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Introduction

I'll give you a moment to recover from the brilliance of my title...

Ok, moving on, Kobe Bryant wants out of LA. Early this summer he was screaming about being traded on national radio. Then he'd go on local LA radio and say he wanted to be a Laker for life. Apparently, Kobe hasn't upgraded to the digital age when pretty much anybody can get news from a wold away instantaneously.

Of course, the LA faithful bought everything he was saying. Growing up in Philly as a life long Laker fan? That sounds a little fishy to me but I digress. Kobe Bryant is only concerned with winning the championship and advancing his own career. Therefore, Bryant would love to go anywhere that he feels would give him a better chance to win the title and advance his own career.

So, using the technology of the ESPN trade machine I will try to put together some trades that would benefit everybody. Now, the likelihood of Kobe getting traded are about as good as an environmental activists' of winning the Nobel Peace Prize but it's always fun to speculate. 

Kobe to New York

Obviously, the Knicks have to top the list. For no other reason than that only New York is bigger than LA. New York could absorb Kobe Bryant and welcome him as a new star. My comrade Dudski talked about this in his blog and I concur.

The Knicks certainly have the pieces to make a big trade and I think going to the Knicks would satisfy Kobe's ego. Being able to resurrect Spike Lee's team would provide Kobe with some motivation and the opportunity to play for Isiah Thomas would make Kobe drool.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant to New York Knicks for Malik Rose, Quentin Richardson, Jamal Crawford and 2008 First Round Pick

Lakers: Get a tough power forward in Malike Rose, a great shooter in Richardson, and an upgrade at point with Crawford. The three of them could help in Phil's Triangle and are certainly upgrades over the current cast (excluding Kobe, of course). Crawford, Richardson, Rose, Odom, and Walton could make for a high-flying offense but they still have a huge hole in the middle. They would need to go get a center but this lineup is still better than what they'll have (again excluding Kobe) and two picks in '08 would give them a head start.

Knicks: Having Marbury and Bryant on the same team could be problematic. However, it wouldn't take long for Bryant to assert himself and I truly believe Starbury would defer some of his shooting to Bryant (this isn't Steve Francis we're talking about here). The Knicks would also be off to a good start at rebuilding here and could make a serious play in the East.

Kobe to Chicago

This is one of the most popular scenarios. But the specifics are hard to hammer out. Who would the Bulls be willing to part with? That largely depends on what direction the Bulls as an organization want to go. They have a five year deal with Kirk Hinrich and seem to have committed to him as  their point guard. But the rest of the team is really up for grabs so it's the Bulls choice to make.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant to the Chicago Bulls for Chris Duhon, Ben Gordon, Ben Wallace, and 2008 First Round Pick

Lakers: Get a decent point guard who still has promise in Duhon, a developing superstar in Ben Gordon, and the show stopper in Ben Wallace. The first round pick is again, a necessity, and this trade would give the Lakers some options.

Wallace would finally provide a presence at the Center spot and both Duhon and Gordon will be free agents after next season. That would give the Lakers to opportunity to resign them or gain some salary cap space. Their youth is also a big plus and they could be paired with who ever the Lakers pick up to rebuild.

Bulls: Obviously getting Kobe would dramatically improve this team. Hinrich is a creative passer and Kobe is excellent moving without the ball. Those two could mesh beautifully and be a dynamic duo for the Bulls. Again, the middle is exposed without Wallace but this team would be a serious threat in the East.

Kobe to Dallas

The Dallas Mavericks are a very opportunistic team. Mark Cuban is obviously not afraid to spend but he would never execute this trade. Regardless, it's a trade that's possible and makes a degree of sense. But neither the Lakers nor Mavs would willingly make the other better.

This trade I think would also require a little more from the Lakers end to compensate the Mavericks and make the salaries work. Again, the first round pick is a given but if I was the Lakers I would also demand the rising star Josh Howard before I would even consider a trade with Dallas.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kober Bryant and Vladimir Radmanovic to the Dallas Mavericks for Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, and 2008 First Round Pick

Lakers: The Lakers would obviously get two great pieces for their offense. Dirk Nowitski creates serious match up problems and paired with Obom could cause fits for opposing big men on the offensive side. Also, Josh Howard is getting nothing but better and adds a threat on both sides of the court. He's a guard-forward and a solid player. Again, two first round picks would give them some flexibility to build around their Nowitzki-Odom-Howard core.

