| Say No To Kobe Authored by Matthew Gordon - November 4, 2007 - 2:01 pm
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Kobe wanting to be traded has created a league-wide stir. It has a different feel from the usual star frenzy, though, for two key reasons: one, Kobe has a no-trade clause that only he can veto, thus allowing him to nix any potential transaction involving him if he so chooses; and two, his recent string of 30+ scoring seasons along with his incredibly large salary and still young age mean that any team wanting to acquire him will be gutted.
With rumors flying about Kobe going to the Bulls for all kinds of astronomic packages and John Paxson having to address Kobe in the media almost as much as his own players, it makes sense to divide any talk about Kobe’s situation into two categories; the Bulls and everyone else. As in many cases, such as the Celtics’ acquisition of Kevin Garnett at the end of July, there is a clear front-runner in this race.
Unlike with Garnett, is this even a good thing? Should the Bulls even want to be the front-runner for Kobe? Furthermore, with very few other teams having the assets to obtain him, is there any team willing to strip its roster clean for the chance to have him? In Chicago’s case, despite a sluggish start, it simply isn’t worth it.
Bull Factors
Gordon and Deng
The main names being mentioned in Kobe trade rumors to Chicago have (rightfully) been those of Ben Gordon and Luol Deng. Both players have played three seasons in the league and are looking very impressive. Gordon and Kirk Hinrich make up one of the league’s best backcourts despite the former being twenty-four and the latter being twenty-six. Deng complements them well, providing the Bulls with post play, rebounding and defense from the three spot.
Why change a thing?
Kobe’s main attributes, at least in terms of what they would give the Bulls, come in the form of his slashing, outside shooting and defense. Gordon gives both for twenty a night and Deng is capable of guarding anyone too big for Hinrich. The team has a bright future; adding Kobe, who could be past his prime by the time players like Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah are hitting their strides, isn’t worth it for the price that would have to be paid.
Alternately, if the Bulls were to keep Deng and Hinrich but trade virtually everyone else, there would barely be enough bodies left to occupy the floor. Kobe and Deng would be destructive at the swing spots but on the inside, there wouldn’t be much behind a power tandem of Ben Wallace and Aaron Gray that’s half unproven and half in decline. The Bulls’ backcourt reliance would be even more centralized, with Kobe and Deng likely having to combine for 50 points whenever the Bulls want to win.
Salary concerns
Kobe Bryant is making at least $19 million each of the next four seasons, topping out at an enormous $24 million in 2011. No matter who you’re getting, that is a lot of money. With so much strength already on the perimeter, why shell out that much for skill sets that are already there? No single player on that team is eligible to make nearly that amount of money, which is a frightening reality for the cap even if Kobe’s a marketing boon. The Bulls could find themselves facing unwelcome salary restriction not from ownership but from the collective bargaining agreement, with very little wiggle room and almost every usable free agent signed.
The other side of the salary problem is whether a Bulls team with Kobe would be improved enough to justify the financial outpour. If the Bulls are lacking a championship ingredient, it’s a dominant seven-footer. If a player like Pau Gasol or Jermaine O’Neal ends up on the market, that would be a much better acquisition; a big man who can score and play some defense as well as fit into a team concept would be ideal. As great as Kobe is, there’s one thing he isn’t and will never be, and that’s the twenty-point, ten-rebound, two-block player that could elevate the Bulls to the title.
League Factors
Removal of depth
Any team other than the Bulls wanting to trade for Kobe may find itself even thinner. Most teams would have to trade at least three or four players only to match Kobe’s salary, let alone his talent level; in other cases, such as the rumor sending Kobe to the Wizards for a package featuring Gilbert Arenas, whatever sweetener the Wizards would be forced to include would strip the team.
Most teams’ rosters currently go about eight or nine quality men deep, of which the Lakers could demand half. In such a situation, with the rotation facing upheaval during the season, Kobe’s recipients would need to take some time thinking about how they could put enough players around Kobe to stop him from being in the exact same situation he’s facing now. Even retaining a minor star, a young prospect and some decent role players hardly looks better than Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum and the Lakers’ role players, a situation Kobe is currently looking to avoid.
Once a pouter, always a pouter?
If there’s one redeeming quality about Kobe’s trade demand, it’s that he is being honest: he doesn’t feel like the Lakers organization is doing enough to help him win. Coming from an incredible talent with a strong work ethic, that’s a fair request. Hypothetically, then, Kobe wants to end up somewhere with a great chance to win for the duration of his prime. Looking up and down the league’s rosters, there’s virtually no one with the capability to win much after the aforementioned roster clean out.
In that event, what’s to stop Kobe from demanding out of his new home in a couple years’ time? Barring a team acquiring Kobe, getting knocked out of the playoffs early this year and then making a second giant run in the summer, there’s no real indication that Kobe will be happy. With blockbuster trades being incredibly difficult to execute, even more so when half of your rotation has already been converted into one player, there’s no guarantee that Kobe could be surrounded by any group of talent approaching the Shaq-led teams that brought him his fame.
Getting a thirty-point per game scorer with one of the best all-around skill sets in basketball seems great. Getting a marketable star who can revive pretty much any franchise is great. Getting a player earning $19 million who could start whining if his team can’t put it together in a short period of time isn’t. For some teams, namely those unsure of their current and future standing, it could be a worthwhile gamble. For a team with a high-arcing outlook and a specific need like the Bulls, it could be a disaster. Whether Kobe gets traded or stays in LA, or whether either even happens for the right reasons, it’ll be fun to see. Let’s hope whatever team does get him, if he goes, has a player who will fit its system and is happy to be there. |
