Kobe Bryant Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Bryant, Love, Ibaka, Cousins

January 5th, 2013 at 7:03pm CST by Michael Pina

Kobe Bryant is one of the most confident players in the NBA, but as the Lakers have struggled this season, Bryant has expressed self-doubt about his own play, writes InsideSoCal.com's Mark Medina.

Al Jefferson talks to Star Tribune reporter Jerry Zgoda about Kevin Love's tenure and future with the Timberwolves.
On NBA.com, Serge Ibaka's offense is given its proper due.
DeMarcus Cousins and Kings head coach Keith Smart have had their share of difficulties over these last few weeks. But SheridanHoops.com reporter Moke Hamilton reports that Smart is putting those difficulties behind him.

Pacific Notes: Lakers, Curry, Evans

January 2nd, 2013 at 7:42pm CST by Sean Highkin

The Lakers and Clippers both lost on Tuesday, meaning the always-fascinating Pacific Division has been thrust back into the spotllight. Here are the latest rumblings and links from around the division:

Kobe Bryant tells Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com that the Lakers' age is partially to blame for their recent lack of energy.
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News has quotes from Stephen Curry, who likes the Warriors' direction this season and praises the play of David Lee.
Kings guard Tyreke Evans may return to action in a week, the Associated Press reports (via ESPN.com)

Los Angeles Notes: Nash, Kobe, Barnes

December 20th, 2012 at 7:11pm CST by Ryan Raroque

In what should be a sight for sore eyes for Lakers fans, Steve Nash took the court today at the team's El Segundo practice facility and participated in scrimmage. The impact he made on the floor could partially be summed up by teammate Dwight Howard, who told reporters after practice: "he (threw) a pass that I haven't got hit with since I've been here…not any offense to the guys who've been playing, but he made some tough passes today… Just little things like that will really help our team out." The 38-year-old veteran told reporters that he wants to test things out day-by-day and reiterated that Christmas Day's game against the Knicks is a realistic target for a return.

Sam Amick of USA Today cautions that Nash is still under considerable pain and will need some time to improve his conditioning in addition to establishing chemistry with the rest of the team. Here's more of tonight's links from Los Angeles:

Coach Mike D'Antoni offered his thoughts on Nash after team practice today: "He looked good today. Real good. You never know how he wakes up. But the first step was positive. He looks good on the floor. He said he felt good. We'll see if he can do it again tomorrow and keep building from there" (Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles reports).
Shelburne and ESPN's Arash Markazi both opined about whether or not Nash will be the answer to the team's problems.
Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times presents a rebuttal against ESPN's Chris Broussard (Insiders only), who recently wrote that the Lakers' issues are centered on Kobe Bryant's high volume of shot attempts.
Eric Patten of NBA.com talks about the emergence of Clippers forward Matt Barnes as an invaluable role player on both sides of the floor.

Lakers Notes: Kobe, Gasol, World Peace

December 12th, 2012 at 7:17pm CST by Sean Highkin

The Los Angeles Lakers have continued to struggle this week, losing 100-94 on Tuesday to the Cleveland Cavaliers to fall to 9-13 so far for the 2012/13 season. Here are the latest tidbits around the team:

Lakers.com's Mike Trudell reports that Kobe Bryant defended the struggling Pau Gasol from recent criticism during an appearance on ESPN's SportsCenter. Bryant reiterated how important Gasol is to the team and should be viewed among the top big men in the game (Twitter links).
Lakers forward Metta World Peace told the Los Angeles Times' Mike Bresnahan that the team should not use the injuries to Gasol and Steve Nash as an excuse for their struggles.
Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com discuss the Lakers' playoff hopes in a new video segment.