Mavericks: The Mavs would lose two big pieces of their team but would gain arguably the best player in the league. Bryant would add some offense and some defense and Radmanovic can be counted on as the outside scoring big man. However, he is no Nowitzki and would definitely be a bench player. If Bryant could play like we know he can then this could be a serious upgrade over their current roster.

Now to get a little less conventional.

Kobe to Phoenix

I was thinking about Kobe Bryan in a Suns uniform and I think I like it. He would be a great fit for that offense and would add a dynamic option for them on both sides of the court. If the Suns could get somebody who could slow down opposing offenses then Kobe would easily put them over the top.

Shawn Marion is obviously the key part of any trade between Phoenix and LA but the Suns would have to do quite a bit to sweeten the deal.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant to the Phoenix Suns for Shawn Marion, Raja Bell, a 2008 First Round Pick and a 2009 Second Round Pick

Lakers: Marion for Bryant is not a good trade. However, Bell would add some toughness to the Lakers and could add some potency to their defense. They're not going to score more points with this trade unless they sign a decent point guard. However, getting two picks would give them some serious flexibility and Marion's athleticism would add a new dimension to the Lakers offense. Plus, Bell and Marion would work very well with the players already on the team and the Lakers could actually be a decent team.

Suns: Championship. Hands down. Nash+Stoudemire+Bryant+Diaw=Unstoppable. Plus, Hill off the bench will do great things. I didn't include the fifth man because he would be irrelevant. This trade would land the Suns the championship now and give them an easy chance to repeat next season. The Suns would give up some very big picks over the next couple years but their window is closing and they need to do something to win now.

Kobe to Washington

The Wizards are a team that are on the cusp of glory in the East. If they made a move for Bryant they would significantly increase their chances and get far better on the defensive side of the ball. Meanwhile, the Lakers would get two great components for the Triangle.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant and Vladimir Radmanovic to the Washington Wizards for Antwane Jamison, Gilbert Arenas, and a 2008 First Round Pick

Lakers: The Lakers would get two great scoring options and two great pieces for the Triangle. Gilbert Arenas is classified as a point guard and would be a huge upgrade over what the Lakers have. Pairing him with Fisher (similar to how the Mavs pair Terry and Harris) could be great. Meanwhile, Jamison has a good inside-outside game and this team could run the floor with the best of them. While they wouldn't improve on defense they would be dynamic on offense and could use that pick to get a true Center. Plus Arenas and Jamison both have short contracts and that would free up a ton of cap room for the Lakers if they chose not to resign them.

Wizards: This would significantly improve the Wizards, especially on the defensive side of the ball. It would give them the best scorer in the league and an extra option in Radmanovic. The Wizards still have Stevenson and Haywood and this would be a good foundation on which to build. In a couple seasons the Wizards could be real contenders.

Kobe to Houston

Here's another team that I could really see Kobe going to. Again, this trade is  far less likely than the already very unlikely trades mentioned above. However, I think a trade between the two could benefit both sides. I said a long time ago the Lakers should've traded Kobe to Orlando for McGrady and I'm thinking maybe they can still do it. McGrady is still a great shooting guard and with the right team can do some great things.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant and Vladimir Radmanovic to the Houston Rockets for Tracy McGrady, Bonzi Wells, Mike James, and 2008 First Round Pick

Lakers: Mike James provides and instant upgrade at point guard. Again, he could be paired with Derek Fisher and provide a good option at the two spot. McGrady is one of the best guard-forwards in the league and is behind maybe only Kobe in skill. Things haven't panned out with Yao so maybe a change of scenery will revive him. Bonzi Wells only has a season left on his contract and could free up some cap space. In the meantime, he has flashes of brilliance on both sides of the ball and would add some toughness to the Lakers.

