Quote:
Originally Posted by funkdoctorspock
I can't stress how much I dislike Darth Kobe and the LA Lakers. He is chiefly responsible for Shaq's departure and that idiot Bean could have had another 2 championships if he weren't so selfish.
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Nah, you're wrong. Of course Kobe didn't like Shaq. But he had reasons for it. Shaq is a lazy SOB. After the season ends is does little else apart from eating donut after donut. He doesn't work and doesn't prepare for the season. Kobe is the extreme opposite and has disdain for guys who are not like that.
Shaq had an enourmous contract and was demanding to be resigned for the same amount or more. I don't know what you understand about the NBA cap room but that simply meant the Lakers would continue on a downward spiral. It was 2 or 3 years since they had won their last championship and things were not looking very good. With Shaq and Kobe's contract alone they could not sign any more quality players.
And with Shaq physical skills plummeting, as is now very much obvious just 2 years after leaving LA, no way in hell would the Lakers cave in and accept Shaq's demands. They would just have a very expensive fat and injury prone on their hands. Look at what's happening with the poor Heat now... For that reason, management quite clearly stated that they would not resign Shaq at the same amounts. For him to stay he had to accept a very sizable pay cut. Something he was not contemplating.
Now, I'm not saying Kobe is perfect. He is the best when player BBall. Off court he doesn't always does the right thing. But he is an extremely hard working player something Shaq isn't. And if people don't like him on court is simply because they are jealous and don't want to appreciate a fabulous player. I'm a LAL fan, since the 80s and I'm LAL first. I do however like Kobe very much, as I've watched lots of games where he played marvelously for my team. Therefore I can't dislike him.