Why no one minds Kobe's sting
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
From the archives:
Kobe Bryant absolutely, must be traded. Staying with the team is an "impossibility," says his agent.
Last fall, before the Lakers morphed into contenders?
Hardly.
(And shouldn't you be ready for our fake-outs by now?)
Try 1996 on for size.
As occasionally referenced during today's National Celebration of Beans, Kobe was originally a Charlotte Hornet; the team snatched him at no. 13, the final pick of the 1996 lottery, before swapping him for the Lakers' Vlade Divac. Of course, this is one of those footnotes in NBA history that many fans do know, and imagining a league without the trade--one of the "most lopsided" in history--can be fun. Minus his All-Star wingman, would Shaq have won any rings in L.A.? Might he have wanted to come partner with Kobe, instead of Dwyane?
But forget "What If."
Instead, let's ask "Why"--as in Why has Kobe always gotten a free pass over demanding out of Charlotte? Why does no one question that he forced a trade from a franchise that crumbled a few years later?
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Think about that for a second. We'd bet you've never really considered it a black mark on Kobe's career. And you wouldn't be alone.
Take Kobe's detractors, who are quick to seize on any anti-Mamba ammunition; unfairly or not, here's their common criticism from across the 'net:
1. Kobe's selfish.
2. And phony.
3. He'll cheat during the game.
4. And on his wife.
5. Bah--who needs a reason to hate Kobe? It's just fun.
Of course, Kobe doesn't have a stranglehold on labels like "selfish", "phony," and "philandering" among professional athletes; however, while many fans hate draft-dodgers--especially those who mess up a franchise's fortunes--even Kobe's worst enemies won't bring up the Charlotte trade demand. Note that other star athletes, like the following three, still take considerably more criticism for asking out on draft day; just look at any blog post about Steve Francis's flagging career--at least one commenter always connects karma to Canada.
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Naturally, each draft-day trade demand plays out differently, leading to varying degrees of acrimony and fan grumbling, although players can mend fences with time and actions. Consider Yi Jianlian; once he recanted his desire to escape Milwaukee and started the year strong, he became a fan favorite. Meanwhile, Danny Ferry--a top prospect himself, so many years ago--stuck to his guns when drafted by the Clippers and postponed the NBA; while Ferry burned many bridges, he eventually became a respected player in his late career and was hired as Cleveland's GM.
In Kobe's case, he's never needed to apologize to the Hornets, and the intervening years aren't the reason why--he wasn't grilled much to begin with. Instead, here are the five key reasons why Bryant's rejection of Charlotte didn't draw much eyre then or now.
1. Because Charlotte didn't want him, anyway.
It seems ludicrous in retrospect, but the Hornets felt they were set on the perimeter, with swingmen Glen Rice, Larry Johnson, and Kendall Gill, and guards Kenny Anderson and Dell Curry. Instead, the team was desperately looking for size, and hoping that...drum roll, please...Todd Fuller or Vitaly Potapenko would fall to them in the draft.
According to then-Hornets Coach Dave Cowens, if the team couldn't select either of these franchise-changing players, "I don't know what we'll do...[probably] take some Maalox."
Action shot of Fuller. Or Potapenko. Or maybe both. Now that we think about it, they were never seen shuffling down the same basketball court at the same time...
The Hornets also worried about projecting a high school player's development on the NBA level, given that only three preps-to-pros were selected between 1975 and 1995; with few comparisons, it was difficult to predict if an 18-year-old was the next Bill Willoughby or Kevin Garnett, and it was even harder to project the transition for a high school guard. Moreover, the Hornets feared that they'd spend several years teaching and cultivating an under-prepared teenager...just in time for another team to swoop in, when the player's rookie contract expired.
As a result--and with Fuller and Potapenko sadly off the board at nos. 11 and 12--Charlotte was merely picking for Lakers GM Jerry West, who'd eyed Bryant as a piece for a new-look in L.A.
