Kobe Is Destroying the Lakers, Wont Contend For Years

Kobe was a great player 7 years ago

He was a very good player 3 years ago

Since then age and injuries have taken their toll where he's no longer able to create his own shot against half the league's 2 and 3's, he no longer has the legs late in games to be a defensive force night after night, and he can't be counted on for a full season.

Now all that would be fine if that was the only problem but there's a much bigger problem. He wont let the Lakers rebuild. He expects to not only be treated like the best player on the team but the best player in the NBA. That hasn't been true for years and now it's just sad.

He chases everyone away. There are quality free agents who would play for the Lakers and Kobe just destroys any chance of them joining the purple and gold. Usually a team in the same division or conference may sign a player to get them away from a certain team. Kobe is actively shooing away players that would make the Lakers contenders again.

What puzzles me is that management allows this to happen. Kobe comes in, destroys any chance they have to sign or retain great players and they're content with that.

It's not like Kobe is the best player the Lakers have ever had, there's a ton of players ahead of him. Magic, Kareem, Wilt, West, McAdoo, Baylor, Mikan.

How could one of the greatest sports franchises allow one player to destroy their team year after year after year?

they have had high draft picks so its not like they are just old.

most laker fans were not complaining about kobe when they were winning championships... hes had that attitude in forever. now its a problem?

The problem is that Kobe is convinced his shitty attitude is the secret formula to his winning. When any rational person would point out it's his talent and work ethic.

It's not just Kobe, it's also the Buss family. It's like they gave Kobe more power to control their team than the GM. It's like the Lakers are now the Dallas Cowboys of the NBA, you have an egotistical owner that thinks he knows what he's doing and only gives the spoiled brat of an athlete what he wants

The Cowboys aren't giving huge contracts that easily, why do you think Murray is gone and Dez is holding out???

Since Kobe ran off every free agent worth a damn the Lakers are now going to trade for Hibbert. The same player Bird asked not to activate his opt in because he wasn't worth the money.

Not only does it not help the Lakers contend but it ties up funds the Lakers could use around the trade deadline to get a player they can actually build around.

The Lakers should just pray he retires after this season.

I don't understand how he's still on the team.

20 years he'll be on the Lakers and he has never once let them rebuild. What NBA franchise, what franchise in sports, do you know of that hasn't had to rebuild in the last 20 years?

It's insane, he's got one of the most premiere franchises in all of sports and has crippled them because he refuses to be a person to anyone else. He's driven players away and made rookies lives hell because of how he expects the team to be run.

He should have been put in his place a long time ago, why it's still allowed today is beyond me.

He needs to retire. Free up that budget for the team's future, at least, if they want to be a competitive franchise in the race for Westbrook or Durant.

That's what they get. The same things that made him great for most of his career are the same things that are now causing him to appear detached from what is really going on.

Considering when the Pacers made this trade their fans celebrated like they just got the first pick in the LeBron James draft class I don't think you have much to look forward to.

Everything points to this being a bad move

1. The Pacers begged Hibbert not to opt in during the offseason, they didn't want him.
2. With Paul George injured Hibbert's contribution on the floor didn't go up.
3. Hibbert does not like the spotlight and disappears in big games
4. Hibbert is known to be overly sensitive and does not take criticism well, good luck with Kobe!

Even trading for Lawson this team doesn't make the playoffs

Heh, I like what the Lakers did this off season. No "huge" names, but they got some good players. Hibbert, Lawson, Bass, and the rook. We'll see.

You're fucking drunk if you really think this.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Wow... I don't think I've ever read more delusional bias garbage my entire time here.

Ty Lawson is a Rocket bro...

Kobe- Past his prime.
Hibbert- Occasionally good player who is all to often bad.
Swaggy P- He is one of the best scoring 6 men, but I can name at least 5 other six men who are better.Williams- Boardline All star in the East = Not in the top 10 in the West
Randle- Has played like 10 NBA minutes
Russel- Has played 0 NBA minutes

Stop calling Hibbert an Allstar please... He's an Allstar like Darko Milicic is an NBA champion.

"All losses were mostly less than 4 pints."
That's odd... because they averaged 98.5 ppg and their opp. averaged 105.3....

Only 7 of there 61 loses were by 4 or less btw....

I felt like my brain cells just died after reading this....

The Lakers had a good run this century but in that conference, they are not contenders. Hell will they even make the playoffs?

No, majority people tend to forget that honestly the botched CP3 (Chris Paul) trade is what ultimately destroyed the Lakers.

The Lakers were suppose to have both CP3 and Dwight Howard together in LA, they would have easily contended in 2011 for the title. Lebron was on the Heat and lost against the Mavs that year.

The Lakers would have possibly won several more titles if they CP3 trade was not blocked by David Stern.

Now this is a funny thread to read, after the first month or so of the season.

And to no one's surprise Kobe is retiring after this season.

wtf?

Lol. Right? In his defense, almost all of this discussion took place before this season started. And mdk is pretty clearly a completely delusional Lakers fan, who is literally incapable of comprehending the idea that Kobe is not the player he used to be.

Well, now he's finally retired lol.

While I don't agree with your opinion of Kobe among all-time Laker greats, he's gone now thank goodness. Hopefully the Lakers can start to rebuild now.