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Lakers rumors: What to really expect from a Kobe Bryant documentary

By Ronald Agers

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Kobe Bryant (R) of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with Derek Fisher(L) during game four of their Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs 27 May 2001 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers beat the Spurs 111-82 to sweep the best-of-seven series 4-0. AFP PHOTO/Mike NELSON (Photo credit should read MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Kobe Bryant (R) of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with Derek Fisher(L) during game four of their Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs 27 May 2001 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers beat the Spurs 111-82 to sweep the best-of-seven series 4-0. AFP PHOTO/Mike NELSON (Photo credit should read MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Kobe Bryant
(Photo by MATT CAMPBELL/AFP via Getty Images) – Kobe Bryant /

This documentary has to show something different from what we already know

How many times have you heard on this site that Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal didn’t get along during the tenure playing together? How many stories based off of press conferences were printed throughout the years? The last one was this summer when Kobe said if Shaq was focused the Lakers could have won 10-12 rings. A comment taken out of context was NBA breaking news.

A documentary is supposed to be based on the truth. Basically the project will have to have more than this.

In “The Last Dance”, Jerry Krause basically got exhumed from his grave to get dogged out again in the first couple of episodes about breaking up a dynasty. Back then, didn’t it look a little like Kobe Bryant was close to being in the same neighborhood?

People will tune in to figure out why in the world the franchise blew up a team that made the NBA Finals four times in five years while firing Phil Jackson who won nine titles at the time for Rudy Tomjanovich? Sure, he won two titles in Houston but he didn’t last 41 games.

Remember when Kobe Bryant came an eyelash from being traded to the Chicago Bulls back in 2007? Here are the logistics.

  • The Lakers were willing to deal Bryant to Chicago (Kobe’s preferred destination) for Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas, Ben Gordon and Joakim Noah.
  • Reportedly Bryant wanted Deng to stay in Chicago.
  • This was a major hangup that delayed things long enough for Dr. Jerry Buss to stop the madness and convince Kobe Bryant into staying.

Now if you want elements to a documentary, how about the Lakers wanting to trade Kobe Bryant to the Detroit Pistons?

Well in 2015, Kobe Bryant was on the Grantland Basketball Hour with Bill Simmons. He let it be known that the Lakers were ready to make a deal to ship him to Detroit for Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and a number of draft picks.

If the trade had gone through, Detroit would have had a squad of Bryant, Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess to make another run for the NBA Finals after an Eastern Conference loss to Boston.

Bill Simmons:

Is it true you rejected a trade to Detroit in 2007?

Kobe Bryant:

“Yes.” And I said, I gave you a list of teams that I’m comfortable being traded to.  That wasn’t one of them, so no.

Simmons:

So who was on the list?

Kobe:

Not Detroit.

Simmons:

Chicago?

Kobe:

Chicago.  Chicago was my number one choice of destination.

Yes, Lakers fans, the Los Angeles Lakers tried to trade Kobe Bryant to Detroit. Just think how the franchise would have been had Bryant not had the only no-trade clause in his contract.

But his on the court. Now we have to go off the court to the sexual assault trial.

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