| Kobe And Deng: The Next Jordan And Pippen? Authored by Brent Diggins - June 25, 2007 - 1:59 pm
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Any NBA observer can, in Yoga Berra-like fashion, tell you that “nobody’s traded until they’re traded.” That’s to say that NBA teams and GMs will always tell you that they aren’t looking to trade a certain player or they haven’t had “discussions” because that’s part of their job. They have to maintain something called plausible deniability for the sake of their credibility, team chemistry and fan base. What many NBA and sport fans DO know is that when a superstar demands a trade, it usually happens.
Why Will It Happen?
There is no other team that can offer the Lakers what the Bulls can and may be willing to. In any package, the Bulls can offer two to three good young players and a draft pick. Some combination of Ben Gordon, Andres Nocioni (in a sign and trade), Tyrus Thomas, Chris Duhon and the #9 draft pick (either picked for the Lakers or otherwise) gives the Lakers young talent that they can build around in the coming years because, let’s face it, even if the Lakers add a Jermaine O’ Neal to a Kobe, they aren’t going to the NBA Finals anytime soon. Notice the omission of Luol Deng? He is a must keep for the Bulls in any deal, period. On a lesser note, it is underestimated how much GMs think about trading within their own conference. This East-West trade makes it much more appealing to both teams.
We also know that Kobe, both in the past and recently, has indicated that he would love to play in Chicago. He would flourish there and both Kobe and his corporate sponsors would enjoy the spotlight of the second city, which isn’t as bright as New York or Los Angeles’, but is bright enough nationally and internationally to appease everyone. Kobe fits the city of Chicago and the Bulls’ blue collar attitude. The fans will embrace him for his hard work and candidness, just as they embraced Jordan. It is well known that Jordan, despite his corporate image, wasn’t all he wasn’t cracked up to be off the court and with his teammates, but it was accepted in Chicago because he played hard and won.
Why It Won’t Happen?
The biggest question relates to the trade itself. Can the Bulls pull together enough salaries to get Kobe? The only two people on the Bulls slated to make over five million in 2007-08 are Ben Wallace and Kirk Hinrich. At this point, there isn’t a team that is going to touch Wallace’s contract, and from all indications it seems that the Bulls are in love with Hinrich. That means the Bulls have to give up some talented quantity to get the job done, leaving them with holes all over the place to fill in free agency and through other trades.
In Los Angeles, they like stars and Kobe is one of those. While a new team of Lakers could win more games than the Kobe led Lakers, will the stars come out to see a bunch of solid basketball players that get the job done without the glitz and glamour? A forty-win team with Kobe is much more appealing than a forty-win team without him. People will pay to see Kobe win or lose.
On the Bulls side, John Paxson has done a nice job putting together and grooming young talent. Is he willing to ship off some of his successes at such a young age? Players like Gordon, Thomas and the potential draft pick player could turn out to be major stars.
Furthermore, can and are the Bulls willing to spend $45 million on 3 players (Kobe, Wallace, and Hinrich)? If so, what about Deng in a year? Plain and simple, the Bulls can eat the luxury tax for a shot at the championship with Kobe. Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf opened his pockets to help the Chicago White Sox (his other team) win a championship, and he needs to do the same with the Bulls. A luxury tax can easily be forgotten about when you are moving tons of merchandise, selling out the arena and getting better TV and radio deals.
What’s the best bet?
In clear eyes, a trade would be win-win trade for both teams and that is why there’s smoke surrounding the Bulls and Lakers. In my estimation, the Bulls would have to ship off Gordon, Nocioni (in a sign and trade), Duhon and the #9 pick. Depending on Nocioni’s contract, there may have to be more signing and trading or the Lakers would have to eat Michael Sweetney’s (before he eats them) contract for a year. Where there is a will, there is way.
What will the Lakers look like?
Their line-up may look like:
PG--Chris Duhon: An upgrade over Smush or Farmar. With his smarts and defense, he’ll fit the triangle well.
SG--Ben Gordon: Outside of Kobe, not too many big scoring twos in the West so it’d be a good fit especially on the defensive side. His shooting makes him a triangle star.
SF--Andres Nocioni: Nocioni is better for my dollar than Walton. They are similar offensively, but Nocioni is the better defender.
PF--Lamar Odom: Give him room to operate in the post and good outside shooters in Gordon and Nocioni and he’ll flourish. He’ll be better without Kobe, period.
C--Andrew Bynum: He’s their pet and they’ll get to keep him.
Bench:
#9 pick: In this talented draft, they can fill a variety of positions.
Kwame Brown: He should be on the bench. His chance has passed.
Others: Vladimir Radmonovic, Maurice Evans, Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, Brian Cook
Forecast: The Lakers would be younger, more talented overall and would have more cap flexibility going into the future. They would play better under a team concept with each player contributing, and they’ll have three nice scoring options. After next season, Brown, Duhon and Gordon could be let go making the Lakers a MAJOR free agent player, and they’ll be borderline playoff this year with much less headache. The Lakers also hedge themselves for losing Kobe in the future.
What will the Bulls look like?
Their line-up may look like:
PG—Kirk Hinrich: Can he average over 10 apg with Kobe? His disappearing acts won’t look so bad with Kobe picking him up.
SG—Kobe Bryant: He has a great supporting cast and a legit shot at the finals. That’s what he wants, right?
SF—Luol Deng: Single coverage and open shots alongside Kobe makes Deng happy. Look for him to hit 20 ppg.
PF—Tyrus Thomas: Score 10-12 ppg, rebound and play D…and stay out of foul trouble. That’s all he needs to do.
C—Ben Wallace: The defensive anchor remains.
Bench:
Thabo Sefolosha: Learning from the best can only make him better.
???: The Bulls would need to do some serious signing, but how deep do they really need to be? With this team, they could attract some low priced vets who are looking for that ring (P.J. Brown included).
Forecast: A Kobe led Bulls team above would have to be the odds on favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference. With the Pistons and Heat in disarray, and the Cavs having major holes, this well balanced team might be the best defensive team in the NBA. They’ll have three all defensive players in the starting line-up, but this time with a go-to-scorer and winner. Look out East.
Are they the next Jordan and Pippen?
So if this all plays out and the Bulls do have Kobe and Deng in the backcourt, can they lead the Bulls to multiple championships like Jordan and Pippen?
While nobody can say what Kobe and Deng’s future holds, the comparison is natural. Two players with tremendous talent at the SG and SF positions in Chicago are what Bulls fans are used to and what their dreams are made of. If Kobe and Deng can lead them to a quarter of the Bulls’ dynasty teams, then it’ll all be worth it.
Brent Diggins is a freelance writer, an avid NBA fan, and the President of Diggs Communications, a Phoenix based marketing firm. You can reach him at brentd@diggspr.com. |