2. Because the trade demand only mattered for a few days.
Kobe's Hollywood dreams didn't go public until after the draft, when Divac said he'd rather retire than leave L.A.--forcing Charlotte to explore other trade possibilities. (Whoops). Arn Tellem, Bryant's agent, immediately insisted that Kobe "is going to be a Laker, and that's the only team he's playing for"; this kept with Tellem's secret pre-draft strategy, when he'd warned other lottery teams not to pick Kobe, since he would only play for the Lakers. Scared away, the New Jersey Nets used their no. 8 draft pick on shooting guard Kerry Kittles instead. In retrospect, maybe they lost that game of chicken?
However, Kobe's demand only stood for a few days before Divac relented and agreed to be dealt; unlike Francis visibly sulking through the 1999 NBA Draft, Elway calling his own press conference to demand out, or even the messy circus last year, Kobe's "get me to L.A." demand was handled reasonably quickly and by proxy. Plus, when pressed by reporters, Kobe successfully deployed the "I'm just 17 years-old--what could I possibly know about where to play?" defense--in retrospect, the best defense that he played all rookie season.
3. Because the Hornets were immediately successful.
Unlike the similarly scorned Colts or Grizzlies, which languished for years after being rejected by potential franchise-changers, the Hornets promptly improved after dealing their wayward draft pick. While no superstar, Divac was a nice upgrade over incumbent center Matt Geiger, as he and fellow acquisition Anthony Mason gave the Hornets one of the great-passing frontcourts of recent years.
In fact, the Hornets were much better at exceeding short-term expectations than the Lakers, who had championship aspirations after adding Shaq to replace Divac. Despite preseason predictions that the Hornets were lottery-bound again, the 1996-1997 squad rolled to 54-28, the best record* in the franchise's 20-year history, and won another 51 games the next season.
* Until next month.
4. Because Kobe quickly had success elsewhere.
Unlike Francis, whose career appears to be winding down and will never escape the shadow of Vancouver, Kobe obviously bloomed in Los Angeles. Sure, the first few years had some rough moments--several playoff airballs against the Jazz stand out--but Kobe got so good, so fast, and won three titles before he turned 24.
Just as Eli no longer has to answer questions regarding his forced deal to the NY Giants, Kobe proved he was worthy of special accommodations long ago.
5. Because the Hornets didn't fail in Charlotte because of him.
It would take an incredibly evil and conniving athlete to force a trade simply to destroy a franchise--and even Mamba's biggest detractors wouldn't say he's that Machiavellian. Instead, most of the blame rests with owner George Shinn, whose personal scandals ruined the Hive's sweet thing; by 2001, local hatred of Shinn had helped drop average Hornet attendance to under 12,000, with some games dipping into the four digits.
Of course, having a draw like Bryant in his prime could have boosted the Hornets at the gate. But when Kobe asked out in 1996, the team was selling out at home--even during a .500 season--and how could he foresee Shinn's coming troubles? Bryant can do many things, but as the Bynum and Kupchak brouhaha proved, predicting the future isn't among his skills.
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See--you didn't have to worry, Kobe Bryant fans; for today's national Wagyu Cattle Holiday, even potentially critical blog posts of Mamba are gently explained away.
Of course, this whole post broaches on an even-deeper question: Should professional athletes be able to demand their way out of a league's entry draft?
...
You know what? We'll save that one for Leon Wood Day.
Labels: Charlotte Hornets, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets
posted by Crucifictorious @ 02:55,
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Getting real: NBA Pacific Division preview
Thursday, November 1, 2007
If you've somehow missed all the NBA previews--or are simply jonesin' for more--top bloggers helped We Rite Goode boil the season down to a few catchy soundbites that can be used to impress at cocktail parties or keggers. After you've read our methodology here, check out what bloggers see in store for Kobe, Baron, and Bibby.
1. Phoenix Suns
Steve Goldman, Born and Raised
Forget what they need to do; here's what they will do: It is difficult to predict exactly what will happen, but some things are pretty much certain. Phoenix will win at least 55 games, win the Pacific Division, and will make the conference semi-finals. Depending on who the opponent is and how the team performs on game day, the Suns may get to the conference finals, and possibly even the NBA finals.
