Has Kobe Bryant cost the Lakers Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Paul George and others?
Oct 20, 2014, 2:18 PM EDT
Kobe Bryant knows he’s a superstar.
He has won five championships. He ranks fifth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. He trains at a level not even Michael Jordan matched.
The Lakers traded a quality center for him before he ever played beyond high school. They jettisoned Shaquille O’Neal for him. They gave him a huge contract extension without him even having to negotiate for it.
Based on his own talent and the Lakers’ enabling, Kobe has every reason to believe he’s above everyone else.
[ RELATED: Kobe says ESPN voters who ranked him No. 40 in NBA players are 'idiots' ]
That’s why he can call out the Lakers’ front office. That’s why he can make the “selfish” demand the Lakers contend the next two seasons, even if their roster is more conducive to rebuilding. That’s why he can call ESPN voters who ranked him No. 40 in the NBA “idiots.”
But that sense of entitlement has become increasingly damaging as Kobe’s production has fallen in recent years. It’s one thing for Kobe to act spoiled when he has Shaq or Gasol helping him win rings.
I don’t know if Kobe could ever do it alone, but now he’ll have to if the Lakers have a chance of winning another title.
Because he keeps alienating everybody.
Henry Abbott of ESPN has written a fantastically detailed article on the ways Kobe serves as a detriment to the Lakers. It includes several stories of players shunning the Lakers, in part, due to Kobe’s presence.
Dwight Howard is one of the most famous examples. Sure, Kobe participated in Howard’s meeting with the Lakers during free agency, but it didn’t exactly go well. Abbott:
Kupchak, Howard’s closest ally on the team, prepped the Lakers’ pitch. One big point: Listen carefully. Another: Dress appropriately. “Our approach,” a Lakers source explained at the time, “is that we are interviewing for the job. We want to show that this is a place his dreams can come true.”
As the Lakers’ contingent settled into the conference room’s ergonomic chairs, it was clear that two-time MVP point guard Steve Nash, in a nice crisp shirt, listening attentively, was running Kupchak’s game plan. But Bryant showed up, according to a person in the room, in “hoops shorts, a T-shirt and a gold chain.” He had also packed an attitude.
When Howard asked why his teammates let the injured center take all the flak when the Lakers’ season went south, Nash said he didn’t know that Howard had felt that way and that had he known, he would have acted differently. Bryant, on the other hand, offered a crash course in developing thick skin and a mini lecture on learning how to win. Sources told ESPN Insider Chris Broussard that Bryant’s lecture was “a complete turnoff” for Howard.
Apparently, Kobe didn’t learn much from that. Even when he flew back to Los Angeles this summer for Carmelo Anthony’s free-agent meeting, Kobe wasn’t prepared. Abbott:
And the particular way that recruitment was botched — Bryant made news by flying home from Europe, but somehow wires got crossed and he missed the meeting anyway — reminded Lakers insiders of the manner in which he nearly alienated Steve Nash in 2012. In the days before LA acquired Nash, sources say, the point guard wanted to hear from Bryant that the Lakers’ star was amenable to having Nash control the ball much of the time — a key tenet of the D’Antoni offense from the Suns days. When Lakers brass asked Bryant to call Nash, Bryant failed to do so, saying he preferred that Nash call him. The pettiness took days to resolve and nearly scuttled the deal.
The Lakers got Nash, though he has been too old to help much. Paul George, though, is definitely not too old. Still, Kobe’s presence interfered. Abbott:
Paul George, Angelino through and through, had once been the team’s safest choice. But sources say one reason the two-way star had re-signed with the Pacers in the fall of 2013 instead was that he was turned off by the thought that Bryant would police his efforts.
There are other examples – including Ramon Sessions – in Abbott’s article, which also contains plenty of quotes from anonymous executives and agents painting an unfavorable picture of Kobe’s people skills. It’s worth reading.
To be fair, I think some of the criticism is overblown. George, for example, would have been a restricted free agent, and the Pacers paid him more than the Lakers could have. Blaming Kobe’s presence might be an easy cover for taking the money, the most common reason players sign somewhere but one that gets poor PR.
[ RELATED: Kobe would take Iggy Azalea over Nick Young ]
There are also always agendas from anonymous sources, and I’m sure Kobe has rubbed some the wrong way. This is an easy time to kick him while he’s down.