Pacific Notes: Gortat, Curry, Gasol, Jamison

December 9th, 2012 at 10:54pm CST by Ryan Raroque

According to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, Suns starting center Marcin Gortat might be becoming "restless" in Phoenix, noting that he has tallied a total of just 50 minutes over the last two games despite not being in foul trouble. While Robbins references a "Polish-language publication" that suggested Gortat would welcome a trade to the Celtics, Bulls, Mavericks, or even back to the Magic, he also mentions that Phoenix hasn't given the impression that they're willing to deal him at this point. With that aside, here's the rest of tonight's tidbits coming from the Pacific Division:

Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles looks at the success and production of the Clippers' second unit, which has started to gain some popularity with the nickname "A Tribe Called Bench."
Warriors coach Mark Jackson firmly believes that Stephen Curry is an All-Star based on his performance after 20 games this season. It's hard to disagree, as the 24-year-old Davidson product is averaging 19.7 PPG, 6.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, and nearly 4 RPG for the fifth-seeded team in the Western Conference. Jeff Zillgit of USA Today also mentions that Curry has been worry-free about the ankle problems that had sidelined him for all but 16 games last year.
Mike D'Antoni hints that Pau Gasol could play on Tuesday if his pain has lessened enough (Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer tweets).
Compared to his experiences in Cleveland and Washington, 15-year-veteran Antawn Jamison isn't rattled by the Lakers' slow start. As of late, he has been one of the team's most consistent performers, hitting double figure scoring in six of the last eight games: "I'm comfortable, not thinking at all, having fun, competing and doing the things I normally do. So it's a lot easier. I was getting frustrated, but now I'm just out there playing" (Schmitt Boyer reports).
Mike Monroe of Spurs Nation revisits the 1996 trade that sent then Charlotte-draft pick Kobe Bryant to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac.
In addition to the Rockets and Nuggets, the Lakers cracked HoopsWorld's list of most surprising teams this season from the Western Conference.

Odds & Ends: Kobe, Wizards, Draft, Bledsoe

December 7th, 2012 at 2:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Kobe Bryant continues to make a run at Michael Jordan's number of championship rings and career points, but he doesn't expect to follow in Jordan's footsteps in another area. In a video interview with Bloomberg.com (hat tip to SI.com's Ben Golliver), Kobe said he couldn't see himself owning an NBA team after his playing career is over.

"I’d go crazy," Bryant said. "If a player misses a game because he has a broken fingernail, I’d lose my mind. I wouldn’t be able to take it."

While ownership may not be for him, Bryant did say he hopes to stay around the game after he retires as a player. Here are a few other odds and ends from around the NBA:

The Wizards have gotten off to an awful start this season, but team president Ernie Grunfeld is still focusing on the big picture, as Michael Lee of the Washington Post writes.
NBA scouts and general managers are starting to consider options beyond Nerlens Noel, Cody Zeller, and Shabazz Muhammad as No. 1 picks in the 2013 draft, says ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link). Ford identifies Alex Poythress, Alex Len, and Rudy Gobert as three other possible top picks.
Even though Eric Bledsoe isn't eligible for restricted free agency until 2014, Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com is already wondering if Bledsoe will eventually become to the Clippers what James Harden was to the Thunder — a star-in-waiting that the team may not be able to afford.
On the heels of last night's big win in Miami, Tyson Chandler praised the moves Knicks GM Glen Grunwald made over the summer, writes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
According to Fran Blinebury of NBA.com, while the Grizzlies won't discuss it openly, the absence of O.J. Mayo this year has made the team's offense and locker room happier places.
David Mayo of MLive.com tries his hand at picking out a few free agents the Pistons could target next summer.

Western Rumors: Wolves, Lakers, Lillard, Barnes

November 21st, 2012 at 8:23pm CST by Chuck Myron

Fans in Minnesota will have something extra to be thankful for on the holiday tomorrow, after John Krawczynski of The Associated Press broke the news of Kevin Love's surprise return to the lineup for the Timberwolves tonight, between two and four weeks ahead of schedule (Twitter links). It seemed like the Wolves were close to becoming eligible for a hardship exemption that would allow them to sign a 16th player to their roster, when Brandon Roy joined Love, Ricky Rubio and Chase Budinger on the list of those expected to miss significant time. Now it appears Minnesota will have to make do with the standard 15, a trade-off the team will surely take if it means having Love back in action. Here's more from the West, with 14 of the conference's 15 teams in action.

Speaking on Jim Rome's program on Showtime, Kobe Bryant defended Lakers executive vice president Jim Buss, saying it's up to the team's players to validate the hiring of coach Mike D'Antoni, notes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
Damian Lillard's instant impact is speeding up the rebuilding process for the Blazers, writes Sam Amick of USA Today.
Harrison Barnes learned how to win in college at North Carolina, and he's bringing some of those principles to the Warriors, observes HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram.
It's no shock to Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau that Omer Asik, whose offer sheet with the Rockets wasn't matched by Chicago, has blossomed in a starting role, as Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times documents.
We rounded up more on the Rockets and their Texas rivals earlier tonight.