Reasoning: The Suns have one of the strongest rosters in the league. They have three players who are likely to make the all-star team (Nash, Stoudemire, Marion) plus Grant Hill, Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa backing them up. Last year, the Suns went 61-21 (.744). This season, the Suns roster is improved, so it is perfectly reasonable to expect the results to improve. This team has the potential to win the championship, and we shall soon see if the Suns manage to unleash their potential and go all the way.
2. Golden State Warriors
Ty Keenan, Plissken at the Buzzer
Forget what they need to do; here's what they will do: Win 40-45 games, sneak into the playoffs, and lose to a non-Dallas opponent in the first round. Baron only plays in 65 games, Captain Jackson gets suspended three times, Monta vomits all over the playoffs again, and Marco's awesomeness only gets him to the Top 10.
Reasoning: I love this team to death, but they still play an incredibly risky style, which means that it could all come crashing down any minute now. I still think we're good enough to get to the playoffs, but I'm not expecting another matchup quite as felicitous as the one we had against the Mavs.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
Carter Blanchard, Plissken at the Buzzer
Forget what they need to do; here's what they will do: Limp in to the postseason at around .500 before a frustrating first-round loss to Phoenix for a third straight year. Bynum, while improved, fights for minutes with Kwame who still can't catch a pass and Mihm who looks rusty throughout the year. At some point, Kobe goes Mayo and randomly punches Sasha in the face.
Reasoning: The frontcourt will continue to be injury-prone and defensively-questionable, Fisher will be too old while Crittenton and Farmar will be too young, and Sasha probably deserves it on some level.
4. The best NBA team in Los Angeles--the L.A. Clippers
Clipper Steve, Clips Nation
Forget what they need to do; here's what they will do: There are actually two possible non-playoff scenarios, one that would still make me relatively happy, and the other that is the most likely. If the team were to start the season 4-20 without Brand, the Elton would take his sweet time coming back, and indeed they would finish near the bottom of the league. The silver lining on that turd of a season would be a high draft pick. More likely, the hole will be big, but not so big that Brand doesn't rush back - it'll be hard to keep him off the court anyway. A late season push will come up short, the Clippers will win 38 games and once again have the 17th best record in a league with 16 playoff teams. Hello 14th pick in the draft. Again. In this scenario, the team will also fail to develop their young players adequately - Thornton, Paul Davis and Josh Powell will be getting splinters in their butts while Ruben Patterson racks up big minutes in his one season stopover in LA.
Reasoning: Hey, it's the Clippers right? In 25 years, they've had things go reasonably well exactly once. Coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. has done a poor job of drafting talent and a worse job of developing it in four years on the job - his tendency is to play veterans, and he's got plenty to choose from with Patterson, Cat Mobley and Sam Cassell on this roster. They'll work hard, and they'll battle. But without Brand and with Cassell turning 38 in November, they simply won't have the talent on the floor to compete in the early going. They'll dig themselves a big whole in the 2 to 4 months Brand is out. But they'll be too proud (or too stupid) to tank outright and grab those ping pong balls.
5. Sacramento Kings
Tom Ziller, Sactown Royalty
Forget what they need to do; here's what they will do: 30ish wins, with an All-Star bid for Kevin Martin and a debatable return on Mike Bibby's head.
Reasoning: Reggie Theus is not Jesus, sorry. Kevin Martin seems primed for worldwide respek', and Bibby's cap number is too ornery to get a perfect package in return... so I assume at least another season of crap contract or a couple years of mediocrity will make the return flight in Sacramento.
Labels: Born and Raised, Clips Nation, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA preview, Phoenix Suns, Plissken at the Buzzer, Sacramento Kings, Sactown Royalty
posted by Crucifictorious @ 07:30,
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Wishful thinking: NBA Pacific Division preview
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
If you've somehow missed all the NBA previews--or are simply jonesin' for more--top bloggers helped We Rite Goode boil the season down to a few catchy soundbites that can be used to impress at cocktail parties or keggers. After you've read our methodology here, check out what bloggers see in store for Kobe, Baron, and Bibby.
