Kobe Bryant Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kobe Preparing To Recruit Fisher, Odom?

March 28th, 2012 at 1:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Kobe Bryant is "planning a hard push" to try to bring Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom back to the Lakers this summer, a source tells Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Fisher and Odom were both traded by the Lakers over the last few months, but could become free agents in the offseason.

Fisher, who was traded to and then bought him by Houston, signed with the Thunder on a rest-of-season contract. Odom, meanwhile, was dealt to the Mavericks in December and has one more season left on his deal. His final year is only partially guaranteed though, and his play this season makes it unlikely the Mavs would want to pay him $8.9MM to return.

It's unclear whether returning to the Lakers is something either player wants, and team management would have to be on board as well. However, Howard-Cooper hears that Bryant will use his friendship with both players to try to convince them a return is in everyone's best interests. Asked about a potential reunion, Bryant remained fairly noncommittal.

"I don’t know," Bryant told NBA.com. "I would hope so. But I don’t know. When Fish and I talk, it’s about personal things because we’ve known each other for so long. Lamar too. We keep that other stuff out of it. It’s family, how are you doing, stuff like that."

Lakers Notes: Buss, Bryant, Bynum, Sessions

March 23rd, 2012 at 10:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Lakers appear to be distancing themselves from their in-house rivals, establishing a three-game lead over the struggling Clippers as they settle into third place in the Western Conference. New point guard Ramon Sessions was in the starting lineup tonight, thanks to the comfort level coach Mike Brown and the team have with him on the floor, notes Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles. Here's the rest of what's happening with the Purple and Gold:

McMenamin summed up the comments of Jim Buss, Lakers executive vice president of player personnel and son of owner Jerry Buss, on the Mason & Ireland Show on 710 ESPN. Buss said the team has no interest in trading Kobe Bryant, and that he expects Bryant to play longer than the two years remaining on his contract.
Buss also rejected the assertion that his fondness for Andrew Bynum gets in the way of deals that would help the Lakers, and said the team was upset when the Chris Paul deal fell through."Basically, we had a deal and the commissioner didn't think that it was a good deal and he has every right to veto it," he said. "It shocked us. I was in (Lakers general manager) Mitch (Kupchak's) office when that happened and I was ducking from things that he was throwing against the wall."
Using the small sample size of the past week, Brian and Andy Kamenetzky look at the impact new point guard Ramon Sessions is having on the Lakers, while passing along some analysis on the matter from Sports Illustrated's Zach Lowe as well.
Marc Stein of ESPN passes along a scout's take on Sessions' impact as well.
Brian Kamenetzky looks at how coach Brown is shortening the rotation as the playoffs draw near.

Kobe Discusses Buss, Brown, Odom

March 22nd, 2012 at 9:50pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Although a high level of shock and sudden nostalgia propagated throughout the city of Los Angeles after Derek Fisher had been traded last week, Kobe Bryant acknowledged that those feelings will have to be pushed aside when the two friends face each other in Fisher's return to the Staples Center one week from tonight, and also if they meet in the playoffs:

“I’m going to demolish him. He understands that. If he switches off on me in the post, there’s going to be problems. I’m sure he’ll put an elbow right in my back, and that’s why we love each other.”

He later added, "The most disrespectful thing we could do to each other is take it easy on each other. That’s not what we’re about."

Kobe has continued to be candid with his thoughts in general during the past few days:

Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles cited an interview with Mason and Ireland of 710 ESPN, in which Kobe called owner Jim Buss a "great guy," proclaimed that the Lakers are a "championship caliber team," and questioned those who ruled them out of contention.
Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN also referenced the same interview, noting that Bryant supports Mike Brown along with the current coaching staff and doesn't view the topic of whether or not to start Ramon Sessions as a major issue.
After last night's win in Dallas, Kobe came to the defense of Lamar Odom after he was booed by his own crowd at the American Airlines arena. In a post game interview, Bryant chastised the fans for booing his former teammate, calling it "stupidity" (Tim McMahon of ESPN Dallas reports).

Odds & Ends: Blazers, Fisher, Kaman, Rockets

March 17th, 2012 at 12:50pm CST by Zachary Links

If you've gotten a little too caught up in March Madness, don't worry. We'll get you caught up with a look at what's happening around the Association ..

