would the lakers be heading to the playoffs if...

[RPM]

if the lakers kept shaq and dumped kobe last year, would they be making the playoffs this year?

 

[gridtalker]

if the lakers kept shaq and dumped kobe last year, would they be making the playoffs this year?
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yep they would be.

 

[RPM]

grid,

yeah, i think so too. but i guess kobe is a little younger and a little more marketable. even though he's a rapist...

 

[PokerKingJim]

Definitely

 

[D2bets]

They'd be in. Shaq way more value than overrated Kobe.

 

[cincy_]

Of course.

If they trade Kobe, they get someone like Duane Wade in return (I know Miami wouldn't tade Wade for Shaq, btw). Would the Raptors not have traded Kobe for Vince Carter straight up? The Nets would have traded Kobe for Kenyon Martin, and Golden State would have traded Kobe for J Rich and the Clippers would have certainly traded Kobe for Corey Maggette.

Even if they outright released Kobe and got nothing in return, they would be in the playoffs as a 6th or 7th or 8th seed.

Keep in mind that if the had released Kobe, they save cap room and they keep Phil Jackson too.

Kobe is not a winner. Kobe was simply Shaq's sidekick. People have realized it now. They got Odom and Butler in return for Shaq and they're in 10th place? If they had gotten those two in return for Kobe, they would be AT LEAST a 3-4 seed.

 

[golfingarkansas]

Kobe Is A Dime A Dozen, O Neal Is A Game Breaker

 

[CHOPTALK]

Of course.

If they trade Kobe, they get someone like Duane Wade in return (I know Miami wouldn't tade Wade for Shaq, btw). Would the Raptors not have traded Kobe for Vince Carter straight up? The Nets would have traded Kobe for Kenyon Martin, and Golden State would have traded Kobe for J Rich and the Clippers would have certainly traded Kobe for Corey Maggette.

Even if they outright released Kobe and got nothing in return, they would be in the playoffs as a 6th or 7th or 8th seed.

Keep in mind that if the had released Kobe, they save cap room and they keep Phil Jackson too.

Kobe is not a winner. Kobe was simply Shaq's sidekick. People have realized it now. They got Odom and Butler in return for Shaq and they're in 10th place? If they had gotten those two in return for Kobe, they would be AT LEAST a 3-4 seed.

Great points. If the Lakers would have traded Kobe for Wade, I promise you the Heat would not be the #1 seed in the east right now. Shaq would take any team in the NBA, to the playoffs. Hornets, Hawks you pick your team put shaq on it, and they make the playoffs. Kobe is proving thats not the case with him.

 

[primetime21+]

100 percent yes.

i was one of those people that thought the lakers did a good thing by keeping kobe. he was younger and shaq had some injury problems. i guess thats why i am not a GM. i can think of at least 10 players i would rather build by team around than kobe. and since i have a few minutes here is a list in no specific order:

1- Amare
2- Lebron
3- Shaq
4- Wade
5- Nash
6- Garnett
7- Duncan
8- Iverson
9- Kidd
10- Mcgrady
11- Dirk

 

[5teamparlay]

SHAQ MVP 2004-2005

 

[kermit16]

Yes they would ! Why ? Well, one has to assume that the Lakers would still have Jackson and also that they would have received someone for Kobe !

 

[Rainbow]

If indeed the Lakers do reach an agreement to trade Kobe, he will be a starter where ever he lands, that I"m 100% sure of.

 

[quantumleap]

All of this now that the Lakers are in the dumps. Where were these comments when they were doing all right? I have to put a lot of the blame on the coaching. This guy they have in there now doesn't have a clue.

 

[RPM]

Of course.

If they trade Kobe, they get someone like Duane Wade in return (I know Miami wouldn't tade Wade for Shaq, btw). Would the Raptors not have traded Kobe for Vince Carter straight up? The Nets would have traded Kobe for Kenyon Martin, and Golden State would have traded Kobe for J Rich and the Clippers would have certainly traded Kobe for Corey Maggette.

Even if they outright released Kobe and got nothing in return, they would be in the playoffs as a 6th or 7th or 8th seed.

Keep in mind that if the had released Kobe, they save cap room and they keep Phil Jackson too.

Kobe is not a winner. Kobe was simply Shaq's sidekick. People have realized it now. They got Odom and Butler in return for Shaq and they're in 10th place? If they had gotten those two in return for Kobe, they would be AT LEAST a 3-4 seed.

your post raises another interesting question....

what hurt the lakers more, losing shaq or losing phil?

 

[HiloBoy]

if kobe was unable to play at all during the three lakers championships and it was another average guard instead of kobe how many of the three titles do the lakers still win?

 

[RPM]

id say at least 2.

 

[HiloBoy]

portland my have beat them 2000, sacramento in 2001. who knows.

 

[cincy_]

Heck, if they didnt have Kobe, they wouldn't be playing 4 against 5. There would be someone else there.


... and you can't point to specific games and specific matchups either. If we did that I could actually get away with saying that without ROBERT HORRY they would have lost at least two playoff series, and without Derek Fisher, they wouldn't have that miracle shot against the Spurs.

Horry and Kobe and Fisher made the shots. Shaq got them there. That is why Shaq is the MAN and they are the sidekicks.

Like ma man Snoop says, "Everybody needs a sidekick"

 

[steeser]

You guys are overreacting, without Kobe they would have 1 title of the three at most.

He's still a top player, and I would rather have him over any of the other selfish malcontents like Vince Carter, etc... Kobe definitely wants to win, which I can't say for Carter.

 

[THawk+]

Kobe may want to win but he has to be the man.....

The reason the Lakers are where they are is that Kobe destroys a teams flow on offense because he has to be the man.....Anyone can score as many points as Kobe if they took that many shots a game..

Shaq makes people better Kobe does not that is the bottom line....

The Lakers have made their bed and I love it I hope they suck for the next ten years because of Kobe....