Some players (like Darius Morris) fondly recall their time playing with Kobe. Others (like Smush Parker) do not.
The view of Kobe is clearly mixed.
However, to anyone who claims Abbott is out to get Kobe and looked only for sources who had an axe to grind, I’m certain that’s not the case. It’s far more likely Abbott holds his opinion of Kobe because of what he’s learned talking to people.
Abbott’s article provides excellent insight into why some people perceive Kobe the way they do. Whether or not you agree, it’s worth reading.
-
- 5xchamp24 - Oct 20, 2014 at 5:24 PM
-
Enough already about Kobe, and his contract (the Lakers gave to him without negotiations, maybe kobe should have signed for less, but…….) and other players not liking him, and anything else you can make up. Kobe will go down as one of the greatest players in NBA history, plus 5 rings. Meanwhile these players that so call don’t want to play with him, will probably never win even 1 championship.
-
- sportsfan18 - Oct 20, 2014 at 8:46 PM
-
Yeah, he has 5 rings…
Shaq was “The Man” for his first 3. Uh, stats are online for those whose memoreis fail them about what Shaq did those seasons compared to Kobe.
Oh, look up the Fianlas stats too… simply Google “nba finals stats 2000″ and then any other season and go the the basketball reference dot com site
oh, check out the stats from the 2009 fianls too and you’ll see Pau out played Kobe.. by a LOT.
-
- blogsk3tball - Oct 21, 2014 at 4:00 AM
-
Hey, can you guys give my article a read and hit me with some feedback?
http://blogsketball.com/mikes-take-henry-abbott-kobe-bryant/
-
- kclanton80 - Oct 21, 2014 at 9:44 AM
-
I stopped reading you article when you said Abbot was a joke of a reporter. What evidence to you have to support such claims that he is making things up? Reporters use anonymous sources all the time to get out information that someone might not want their name attached to.
Your obviously a huge Kobe fan and are less than objective on the topic. You also need to edit you work a bit more.
-
- blogsk3tball - Oct 21, 2014 at 5:59 PM
-
Fair call on the edit work. i posted it in a bit of a rush.
The fact that he used paul george as a reference for not wanting to come to LA when he is was restricted and didn’t even hit free agency plus the fact PG wears #24 because of Kobe and the way he edited quotes from other pieces with out context to make them look like they were a lot worse than they actually were lead me to a conclusion that he was happy to reach or manipulate things for the sake of ratings.
-
- vg777 - Oct 21, 2014 at 4:40 PM
-
Annonymouns Executives combined have less rings than kobe (doubt the guys from the spurs were yapping their mouth).
Kobe is a a-hole, no doubt about it, but a 5 time NBA champion, and with 2 other Finals appearances. As far as making too much money – Joe Johnson makes 300k less than kobe, WTF has he done in his career?
-
- louie311 - Oct 20, 2014 at 5:53 PM
-
Kobe is the MAN.
-
- genericcommenter - Oct 20, 2014 at 5:53 PM
-
He plays basketball. Well. At an all-time elite level. He doesn’t have “people skills”? Boo hoo. I’m not his biggest fan or anything, but it bothers me when people cry over things like that. Very few people in the world reach those heights in any profession, and most are not good at everything. Most people who excel at one particular skill in an obsessed way are just not going to be “well-rounded.”
-
- iammr713 - Oct 20, 2014 at 6:21 PM
-
No one respects a “anonymous” executives and agents. If you’re going to say it, put your name on it. The guy who wrote the article could be his own anonymous source, who knows. Ramon Sessions declined to resign because LA traded for Nash & Session wanted to start. Once Nash came, LA offered Session a 1yr deal, Charlotte offered 3yrs & more $$. That’s why he left. No because of Kobe. I could point out so many wrong things in that article but would be a waste of my time. ESPN & Abbott upset they were called idiots so they fired back.
-
- ddarqwon - Oct 20, 2014 at 9:28 PM
-
Stop the revisionist history.
Ramon Sessions opted out long before LA pursued Nash.
Got anything else?
-
- bkbell3 - Oct 21, 2014 at 4:30 PM
-
The reason he opted out was to get more dollars and more years, which he got from charlotte. Also shaq has said that he wanted max dollars from the lakers and they didn’t want to pay him, that’s why he left. i heard shaq say this. The crap he said to howard though was bad and arrogant.
