Kobe still all wrong for this team.

[Diesel]

http://espn.go.com/nba/columns/denberg/1162127.html

From March... I just want to put the final QED on what I said earlier about Kobe's chemistry....

In reply to:

---

Shaq and Phil are allies, both clearly exasperated with Kobe's desperate need to do everything the hard way, to ignore Shaq at all costs, to incite conflict with structure. There is absolutely no reason to think it will get better.

---

Talent is good but there's no chemistry. I can use the same dissertation I used way back when I said that J R RIder would DESTROY this franchse... REMEMBER THAT WALTER???

It's obvious that Kobe would need a team that is built around HIM. Like I said earlier for us to get him, we would need to trade away JT, SAR, and Big Dog... Maybe bring in Wallace, Parker, and Mckie to replace them. Because no two ways about it, Kobe has the same traits as Rider and the same game as Pippen.

[Traceman]

Shaq and Kobe have long since worked out their differences and they obviously get along very well now. They have 2 championships since that article was written to prove it. Meanwhile, Vince's stick has went south while questions about his toughness have surfaced. You think LA would even CONSIDER that deal now? Please! Shaq and Kobe have 3 championships in a row, their chemistry can't possibly be all that bad and if it is, I'll take some of that bad chemistry.

The funny thing about that article is how it is addressed to the recipients:

"Dear Phil and Mitch Kupchak:

Dear Glen Grunwald and YOU, TOO, LENNY WILKENS"

HAAAA! No "Dear Lenny" from Denberg huh? That's funny as hell! Looks like there's no love lost there. I sure wish Jeff had criticized Lenny when he deserved it while he was here although I know its hard for a guy in Denberg's situation to get sideways with the head coach. I guess that's why he's easy on Lon as well. He leaves the bashing to Moore and Bunn.