Pacific Notes: Lillard, Gasol, Lakers, Biedrins

November 14th, 2012 at 8:53am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA's Tuesday night schedule concluded with two west coast games, in Sacramento and Los Angeles, with the home team falling in both instance. The Lakers were in it down to the final seconds against the visiting Spurs, but lost 84-82 when Pau Gasol missed a last-second three-point attempt. The Kings, meanwhile, fell behind big in the third quarter and never recovered, losing by 17 points to the Trail Blazers. The Pacific will look to rebound tonight, with the Suns, Warriors, and Clippers all hosting Eastern Conference contenders. In the meantime, here's the latest out of the division:

Facing the Blazers, the Kings got a first-hand look at a player they passed up on draft night, and may have experienced some regret over not selecting Damian Lillard, writes Mike Tokito of the Oregonian.
Larry Coon of ESPN.com and HoopsWorld wonders if Pau Gasol trade rumors could resurface, since the Spaniard isn't an optimal fit for Mike D'Antoni's system (Twitter link).
ESPNLA.com's Dave McMenamin and Ken Berger of CBS Sports both published articles detailing Kobe Bryant's comments on the Lakers' coaching search. McMenamin notes that Kobe feels Phil Jackson is underappreciated, while Berger writes that the Lakers star is happy with D'Antoni, but would've preferred Jackson.
Andris Biedrins has a ways to go before his on-court performance will justify the $9MM he'll earn with the Warriors this season, but it's hard not to notice his improved play, says Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group.

Western Notes: Dwight, Kobe, Kings, Crowder

November 10th, 2012 at 4:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

Dwight Howard told Sam Amick of USA Today last night that he thinks Phil Jackson, rumored to be close to taking over as Lakers coach, will be "great for me," and said he's anxious for the team to resolve the upheaval surrounding the head coaching position. "Yeah, because a lot of stuff that happened last year — I really had nothing to do with it, but it came out like it was me," he said. "So now when it comes out or if somebody says something about me, I'm going to stand up say, 'Hey, this is not going to happen again.' I'm just going to play. I don't want to get caught up in it." There's plenty more this afternoon on the Lakers and their Western Conference rivals, as we detail here.

Kobe Bryant, who's backing Jackson's possible return, feels he has unfinished business to accomplish under the Zen Master's tutelage, writes J.A. Adande of ESPN.com.
In the wake of a report by Bruce Rader of WAVY-TV that it was Kings co-owner George Maloof who met with the Virginia governor, the mayor of Virginia Beach and officials from Comcast-Spectator last week, Tom Ziller of Sactown Royalty takes the Maloofs to task for denying the meeting took place.
Defense and surprising three-point shooting are reasons why Jae Crowder, the 34th overall pick this past June, has made a sizable impact early this season for the Mavericks, as HoopsWorld's Alex Raskin observes.
Offseason signees Ryan Anderson, Brian Roberts and Roger Mason have teamed with incumbent Jason Smith to form a potent bench for the Hornets, notes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune.
Blazers coach Terry Stotts, once an interim coach of the Hawks, weighs in on the challenges the next Lakers coach will face in taking over the team in the middle of the season, as Mike Tokito of The Oregonian examines.

Kobe Endorses Phil Jackson Return

November 10th, 2012 at 8:31am CST by Zachary Links

While he has ties to several of the coaches that are said to be in the mix for the Lakers job, Kobe Bryant gave a little extra support to one in particular. The guard told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports that he is pulling for the return of his former coach Phil Jackson.

"We have a good enough relationship where he knows where I stand," Bryant said. "He's realistically the greatest coach to ever coach in any sport. It's as simple as that. He's that for a reason. When you have the greatest coach of all time in any profession out there available you have to reach out to him."

Other candidates for the job include Mike D'Antoni, Brian Shaw, Nate McMillan, and Mike Dunleavy. While Bryant's preferred choice would be Jackson, he said that he wouldn't be disappointed if the Lakers went in another direction. As Spears notes, Bryant watched D'Antoni play basketball in Italy growing up and also threw his support behind Shaw to take the Lakers job following Jackson's departure.