-
- iammr713 - Oct 26, 2014 at 9:48 PM
-
@ddarqwon You should tell the writer to stop with the “revisionist history”. He wrote the article. Ramon Sessions did the same exact thing Nick Young done this summer. Opt out of his contract to get a longer deal with LA.. Lakers were going to resign him to that longer deal till the Nash trade came about. You think he waited all summer to sign with The Bobcats? Believe that if you want.
-
- vg777 - Oct 21, 2014 at 4:51 PM
-
He also coudln’t crack the starting lineup of charlotte bobcats either… Hell of a talent there.
-
- mackcarrington - Oct 20, 2014 at 6:41 PM
-
It seems that Kobe’s personality would suit him better in an individual sport like tennis.
-
- vg777 - Oct 22, 2014 at 12:15 PM
-
um… kobe did just fine as a basketball player.
-
- Gboi - Oct 20, 2014 at 6:58 PM
-
Henry Abbot, maing a living at the expense of Kobe Bryant…. Classy.
-
- andreboy1 - Oct 20, 2014 at 7:21 PM
-
Kobe has been a selfish, petty jerk his whole life.
He has no friends.
And he gravy-trained Shaq to his first two rings. Just look up the stats. Those two rings belong to Shaq and Shaq alone. It’s staggering how dominant Shaq was and how inefficient Kobe was while still scoring below 15pts a game.
But Kobe’s still a top-ten player of all-time.
-
- smoothaswilkes - Oct 20, 2014 at 7:49 PM
-
I’m not even the biggest Kobe supporter but I’m calling bs here.
Shaq and Kobe won three consecutive championships from 1999-2002. Not “two”.
During those THREE championship runs, Kobe averaged 21.1, 29.4, and 26.6 points per game. Not the “below 15pts a game” you claim.
If you hate Kobe, go ahead and hate on Kobe, but get your facts right.
-
- wilsonii - Oct 20, 2014 at 7:33 PM
-
ANONYMOUS A….HOLE. is what I call them.The last full season (2012-13)Kobe played healthy he averaged 27.3 pts, 6 ast, 5 rebs 46% fg 83% ft. We all know Kobe came back to early in 2013-14 from his Achilles injury, so lets strike that year, because Kobe looks stronger and physically better this year than he looked last year. So to say Kobe’s production has decreased over the last couple years is BS. Kobe is right, they are idiots for using narrow thinking and perception, not reality to form their opinion.
-
- wilsonii - Oct 20, 2014 at 7:41 PM
-
And for information purpose, Paul George looks up to Kobe as a icon. Dwight is a big baby who burned Orlando and already burned former players Jameer Nelson, Lewis, Kobe and recently Chandler Parsons(really bad example). Melo was never leaving NY.
-
- krishna5014 - Oct 20, 2014 at 7:50 PM
-
Another Kobe hater. What else is new. The Lakers should be happy that Kobe saved them a lot of money by alienating Howard and Carmelo Anthony. Those two are not going to win any rings. Just ask the teams they have played with.
-
- theebadguy - Oct 20, 2014 at 8:40 PM
-
Is this surprising to anyone?
-
- ddarqwon - Oct 20, 2014 at 9:56 PM
-
It’s funny watching Laker nation get their panties in a bunch over an article that simply points out what most NBA fans already knew.
-
- ranfan12 - Oct 20, 2014 at 10:22 PM
-
Yeah, everyone should know that many players can’t handle the tenacity of kobe and the bright lights by now.
-
- ddarqwon - Oct 20, 2014 at 11:05 PM
-
Even funnier are the stories Lakers fans tell themselves to help them sleep at night.
“Kobe is too intense for weak players”
“They couldn’t handle the bright lights of LA.”I guess next we’ll hear more about how the Lakers never really wanted Howard or Melo in the first place, right?
-
- ranfan12 - Oct 20, 2014 at 11:37 PM
-
well, there was already that “we weren’t really expecting carmelo to bite” statement by mitch. you’re not too far off haha
-
- ranfan12 - Oct 20, 2014 at 10:01 PM
-
Nice Goatee Kurt
-
- ranfan12 - Oct 20, 2014 at 10:28 PM
-
What about the NBA costing Kobe, CP3, and D12 their likely first ring together?
