While it is a tenuous position, the Lakers are still in the driver’s seat.

I come from the same town Bynum went to school (Edison). He went to St.Joes while i went to the public school (He was senior when i was a soph) and i got to play with him at the St.Joes outdoor courts over the summer (kinda, like 2 pick up games…but i watched him a bunch). The thing is, he was a real bum back then…he didnt play senior year simply because he knew he was gettin drafted and didnt care about HS + didnt want to risk injury. He wasnt very muscle-toned and was rather laid-back, relying on his height and size and athleticism to get by.
This is why its surprising + pleasing to see that he has matured and (apparently) developed a real drive to improve with evident results.

Regarding Kobe – although we all love to watch him play, it may be better if he took a few games off. The Lakers can probably beat NYC without him, at the very least. The way he is playing, not taking long strides, settling for jumpers, missing, it would be better to risk losing a few games in the short run than to develop a lasting, nagging injury.

This is a great blog, keep it up. I found it through the shoutout it received at Yahoo NBA, so you can give props to them for giving it some spotlight.

Interesting factoid bout Bynum – he used to charge 10 bucks at the courts for people to get a chance to play him one on one…he made a killing.

A lot is riding on what we are able to do in the playoffs. If we can get to the second round and either make it a close second round contest or get the WCF, then I think Kobe would be foolish to leave, and he’d probably recognize that. If on the other hand we flame out in the first round again, I think it’s bye bye Kobe.

I do feel the rift with the front office is quite wide and will not be bridged this year. I suspect Mitch will approach Kobe over the summer and try to build some bridges with him. I doubt Jim Buss will ever be able to do this and Jerry Buss and Kobe will have to ‘take their sweet time’ to develop a new business relationship. Perhaps Jeannie will approach Kobe and develop a personal and business relationship – as the Buss family face of the Lakers. I do not expect any of us to ever hear much about this process.

I might say that if Shaq had been as dedicated to basketball as he was to self promotion. He certainly had the talent to be anything he wanted to be.

However, once-in-a-lifetime – maybe not! Remember Michael, remember Magic, remember Bird, remember Kareem, remember Wilt, remember Oscar, remember Bill Russell, remember Jerry, remember Elgin.

That’s just too many once-in-a-lifetime players and that’s just from a Laker perspective.

1) Kobe stop shooting bricks from 20+ feet with 15+ seconds on the clock. Give the rest of your team a look.

2) LO, stop shooting 3 pointers. There are better options available. This includes taking your man off the dribble.

3) Walton – Challenge yourself, and prove why the Lakers gave you that mid-level exception contract. I still wonder of the whereabouts of that same person who ignited the Lakers against Detroit in the playoffs.

4) Bynum – Assert yourself and do not afraid to be emotional. Put the team in your hands and step up and be that 2ndary offensive threat that Kobe wanted.

5) Fish – Keep up the good work and help the youngsters learn how to perform as role players, as future leaders of this team, and as unselfish as yourself.

And I think there is no way he rescinds that trade request, it would be admitting too big a mistake.