhat of an enforcer and a great on at that. In the latter years, Jerry Krause surrounded Jordan, Pippen and Rodman with great role players again. Luc Longley, Bill Wennington, Steve Kerr, Ron Harper and Toni Kukoc were all very solid and had veteran savvy that helped them shine in the playoffs.

The point is that it is hard to see a team that has so many players willing to take the backseat to the Superstar team leaders. There are too many inflated egos floating around and too many guys who think they can play only to prove night in and night out that they are not much more than servicable(see Nate Robinson). I believe that the Lakers did have a great dynasty in te making built around Kobe and Shaq with their role players in Rick Fox, Robert Horry, derek Fisher, etc.

Let me know if you agree with me and if you dont explain why. There is nothing more frustrating than a comment with no explanation.