Hope you enjoyed, are enjoying, or will enjoy Newsday's NBA preview section in Sunday's paper. Alan and I got paid extra for all that work, and I've got a bridge in London I want to sell you.
Speaking of London, check out Bob Glauber's NFL blog from across the pond. You know how they say wherever you go, you run into someone from Long Island? Well, Bob scored a ticket to the Chelsea-Manchester City "football" match from a group of guys that included a former Newsday paperboy from Wantagh. I kid you not.
Anyway, the Kobe Bryant situation is getting more and more interesting. Chris Sheridan of ESPN.com reports that the Lakers and Bulls have been engaged in daily trade talks, with the Lakers asking for Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas, and Joakim Noah. The Bulls so far aren't willing to give up that much, and Kobe apparently would veto such a deal anyway because the Bulls wouldn't have enough talent left to compete for a title.
According to the L.A. Times, Phil Jackson is beginning to question Kobe's commitment. Ya think?
Interesting thought: If the Bulls land Bryant with something similiar to the above package, they would be parlaying two assets they got from the Knicks for Eddy Curry -- Thomas and Noah -- into the best player in the NBA. So for this reason and many others, I have to believe that Isiah Thomas is involved in this situation on two levels: one, he must be among the dozens of GMs who've called the Lakers to see what it would take to get Bryant, and two, he must be talking to Bryant's agent, Rob Pelinka, to see under what circumstances Kobe would waive his no-trade clause for a deal to the Knicks.
Comments (1)
The question is, Ken, would the Lakers accept Eddie Curry and other players for Kobe? Or, is Thomas the only person who values Curry to that level? My guess is that the Lakers don't like him very much, and that the Knicks have nothing to offer. Its sad, because if the Knicks had not traded their two lottery picks for Curry, they would be the favorites to acquire Bryant.