Rockets: The Rockets would get a breath of fresh air. Kobe's worked with a high-caliber center before and maybe he can help Yao get back to what he was promised to be. He can certainly score and play defense and again, a change in scenery could help revive him. Radmanovic would again be a third scoring option and I think could be a bigger threat with defenses keying on Ming and Bryant.

Kobe to New Jersey

Bryant really wanted to play with Jason Kidd. What player wouldn't? Besides Nash he is the most creative point guard in the league and wants to get his scores the ball. Vince Carter is untradable (not because he's better than Kobe, because he has a Trade Restriction) so they'd have to give up Richard Jefferson. They'd also have to give up some promising players and again that first round pick. However, a team with Carter-Kidd-Bryant would be unstoppable in the East and maybe even unstoppable against the west.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant to the New Jersey Nets for Richard  Jefferson, Sean Williams, Nenad Krstic, Bostjan Nachbar, and a 2008 First Round Pick

Lakers: The Lakers would get Richard Jefferson to keep their scoring up and a promising young point guard to help lead the team. Krstic has been a surprise and could be a real asset to the Triangle. Nachbar also shows some promise but would open up a couple million in cap space if the Lakers decided not to resign him after next season. 

New Jersey Nets: This would set up an epic match up between the Nets and Celtics in the playoffs. Which big three would succeed? I don't know. The Celtics would have a hard time stopping Kobe and Carter plus the Nets have something the Celts don't: a true point guard. I think the Nets would come out on top and challenge for the championship. Again, the Nets window is closing and they need to do something to win now.

Conclusion

None of these trades will happen. However, it's always fun to speculate. My favorite trade is with the Suns because I believe that would spell championship. However, I would also like the Nets trade simply because it would be fun to watch them obliterate the East. All in all, Kobe will simply walk away in 2009 and the Lakers will struggle to rebuild. Buss should try to get something for him now but they will never get equal value for him.

So these are some random scenarios. Let me know what you think but I'm really interested to see if there are any other interesting trades you would have in mind (be creative!). Peace.

MVP!
We had the typical names listed as MVP candidates: Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki. Some did speak of Davis but not very much. As the Mavericks rolled, the Suns ran teams off the floor, and Kobe Bryant continued to amaze those three ascended to the top of the talk again.

But after watching this series I believe Baron Davis should be the MVP. Without him this team probably does not make the playoffs. Without him they definitely don't beat the Mavericks.

He got hurt early in tonight's game and it looked like he might not come back. Even when he first entered the game he looked like he would be totally ineffective, a liability even. Instead, he reached within himself and played a beautiful game leading his team to a convicing victory over the hapless Dallas Mavericks.

Baron Davis, who I think is a jerk make no mistake, has tremendous heart. He did everything he could to will his team to victory (not just in the playoffs but in the late part of the season). The crowd rang out with chants of MVP and I couldn't agree more.

Golden State Warriors
There seems to be a stereotype that plagues the NBA, two actually. First, if you have a run-and-gun offense you can't or don't play defense. Two, if you are coached by Don Nelson you aren't concered with defense. Both are false. While Nellie certainly emphasises offensive production he did a good job of stopping the Mavs. The Warriors played swarming, attacking defense that forced the Mavericks into mistakes.

That's a big deal; you don't have to take the ball away, you just make them give it up. That's what the Warriors did. They attacked the ball handlers so fast they got flustered and lost composure, especially Dirk Nowitzki. Warriors basketball is fun basketball, high scoring and high pressure. High intensity on both ends of the floor. The Warriors have a lot of heart and it will be fun to see how far that heart takes them.

Dirk Nowitzki
Wow. Just wow. Talk about a guy with a ton of talent and absolutely no heart. Rather than responding with aggression and confidence when challenged he just curls up with a David Hasselhoff tape and some ice cream. Dirk Nowitzki is in no way a leader and should not be handed the reigns of a team.

Dirk needs a new home; the Mavericks need a new focus. How can the team collectively have heart if their so-called leader has none? Perhaps Josh Howard can turn things around. He was the Mavs best player during the series and maybe his desire can fuel the Mavericks to victory?

