Kobe more problem than solution?

I'm pretty sure Kobe was first team all nba this season, in the top 4 in MVP voting, second in the league in scoring and led his team to a top 3 finish out West. That doesn't sound like someone who is the problem on his team...

The comment leader on the NBA threads today will be this one...

T.J. Simers of the L.A. Times sounds like a Clippers season ticket holder!

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 09:23 AM ET  06.24 by MMAFan

Cotrection, it's $27,849,149 and $30,453,805 in 2012-13 and 2013-14.

Damn that is crazy, the issue is that Gasol is not really a player that contending teams are gonna go for. The only real chip they have is Bynum, and they are not gonna give him up for anything other than Dwight.

QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 09:24 AM ET  06.24 by MMAFan

*correction

Trying to catch Dj's comment count?

He does make a point in that Kobe has reached a point in his career where he cannot necessarily "do it all" as he gets older, and his salary limits who the Lakers can surround him with. The Lakers will decline...it's just a matter of when.

Say It Ain't So, Bro. Say It Ain't So.

While the Kobe version of the "Paul Is Dead" rumors are hysterical-sounding, and 25 ppg would suggest otherwise, the fact cannot be ignored that in basketball years, Kobe is like 50. He's going to come off the rails fast, and soon. The Lakers and their fans are kidding themselves if they think he's going to live forever, and their two headed combination of useless big men with no point guard isnt going to take them anyplace.

Tis true, bros...their greatest player of the past 20 years has now become a rock around their necks. Objectively speaking, they could spend his 30 mil on three guys and build a new nucleus rather than watching him decline and then spend five years watching the playoffs as they start to rebuild.

QUOTE(#13):

Originally posted 10:30 AM ET  06.24 by G-B

Anways, om another topic, how can we be so sure that King James will have 3-7 titles after he is done playing? This year was a pretty tough road to get to the finals. How do we know that it's not going to get tougher from now on? Nothing is set in stone. DWade is getting older and his body is also catching up to him. Kobe had a hard time getting his 4th and 5th ring and his 6th is even harder...

Does it really matter? He has one, that's more than thousands of players have ever won. Even if he doesn't win another, he is Lebron James - NBA Champion. They can never take that from him.

Everything else is unnecessary hyperbole.

QUOTE(#16):

Originally posted 11:03 AM ET  06.24 by MMAFan

I think they already have declined. The question really is how do you improve the team with Kobe making so much. To me moving Pau for younger guys makes the most sense.Hopefully they do something crativeto get back to the Finals. Maybe moving Bynum is not the worst idea either.

Another question is...without Kobe, can you reclaim Pau and does Bynum emerge? Because clearly the three of them cannot coexist. So do you try and get another 5-7 years out of the two or another 2-3 years out of Kobe?

I dunno...but conventional wisdom usually says to choose the younger option when given this choice. Kobe today might bring an A-list talent in return. In 2 years, all you're doing is saving money.

QUOTE(#13):

Originally posted 10:30 AM ET  06.24 by G-B

The team should be fine if Kobe allows it to be. It's his team and he really needs to pull his own reigns and slow it down. Let the other stars carry you a little bit. Put your ego aside and let this youngsters carry you. Just guide them and then take over when they need you to take over. In other word "TRUST" your teammates...Anways, om another topic, how can we be so sure that King James will have 3-7 titles after he is done playing? This year was a pretty tough road to get to the finals. How do we know that it's not going to get tougher from now on? Nothing is set in stone. DWade is getting older and his body is also catching up to him. Kobe had a hard time getting his 4th and 5th ring and his 6th is even harder...

Interesting point about the Heat and the team's future. The East seems to be in limbo, with the Celtics getting old, Derrick Rose out injured and other teams still trying to pull themselves together. The Heat should make the finals if the above continues.

So, then it's a matter of who is coming out of the West? LA needs to make changes, Dallas is looking at a major reload, Spurs' Duncan and Ginobili will be gone in two years. So, who will step up in the West apart from OKC? Seems like nothing is stopping the Heat or OKC from coming back.

QUOTE(#14):

Originally posted 10:58 AM ET  06.24 by BonusEruptus

While the Kobe version of the "Paul Is Dead" rumors are hysterical-sounding, and 25 ppg would suggest otherwise, the fact cannot be ignored that in basketball years, Kobe is like 50. He's going to come off the rails fast, and soon. The Lakers and their fans are kidding themselves if they think he's going to live forever, and their two headed combination of useless big men with no point guard isnt going to take them anyplace.Tis true, bros...their greatest player of the past 20 years has now become a rock around their necks. Objectively speaking, they could spend his 30 mil on three guys and build a new nucleus rather than watching him decline and then spend five years watching the playoffs as they start to rebuild.

Same problem as mentioned above if LA wants to move Kobe. Who is going to take on that salary? I doubt LA will ac the guy. Kobe is in LA for life.