After dealing Marcus Camby and Gerald Wallace at the deadline, Jason Fleming of HoopsWorld.com wonders what's next for the Blazers.
The Wizards would be willing to accommodate Brian Cook if he wishes to play elsewhere, a league source told Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Cook’s agent Mark Bartelstein said on Saturday the two sides will likely engage in buyout discussions this week.
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is sad to see longtime teammate Derek Fisher leave, writes Dave Menamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The Rockets will likely buy out Fisher's contract, but the new Collective Bargaining Agreement prohibits the veteran from rejoining the Lakers.
Hornets General Manager Dell Demps now says that the club is open to offering center Chris Kaman an extension at the end of the season, writes John Reid of The Times-Picayune. Kaman's name was involved in trade talks but ultimately wound up staying put. It's still possible that the Hornets could buy out the big man, allowing him to latch on with a contender.
General Manager Joe Dumars said that the Pistons stood pat at the trade deadline because there were no quality offers on the table, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Plenty of deals were put in front of Dumars but none of them were enticing enough for him to pull the trigger.
The Rockets' moves at the trade deadline were solid but the club didn't make the kind of blockbuster that some were expecting, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
Commissioner David Stern & the NBA did a tremendous job facilitating the new lease agreement between the Hornets and the state of Louisiana, writes John DeShazier of the Times Picayune. The new deal will keep the Hornets in New Orleans through 2024.

Odds & Ends: Timberwolves, Calderon, Kobe

February 27th, 2012 at 10:42pm CST by Luke Adams

With the All-Star Game behind us and regular season games not restarting until tomorrow, a handful of writers today are looking ahead to the season's second half. With the March 15th deadline just 17 days away, the start of the second half figures to be dominated by trade rumors, so Sean Deveney of the Sporting News and Sam Smith of Bulls.com were among the scribes who examined a few big-name trade candidates. Here are a few more links from around the Association as we wait for the second half to get underway:

Timberwolves head coach Rick Adelman doesn't believe that there is a solid wing upgrade available on the trade block, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (via Twitter).
Raptors head coach Dwane Casey says that there's nothing brewing on the trade front, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. Casey added that the club has received interest in Jose Calderon but "there's nothing on the table" when it comes to the point guard (Twitter link).
The Grizzlies recalled rookie Josh Selby from the D-League, according to the Commercial Appeal's Twitter feed. The former Kansas Jayhawk was assigned to the Reno Bighorns earlier this month in order to see more playing time.
Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez told reporters this weekend that Kobe Bryant was thinking about retirement before undergoing platelet-rich plasma treatment in the offseason, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times.
Michael Lee of the Washington Post wonders which of the Wizards' young players are part of the team's long-term plans. Spoiler alert: Andray Blatche isn't mentioned. In a separate piece, Lee previews the summer for Nick Young and JaVale McGee, who are both in contract years.
Point guard may not be a major offseason priority for the Heat if they can win a title with Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole manning the position, says Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Doug Smith of the Toronto Star handicaps the odds of a few Raptors trade candidates being moved before the deadline.
Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley has been eliminated from the list of prospective bidders for the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.
The 2015 All-Star game will likely be in New York, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post.

Pacific Notes: Kings, Bryant, Clippers

February 25th, 2012 at 2:51pm CST by Daniel Seco

With Andrew Bynum conceding the fact that he is not a sneaker guy while also making demands for the ball late in the game, let's take a look around the rest of the Pacific Division to see what else is going on:

The city of Sacramento and the NBA continue to make progress toward reaching a financing deal for a new arena, reports Ryan Lillis of The Sacramento Bee. The topic of discussion for today has been agreeing on what the Maloof family, the owners of the Kings, should be contributing monetarily to the project. While Saturday's talks have extended beyond the expected two hour meeting and delayed a press conference on the arena discussions, USA Today's J. Michael Falgoust reports (via Twitter) that the Kings are going to be asked to provide between $70MM and $90MM to help fund the arena.
After skipping out on Friday's All-Star media availability due to illness, Lakers star Kobe Bryant met with the press on Saturday and discussed Dwight Howard's uncertain future. Bryant conceded that there has been a sense of awkwardness surrounding Howard's situation during All-Star Weekend in Orlando, but also empathized with how he perceives Howard must be feeling, writes Ben Golliver of CBSSports.com. "He just wants his team [to win]… with players, sometimes there's a certain level of frustration when we don't feel like we're moving in the right direction."
The Clippers' trade to acquire All-Star point guard Chris Paul just prior to the start of the season has done wonders for the franchise both on and off the court, says Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times. Not only does the team occupy the top spot in the Pacific, the Clippers are also selling out all of their home games, have doubled their regional television ratings and seen merchandise sales sky-rocket since Paul's arrival.

