Comments on: In case there was any question left, the Kobe draft-and-trade was filthy as you thought

By: Calipari still regrets not drafting Kobe Bryant. Ya think? | ProBasketballTalk

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:32:45 +0000

[...] called Calipari and tried to talk him out of risking the Nets future on an untested 18 year old. And there was plenty more pressure put on [...]

By: Dude Playing A Dude Disguised as Another Dude

Dude Playing A Dude Disguised as Another Dude — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:41:22 +0000

It’s easy to look at the Kobe/Vlade trade as a “steal” because of the results. But the truth is, Jerry West took a huge risk, drafting a shooting guard straight out of high school of average to below average size. We’re not talking about a 7-footer or a physical specimen like LeBron, but a skinny 6’5ish shooting guard. But bigger than that, the Vlade trade was a salary cap space move so they could dump his salary and go after a free agent named Shaquille O’Neil. Remember, the Lakers signed him to a $120MM contract that same off-season.
Here is a link to a story quoting people who actually made the trade:
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2008/jun/18/lakers-trade-for-bryant-has-been-misconstrued/
West ends up looking like a genius (and rightfully so) because he ended-up getting Shaq near the top of his game, and Kobe all in the same off-season. But it could have easily been a bust.

By: Cali Mae

Cali Mae — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:32:31 +0000

EXACTLY-how insulting. Jerry West is coming out with his autobiography in the fall; let’s wait and hear it from him. Lazenby’s book is rehashed old interviews and articles. How does he know what Jerry said??

By: Bizzle

Bizzle — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:33:08 +0000

I think Vlade Divac and the entire Kings franchise would take offense to you calling Vlade “garbage”