-
- ddarqwon - Oct 20, 2014 at 11:10 PM
-
The lakers, Rockets, and Hornets (Pelicans) all got rejected by the league on that deal.
Interesting that only Lakers fans still cry about it.
-
- ranfan12 - Oct 20, 2014 at 11:35 PM
-
i was just making a play on the headline
Lakers turned to ass and became injury city, NO got a beast center (and slightly better record) to build around, and rockets became contenders (or a very good RS team at least). Clippers receive someone who was leading their former team in rebounds, points, and steals and completely flip their franchise. tough luck lol
-
- ddarqwon - Oct 21, 2014 at 6:48 PM
-
And the Lakers had a team with Howard, Gasol, Bryant, and Nash.
Certainly injuries played a role in their demise, but poor management was even more devastating.
Hiring D’Antoni for a team with what could have been the best frontcourt in the league and an aging backcourt may have been the single dumbest coaching hire in league history. Especially in light of the fact they passed on Phil Jackson (whom both Kobe and Dwight wanted) because of Jimmy Buss’s ego.So yeah, the Lakers had their chances too. In fact it could be argued they had the best chance of all three teams after the Stern veto, but they squandered it.
It is what it is. Gotta accept it and move on.
-
- redsghost - Oct 21, 2014 at 2:20 PM
-
The Lakers were already gifted Gasol. What? You want the NBA to continuously pipeline the top talent in the league to them?
-
- vg777 - Oct 22, 2014 at 12:18 PM
-
the lakers traded the rights to marc gasol at the time… that worked out pretty damn well for memphis.
-
- lhollis74 - Oct 20, 2014 at 10:40 PM
-
Yeah, your Ferrari is loud, sucks on gas mileage, and only carries two people at a time. My honda carries 5, great on gas and quiet, much better than your overpriced vehicle.
Random Kobe hater.
(As if he just was lucky to be a 5 time champion)
-
- thegman - Oct 20, 2014 at 11:19 PM
-
Come on. Even if you are no fan of Kobe, you have to admit Abbott’s work was a pure hit piece. NONE of his sources–agents, executives, experts, players, former players–were NAMED. None of them. What kind of journalism is that? He found some guys who didn’t like Kobe and yet they wouldn’t put their names behind their declarations that he cost the franchise this superstar and that free agent. As if you or I can’t go find 6-8 guys who DO like Kobe and who WOULD put their names behind what they say. Like maybe Pau Gasol, for example? Derek Fisher? You honestly wanna tell me Dwight and Paul George and all these other guys just couldn’t have found a path to success playing with a guy who won titles playing with Shaq and Gasol and Fisher and Horry and Shaw and Artest? Cuz he needs the ball? And wants to be involved? And demands a lot and isn’t everyone’s pal and isn’t a perfect human being? No context at all about Dwight’s lack of testicular fortitude to come in and DEMAND to be the centerpiece through effort and performance? So he goes and plays with a different gunner instead in Houston? And that team got worse this year? And he goes out in the first round anyway? And Carmelo–he’s on some kind of championship track? Maybe these guys don’t have the balls to play with KB? To accept the chance to TAKE the keys to the kingdom? Ramon Sessions found it difficult? Ramon Sessions? Oh jeez. Well, I guess Fisher’s POV means nothing then. Name some sources dude. Do some real journalism. Ask Julius Randle how he feels about getting a chance to be tutored by the guy to launch his career. Ask Artest. Ask Pau. Ask Horry. Ask Shaw. Ask Byron Scott. Even Shaq, despite their battles and history: ask him what he thinks of KB and would he take off today if he had it to do all over again? At least KB didn’t dump his franchise and bail on his fans when the team went downhill and the front office messed up. He stayed and he worked. And when he had a potentially career-ending injury at an advanced age, he kept working. He earned every dollar of it. He doesn’t split every time he loses in the finals, looking for fresh superstar teammates to prop him up like LeBron has done, demanding this player be shipped out and that player be signed and a ‘super team’ be built to his spex to play there. What a horrible guy. Give me a break. This is greatness and since it is greatness, there must be some hit pieces along the way. I’m confident Abbott’s trash article will be forgotten long before KB’s legacy. Name your sources next time dude, if they have the balls to be named. Otherwise, don’t write the piece.