Whatever happens it's time for Dirk to move on. It was a good run, but he clearly doesn't have what it takes to take the Mavericks home. The Mavericks should look to get a true big man who can get on the block and beat some people up. I thought they made a good choice in keeping Dirk and not trading for Shaq, but I guess I was wrong.

In a related matter I'm selling two Dirk Nowitzki jerseys. One home and one away, both in mint condition as they are far too big for me to actually wear.

Mavericks Next Step
First, they must trade Dirk Nowitzki. The longer they waste time on him the longer it will be before they get to the Finals again. They can still get some good value for him and he'll make a great role-player on another team.

Perhaps they should send him to LA? Kobe Bryant basically gave the organization an ultimatum: get me some help or I'm out of here after next year. Dirk would provide some great help. Get him back on the perimetter where a weak player like him belongs and watch the threes drop.

The Mavericks could get maybe Lamar Odom and Luke Walton in return or maybe Vladimir Radmanovic? I think they should definitely go after Odom. Another possibility could be to send him to the Timberwolves but I fear what else they'd have to give up for Garnett. I'd rather keep Dirk on the roster, maybe as a 6th man?

How Far Will They Go?
Back to the Warriors. I think they'll beat either the Jazz or the Rockets. Phoenix versus San Antonio will be a good one. I like the Spurs (and will root for them) but part of me hopes/thinks Phoenix will win and we'll have Phoenix vs Golden State in the Western Conference Finals. Now that will be some exicting basketball!

I'm calling Chicago over Detroit. Chicago's playing well and I really like their dynamic. Ben Wallace has given them a real presence in the paint and their roster is solid. It's going to 7 games but I'm picking da Bulls. Cleveland over which ever team they face ultimately to fall to Chicago!

Phoenix over the Bulls in the Finals (6 games tops) and Steve Nash gets himself a title.

Final Thought on Mavs-Warriors
They say it's all about matchups, well I guess it's true. The Warriors had the Mavericks number all season. The Mavericks showed they were afraid of them by sitting the starters in the last regular season game against them. They said they were resting them but I'm pretty sure Avery only wanted the subs to lose so he's team wouldn't be traumatized. Turns out they were anyway.

The Warriors showed heart and deserved to win this series. But I hate Matt Barnes. Mostly for the hair, and I think he's a punk. I hate Stephen Jackson, cause he's a punk and nothing but. And I don't really like Baron Davis, just cause I think he has a bad attitude. But they played with heart and won the series. For that I give them credit and I really do like watching Warriors basketball. But now that my Mavs are out my loyalty shifts to the steady Spurs. Let's go San Antonio!

Who will win the Western Conference Finals?

Mavs Set NBA Record

There's no question the best conference in the NBA is the Western Conference. And chances are nine of anyone's top ten teams will hail from the other side of the Mississippi. With the possibly exception of the Detroit Pistons, I would be completely shocked if an Eastern Conference team took home the title.

With that said there's been a great deal of debate about who the Best team in the Western Conference, and therefore the NBA, is. I've seen people arguing about how this team or that team is better than their record suggests. Or how they'll #### up the heat in the playoffs. Or how their winning streak is the deffinition of greatness.

Specifically, I've heard about how the Phoenix Suns are going to be the NBA champions after this season is over. I've heard about how their "historic" winning streak is a message to the rest of the NBA. I've seen people outright pick the Suns over the Mavs in the playoffs. But after this how can you really believe that?

I know some will be cute and will say, "they beat the Hawks. The Hawks suck, this is meaningless." What about the 19 other teams they've beaten on their home court? Or all the other teams they've been in their 12-game winning streaks? The Suns have been included in one of those streaks. The Mavericks have also beaten every team that they could face in the playoffs. That's something the Suns can't claim.

Personally, I can't wait for the Western Conference playoffs. There are some great teams out there. The Spurs are heating up, Rockets are battling, Suns are awesome, Jazz, Nuggests, Clippers, and Lakers are all making some noise.

But it's undeniable the Dallas Mavericks are the best team in the Western Conference and the Best team in the NBA. No one can challenge them and I'm fully confident they will beat any of those teams in the playoffs and beat their opponent from the East to finally capture the trophy.

