The Los Angeles Lakers have no interest in dealing Kobe Bryant to the New York Knicks, according to a new report.
While only eight games into the 2014-15 NBA season, it’s clear the Los Angeles Lakers won’t contend for a playoff spot.
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Byron Scott’s squad is 1-7 and there’s little reason to believe this team can turn around.
The Lakers’ outlook is so bleak that some have suggested the team should trade Kobe Bryant and allow the aging star to spend his last seasons in the NBA playing for a contender.
The New York Knicks are a team that’s getting thrown around as a possible Kobe suitor, in part, because of comments Bryant’s old teammate Rick Fox made in June theorizing such a move could happen.
However, don’t count on seeing such a stunning trade.
From Forbes:
"For his part, Fox now says he was only talking about a Kobe-to-the-Knicks scenario provided that they’re a legit playoff team, a few time zones from where they are now. But from what we can tell, talking to industry sources familiar with the Lakers’ thinking, No. 24 isn’t going anywhere. He’s got a no-trade clause and the Lakers have a no-trade mindset.(…)“I don’t see them trading Kobe, not at all,’’ said one rival NBA team president. “The Lakers almost have to keep him, as much for business reasons as anything else, and I believe that’s what they’re going to do.’’"
Crazy rumors are a staple in today’s NBA landscape, so surely Kobe trade rumors will continue to take place.
But in all likelihood no move will ever take place. Bryant means too much to the Lakers, having spent his entire career and winning five rings with the franchise. Los Angeles isn’t about to ship out one of its greatest players ever, regardless of how bad the team is this year.