Kobe Bryant knows a few things about wanting to be traded. It wasn't that long ago that Bryant was pretty much signed, sealed and delivered to the Chicago Bulls, after being frustrated with the Los Angeles Lakers front office stagnation, and multiple years of watching Kwame Brown miss open looks. He famously ripped Mitch Kupchak for not pulling the trigger on a potential Andrew Bynum for Jason Kidd trade. He also went on every local LA radio station, pleaded his case for a change of scenery.
Of course, he never was traded, and that very next season he earned his first regular season MVP award, teamed with Pau Gasol, and proceeded to lead the Lakers to three consecutive Finals appearances, winning the last two.
The lesson here is probably something about patience and perseverance being greater than overreaction.
Bryant is apparently trying to get those lessons he learned conveyed to another NBA star at the center of a potential trade. Carmelo Anthony, in the process of possibly approving a four team trade that will send him and his wife to New Jersey, is currently getting advice from Bryant about thinking his situation through, and not jumping the gun. Yahoo's Marc J. Spears reports that Bryant has told Anthony, "Don't make a move just to get out of the situation (No 'Jersey Shore')... Make sure its a move you're very happy in, and you're comfortable with."
Is this just a friend giving another friend advice? Is this some kind of a mind game Bryant has picked up after years of tutelage under Phil Jackson? Is Kobe just trying to ensure the Denver Nuggets remain a dysfunctional on-court product under Carmelo Anthony's (lack of) leadership ability? We'll just have to wait and see.
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