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Jared Dudley: ‘Most guys don’t want to play with Kobe’ Bryant

By Mike Dyce

Jan 21, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) against the New Orleans Pelicans during a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Lakers 96-80. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) against the New Orleans Pelicans during a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Lakers 96-80. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Milwaukee Bucks forward Jared Dudley thinks Kobe Bryant will deter NBA free agents from joining the Los Angeles Lakers.

For all but three NBA teams at this moment, attentions have been turned towards free agency this summer. Who will be in the market for DeAndre Jordan, will Kevin Love re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers or will he go home to the Los Angeles Lakers?

Milwaukee Bucks forward Jared Dudley could be one of the players headed towards free agency if he opts out of his contract, though he said he 80-90 percent expects to be back with the Bucks even if he opts out.

The thought of joining the Lakers and playing with superstar Kobe Bryant in the twilight of his career as he chases a ring one more time doesn’t seem to appeal to him. According to Dudley, playing with Bryant doesn’t appeal to most players in the NBA.

“Most guys don’t want to play with Kobe,” Dudley said in an appearance on Colin Cowherd’s show on ESPN Radio. “He gets in this thing where he doesn’t pass and then overpasses and then tries to get triple doubles every night…that’s why I think it will be a while for the Lakers to get good because they’ve got no stars.”

For Love it presents a different opportunity, having played in Los Angeles with UCLA he could be returning home and be the focal point of a team again instead of a role player in a team centered around LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.

Dudley still doesn’t think Love would chose the Lakers and Kobe over Cleveland and LeBron.

“I would be surprised if (Kevin) Love goes there,” Dudley said.

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