-
- arrondior - Oct 21, 2014 at 1:36 PM
-
Keys to the kingdom???? These guys are already the “man” in their respective cities. Why would they want to come to LA and get crapped on by Kobe for 2 or 3 years (depending on if he does retire when he said he would) while playing on a garbage team as the Lakers try to rebuild? The truth is Kobe is hard to play with. He did throw Dwight under the bus even though Dwight was probably more productive than he should have been coming back from that injury. Shaq is a class guy. Notice how he’s been on multiple teams and EVERYONE loves him. The only person who can’t get along with Shaq is Kobe… hmmm… In fact, Most superstars in the League seem to be able to get along with other stars except Kobe. I recognize that part of what makes Kobe great is him feeling like he’s the most brilliant player to ever live and that he’s the MAN. I very honestly believe that Kobe has a hard time letting someone else becoming the face of the Lakers.
-
- Kurt Helin - Oct 21, 2014 at 6:50 PM
-
For the record, Shaq burned bridges and had issues with every city where he played. That included Wade. Fans love Shaq, organizations are a little cooler.
-
- ddarqwon - Oct 21, 2014 at 7:02 PM
-
Are you new?
Unnamed sources are what the NBA offseason is made of.And this part of your comment is hilarious:
“At least KB didn’t dump his franchise and bail on his fans when the team went downhill and the front office messed up.”Are you kidding??? Kobe screamed, cried, and demanded a trade. The only thing that kept him there was that he wasn’t a free agent at that moment.
And we won’t even get into how he has repeatedly thrown teammates under the bus. Does the phrase, “Ship his ass out!” ring a bell?
Is it revisionist history or does Laker nation just have selective memories?
Kobe is a wold class a-hole. That is not breaking news. So why do you all get so upset when someone points it out?
-
- crillbill - Oct 21, 2014 at 2:03 AM
-
It’s a roster completely devoid of talent. Kobe got old. Time to rebuild. They have one player going forward and that’s randle. You need at least 2 young studs to then try and be competitive via free agency. It’s really same as Yankees. They got old and the run is over. You can’t sign a bunch of journeymen and compete. Kobe’s contract is irrelevant cause it won’t interfere. They will need to get their top 5 pick and then the following years pick and then may have the nucleus to be back in playoffs.
-
- phillyphil005 - Oct 21, 2014 at 9:00 AM
-
KKobe had the chance to decide his legacy, and he made his choice.
He chose to be selfish and egotistical, rather then being selfless and humble and giving himself a shot to catch Jordan in the rings category.
I wanted to see him morph into that guy nobody thought he could become, but he didn’t. I will always view him as a guy who could’ve been the greatest, but his ego prevented him from ever doing so.
-
- birdy5 - Oct 21, 2014 at 9:15 AM
-
As a long time fan, I always have just relegated my expectations to Kobe’s last years as a matter of transition & eventual rebuilding. A transition that could’ve been better, but unfortunately not. Transition, one devoted fan should open-mindedly accept. Them Magic-less Kareem days, the Van Exel-Ceballos-Divac days, to the Pau-less prime Kobe days are comparatively similar to what’s happening now. It’s really just a matter of taking it in stride. What worries me more is that Dr Buss is gone. Have zero faith in Jimmy but hopefully Jeannie follows after her dad & boss it up when a new dawn comes.
-
- ocgunslinger - Oct 21, 2014 at 9:34 AM
-
There is no news here simply a rehash of everyone’s opinion on Kobe good or bad.
-
- kclanton80 - Oct 21, 2014 at 9:48 AM
-
Kobe has turned the number one free agent destination in the league into a place no one wants to play. He has chased off numerous teammates and coaches and often done so publicly.
Now he refuses to age gracefully and has a salary that is taking up a disproportionate amount of the teams resources.
-
- au1978 - Oct 21, 2014 at 11:07 AM
-
Boy, Lakers fans can stand anonymous sources when they tear down your man, but when they’re lying about your perceived enemies, it’s OK. All of your Howard hate notwithstanding, he actually said that Kobe did NOT lecture him on how to win during that meeting, and I believe him, not the anonymous sources who weren’t there.
-
- bigmeechy74 - Oct 21, 2014 at 1:07 PM
-
“When Lakers brass asked Bryant to call Nash, Bryant failed to do so, saying he preferred that Nash call him. The pettiness took days to resolve and nearly scuttled the deal.” lol what an insecure diva