Magic: Kobe Needs To Talk With Buss

February 22nd, 2012 at 5:36pm CST by Daniel Seco

During a conference call on Wednesday to promote his new ESPN film, "The Announcement," former Lakers great Magic Johnson addressed the need for Kobe Bryant to meet with Lakers management to discuss a series of unresolved issues. Johnson made it clear that Bryant must speak with Jim Buss, the Lakers' vice president of player personnel, rather than general manager Mitch Kupchak as the chain of command has shifted within the organization. Kupchak and Bryant have been bantering back and forth through the media regarding Pau Gasol's future as a Laker.

According to ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin, Johnson believes any decisions related to trades or free agency run through Buss rather than Kupchak. The goal of a conversation between Buss and Bryant would be to keep the star informed on key issues that surround the team with hopes of keeping in-house bantering out of the media. Buss' father, Dr. Jerry Buss, was known to have taken Bryant out for meals to keep him up to speed on any important decisions that would affect the team.

When questioned by the media about Johnson's recommendation for a meeting between Bryant and Buss, Bryant responded by saying, "perhaps." Amidst all of the trade rumors surrounding the Lakers, Bryant has supported Gasol and said that he would like him to remain on the team along with Andrew Bynum. Regardless of his supporting cast, Bryant has stated on multiple occasions that his lone focus remains on securing a sixth NBA championship, which would tie him with Michael Jordan.

Pau Gasol Rumors: Tuesday

February 21st, 2012 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

While Pau Gasol appeared a little more at ease last night with the trade rumors swirling around Los Angeles, relations between Kobe Bryant and GM Mitch Kupchak still seem tense. After Kupchak released a statement that essentially said he wasn't going to give in to Kobe's request for the team to make a decision quickly on Gasol, Bryant told reporters, "I already said what I had to say. I'm done."

Kobe's public frustration may be a result of the team's lack of private communication with him, says Ken Berger of CBS Sports.

"Kobe's exploding, and he should," a source with ties to the Lakers told Berger. "Your lead player, you should always have communication with him let him know what's going on. There's no communication, and that's ridiculous."

As drama continues to surround the Lakers, here are today's updates on Gasol, with the newest items up top:

Los Angeles won't send Gasol to Minnesota if Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio are off-limits, according to Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld. Pincus says the Lakers may have trouble finding a two-team deal for Gasol, though the Rockets and Timberwolves make some sense in three-team deals.
The Lakers have resolved not to trade Gasol unless they get a "young star" in return, according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
Peter Vecsey of the New York Post explains why the Knicks should deal Carmelo Anthony for Pau Gasol. Not sure I can get behind that argument.
Vecsey also hears that the Timberwolves and Lakers haven't discussed any deals in two months, including anything involving Gasol and Derrick Williams.
Bryant's public rant hurts the Lakers and Gasol, says T.J. Simers of the L.A. Times.

Gilbert Arenas Rumors: Monday

February 13th, 2012 at 7:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Yesterday, we heard that Gilbert Arenas worked out in Los Angeles with the Lakers in attendance. Here are the latest updates following that workout, as the free agent guard continues to seek an NBA job….

Kobe Bryant, who earlier indicated he'd have no problem with the Lakers signing Arenas, gave further endorsement of such a move today, reports Andrew Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles. Bryant said, "It certainly wouldn't hurt, that's for sure."
Warriors consultant Jerry West also attended Arenas' workout, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. However, Golden State doesn't have interest in Arenas — West was "just watching," Wojnarowski hears.
Sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles that Arenas looked "slimmed down" and "explosive" at Sunday's workout.
Adding Arenas is viewed as a low-risk move by the Lakers, says Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. Kyler adds that L.A. is reluctant to make any significant subtractions from their roster via trade, preferring to explore internal changes or use their trade exception before considering any major deals.
Some league sources believed that Arenas was waiting to see whether Dwight Howard was traded so he could play with D12 on his new team, according to SI.com's Sam Amick.

Pacific Notes: Fisher, Bryant, Martin

February 11th, 2012 at 5:03pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Lakers have been seeking a point guard in the trade market this season, as 37-year-old Derek Fisher, whose 5.2 PPG is his lowest since his rookie season, appears to be in decline. Fisher's role as head of the players union during the lockout has drained him, says Patrick Ewing, who went through the same experience in 1999, as Mitch Lawrence examines for the New York Daily News.

Here are a few more notes from the Pacific Division:

The Kamenetzky brothers of ESPNLosAngeles.com wonder whether Kobe Bryant, who recently told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith he doesn't want to play at a diminished capacity, will retire when his contract ends in 2014.
Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com notes, in the fifth item of this story, how recent free-agency signee Kenyon Martin is already getting comfortable with the Clippers.