So, I was playing with the Trade Generator on ESPN.com. If you've never used it, it's a pretty cool and easy to use device so you can see how potential trades could shake up the league. It's very simplistic but is fun to use.

I decided I'd take a couple of the hottest trade rumors and combine them with Los Angeles Lakers, for reasons of pairing "somebody" with Kobe Bryant. I decided the four teams would be the Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, and the afore mentioned Los Angeles Lakers.

Here's the deal:
Los Angeles Lakers
G/F- Vince Carter (New Jersey Nets)
G- Mark Jaric (Minnesota Timberwolves)
F- Pau Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies)

Memphis Grizzlies
F- Vladimir Radmanovic (Los Angeles Lakers)
G- Jason Kidd (New Jersey Nets)
F- Kevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Minnesota Timberwolves
F/C- Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers)
G- Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies)
G- Richard Jefferson (New Jersey Nets)
F- Luke Walton (Los Angeles Lakers)
G- Eddie House (New Jersey Nets)
G- Damon Stoudamire (Memphis Grizzlies)

New Jersey Nets
G- Chucky Atkins (Memphis Grizzlies)
G- Aaron McKie (Los Angeles Lakers)
F- Brian Cardinal (Memphis Grizzlies)
F- Ronny Turiaf (Los Angeles Lakers)
F/C- Eddie Griffin (Minnesota Timberwolves)
G- Ricky Davis (Minnesota Timberwolves)
F/C- Kwame Brown (Los Angeles Lakers)
F/C- Stromile Swift (Memphis Grizzlies)

Potential Starting Rosters
Los Angeles Lakers
PG- Jordan Farmar/Smush Parker
SG- Kobe Bryant
PF- Pau Gasol
SF- Vince Carter
C- Chris Mihm
Analysis: Talk about a run and gun team. My concern would be point play but I think a team with this talent could over come that. Don't know how well this team would gel but I think their run and gun style would be fun to watch. Can you imagine the playoff games between this team and Phoenix? 120+ every night.

Memphis Grizzlies
PG- Jason Kidd
SG- Tarence Kinsey
PF- Hakim Warick
SF- Rudy ####
C- Kevin Garnett
Analysis: The Gizz are trying to be a run and gun team and this lineup would help them achieve that goal. Not to mention pairing Kevin Garnett and Jason Kidd. They have too many weaknesses to be a contender in the West but would be more exciting to watch. And who knows, maybe after a draft, free agency, swing a trade or two...
Given time, I wouldn't bet against a team anchored by Jason Kidd and Kevin Garnett but they'd have to build fast as both (Kidd especially) are aging. The Grizzlies need a spark despertely and this infusion of super star talent would certainly give them that.

Minnesota Timberwolves
PG- Damon Stoudamire
SG- Richard Jefferson
PF- Lamar Odom
SF- Luke Walton
C- Mark Blount
Analysis: Clearly losing Kevin Garnett would be a huge blow and probably a death blow to this season. But the Timberwovles don't really have a shot now and need to realize that and start fresh. They'd get a few good young pieces in Walton, House, and Miller and a couple stout vets in Jefferson and Odom.
This would give them options as to where to go in the future and would get rid of their irrational marriage to Kevin Garnett. Don't get me wrong KG is an amazing talent, but the franchise seems unable to put anything around him and his contract is imobilizing them. This team wouldn't be good this year but it could be the foundations of a successful future.

New Jersey Nets
PG- Chucky Atkins
SG- Ricky Davis
PF- Stromile Swift
SF- Antoine Wright
C- Kwame Brown
Analysis: This team would be losing three staples in Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson but they're another team that needs to move on. They've got some good young talent and need to unload those big contracts and develop for the future. This trade would create a bit of a logjam at the Forward and Center position but that could open up more trades for them later. Chucky Atkins expiring contract would give them another season before elevating Marcus Williams to their starting spot.
They would get a true center in "Baby Shaq" and Stromile Swift flashes the occasional greatness. In any case, this would be an atheletic team that would be fun to watch and hopefully develop into a contender in a few years.

Well, there you have it. Here is the link to the original Trade Machine results and I encourage you to play with it yourself.

