Yes, there it is. Exactly one year ago today Kobe Bryant turned the basketball world upside down by demanding a trade on Stephen A. Smith's radio show, setting off a summer of doubt and rumors where Kobe tried to force his way out of a Lakers uniform. A trip down memory lane will show us some of the possible, unappealing scenarios there were several months ago...
Kobe and Radmanovic to Houston for Mcgrady, Bobby Sura, and the #26 pick....this made me throw up.
Kobe to Washington for Arenas.....Arenas? Are you serious?
Kobe to Dallas for Josh Howard, Jason Terry or Devin Harris, and Jerry Stackhouse....Lets face it. Howard + Odom = Marijuana trees growing in the locker room.
Kobe to Chicago for Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Khryapa and the #9 pick...Kobe's personal choice for where he would play. Had he allowed Deng to be part of the trade earlier, I really think he would not be in a Lakers uniform right now.
Kobe and Radmanovic to Phoenix for Marion, Barbosa, Banks and the right to rights to Atlanta's 2008 first rounder....This one makes me hurt. Kobe? To Phoenix? Please God, ANYWHERE but Phoenix. Nash, Kobe, Bell, Diaw, Amare...Phoenix would be good, but please, no!
But wait, look at the Lakers line up. Farmar, Sasha, Odom, Marion, Barbosa, Bynum, Walton and Turiaf. Theres no reason to think we wouldn't still pull the trigger on those other trades, so add Gasol and Ariza to that lineup also, and wait a minute, were still pretty good....
Nevermind, I'm still happy it didn't happen. But seriously, here is a look at how the rest of the season played out for our beloved Lakers. Major moves the Lakers made:
7/20/07-Derek Fisher resigns with the Lakers.
11/20/07-Lakers trade Maurice Evans and Brian Cook to Orlando for Trevor Ariza. -Honestly, was anybody upset to see Cook go?
1/13/08- In the midst of moving the Lakers to the top of the Western Conference, Andrew Bynum, the much improved big man, suffers a knee injury and is sidelined for the rest of the season.
1/20/08- Crucial role player Trevor Ariza breaks a bone in his foot in practice, keeping him on the sidelines until late May.
2/3/08- Lakers trade Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, 2 first round draft picks and Aaron Mckie for to Memphis for Pau Gasol.
Do we really need to talk about that trade? As Stephen A. Smith would say, we got rid of a "bonafide scrub." This was, by far, the best move Mitch Kupchak has every made and instantly took him from zero to hero in the eyes of Lakers fans.
So let's sit back, look above, thank God for everything that has come our way, and watch the rest of the finals. Needless to say, I'm pretty sure Kobe is happy to be a Laker, though I'd like to see him come out and say "I officially take back my trade demand."