1. Phoenix Suns
Steve Goldman, Born and Raised
What they need to do to make me happy: I'd be very happy if Phoenix win 60+ games. Some might say this is a big ask, but I know they can do it. Phoenix can make it to the Western Conference finals they will disappoint many fans if they fail. Leandro Barbosa should improve even more, and I'd like to see rookies DJ Strawberry and Alando Tucker prove that they deserve to be playing for such a great time.
Reasoning: The Suns' elimination from the playoffs at the hands of the Spurs was disappointing but San Antonio were a better team at the time. This year, I expect a different outcome if the two teams meet in the playoffs. After snapping up two good draft picks and signing Grant Hill, the Suns have more depth than last year. Barbosa.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
Carter Blanchard, Plissken at the Buzzer
What they need to do to make me happy: Go 48-34, make it past the first round, and generally look like second-tier contender. Individually, I'd like to see Bynum to contend for MIP, Odom to be in at least 70 games, Kobe to play the All-Star Game as a Laker, Crittenton to come in a surprising 3rd in ROY voting, and Ronny to play extended minutes without fouling out while warming the hearts of all of men and women the world over.
Reasoning: Healthy and happy there's no reason this team couldn't be sniffing the tail of Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio (and now Houston) like they were for the first third of last year. Bynum seems poised for a breakout, and preseason/summer league Critt has eased my Belinelli-envy ever so slightly.
3. Golden State Warriors
What they need to do to make me happy: Win more than 45 games, make it to the playoffs, and win a playoff series. Individually, Baron Davis plays 75 games, Captain Jackson only gets suspended two more times, Monta Ellis learns to hit the 20-foot jumper that made Tony Parker a star, and Marco Belinelli finishes in the Top 5 for ROY voting on coolness alone.
Reasoning: We still don't have enough of a post threat to challenge for a title, but that doesn't mean Nellieball can't continue to chip away at the Right Way monopoly. For this pinko commie fan, that's enough.
4. The best NBA team in Los Angeles--the L.A. Clippers
Clipper Steve, Clips Nation
What they need to do to make me happy: Win 42 games and squeak into the 8th spot in the Western Conference playoffs. Sure, they'll lose to the top seed (be it the Spurs, Mavs or Suns) - it would be gravy if they could make a decent showing. In addition, Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston both need to return from injury and play well this season. That's almost a given with EB - much more of an unknown with Livingston. Corey Maggette needs to lead the team in scoring in Brand's absence, and Chris Kaman needs to earn his $52M salary. Oh, and Al Thornton needs to be solid in his rookie year. And most importantly, the Clippers must finish ahead of the Lakers. That's all I'm asking for. It's not so much, really.
Reasoning: Last season, with the weight of expectations, the team underachieved. Back in familiar territory, with Brand injured and picked to finish near the bottom of the west by most experts, the Clippers are once-again their lovable underdog selves. If Brand can return from injury sooner rather than later (Jan. 1 would be a nice round number, and would be five months after the injury - aggressive but not unheard of), the team would closely resemble the team that took Phoenix to a game seven two seasons ago. Maggette and Cassell need to keep the team competitive until Brand returns. A playoff berth in a season as ill-fated as this would have the team ready to enter next season on the upswing again. It's not completely unrealistic - the top of the Western Conference is great, but the 8th spot has to go to someone - the Clippers just have to finish above the Lakers, the Hornets and the Grizz (forget Portland, Seattle, Sacramento and Minnesota). That's not that daunting.
5. Sacramento Kings
Tom Ziller, Sactown Royalty
What they need to do to make me happy: 40+ wins, which means competing for a playoff spot. Get Kevin Martin into the All-Star game. Get a youngster or draft pick and no bad contracts for Mike Bibby.
Reasoning for above: Because it's a fast trip to the bottom and a long journey up. (I remember the 1990s.) This team won't resemble a contender for years, but playoff contention is a nice distraction from the depression fed by the roster at large.
Labels: Born and Raised, Clips Nation, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA preview, Phoenix Suns, Plissken at the Buzzer, Sacramento Kings, Sactown Royalty
posted by Crucifictorious @ 18:16,
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