This was entirely random with multiple teams and big names invovled. There are countless flaws with this trade and this would never really happen. I only ask you to consider it and let me know how you think this would shake up the NBA and what would be of these teams and players (both this year and down the road).

Thanks and have fun with the Trade Machine. Peace.

So Kobe Bryant put up 81 points the other night. Wow!! That's insane, especially when some entire NBA teams seem to have trouble putting up that many. For years we've recognized Kobe's talent. To say he's "an elite player" is an understatement. Coming right out of highschool Kobe was hyped from the beginning and took off. He always had confidence in his ability, even when others may not have, and was willing to take the big shots. You could even make an arugment that Kobe has as much talent as Michael Jordan himself. A few may even try to say Kobe is more talented than Michael.

There is a case that could be made not just for Kobe but for a few other players. However, what Michael Jordan had was unbelievable talent and equally unbelievable heart. He played every game with an intensity many other players seem to lack. And while he was always ready to take that final, game-deciding shot he was just as quick to trust his team mates with that task (see Steve Kerr) if that had a better chance. Michael Jordan had personal problems with some of his team mates but he got over them. In fact he and the aforementioned Kerr actually came to blows, but that didn't stop them from playing championship basketball together. Michael Jordan had uncanny heart and uncanny love for the game. As big as he was he always recognized the game was bigger than him, something I don't think Kobe does. And it's for this reason that Kobe has dismantled one of the most dynamic teams of our generation and drove one of the greatest coaches of all time to retirement. Now, he's putting up 81 points but continuing to alienate his team mates (they're the others on the court wearing the same color as Kobe) and who knows the what his relationship with Phil is really like.

Sure Michael got a big head at times. Sure he had some personal problems with his team mates. Sure he essentially controled the team. But he never let any of that take over. It was always about winning. It was always about the championships. If it took Michael leading the stat sheet in assists he'd do it. If it took points, he'd sink the shots. If it took defense he'd get the steals. Kobe doesn't do that. Kobe is all about Kobe. The team wins when he plays like he did last night, but it won't every night. And until he gets that untangible something he will never be in the same league as Michael.

          After the Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA finals (something every proponent of team basketball enjoyed), everyone knew changes were on the way in Los Angeles. Kobe was thinking about moving down the hall to the Clippers, Shaq wanted out, and Phil was pretty much done. In that year another superstar was demanding a trade some 3,000 miles away. That man was Tracy McGrady, arguably as good or better than Bryant. Many teams were interested in aquired Byrant, Shaq or McGrady most especially the Lakers. Ultimately, Bryant re-signed for the maximum, O'Neal was shipped to Miami, and T-Mac joined Yao Ming in Houston.

During all these things though T-Mac and Shaq made a push to get together in Dallas, citing their friendship. This didn't happen mainly because Cuban was unwilling to part with super star Dirk Nowitzki, particuarly to send him to LA. But let's assume that Buss pulls off one of the greatest turnarounds in sports history. He has a little meeting with Shaq and Jackson and explains his master plan, this leaves them with warm feelings and smiles on their faces.

Shortly after signing Kobe Bryant for just a little less than the maximum it appeared Shaq and Phil were gone. A few days later, however, a huge trade is announced that shocks the NBA world. Kobe Bryant and Gary Payton will be shipped to Orlando for Tracy McGrady and Juwan Howard.

Phil Jackson then signs a multi-year extension and Shaq renegotiates a small salary reduction in exchange for a long term deal. It appears that the Lakers have staked their future on the "Diesel" and the "Zen Master." They have a bonafide super star guard in Tracy McGrady and a good forward in Juwan Howard. Karl Malone annouces he will return for another season in LA.

McGrady plays a mixed role as point guard/shooting guard/small forward. Shaq loses some weight and gains some energy. Karl Malone remains powerful at times and is rotated with Juwan Howard. Meanwhile, Bryant and Payton lead the Magic to a playoff apearance where they are handled by the first place Pistons. The Lakers go on to defeat the Spurs in 7 games. They then go on to beat the Pistons in 5 games and usher in a new era for the Lakers...