Kobe Bryant: the Misunderstanding and the Redemption

After more than 11 years in the bright lights of Hollywood, its scary to say Kobe Bryant might be looking for a change of scenery.

Bryant’s initial season in Los Angeles ended in heart break with a loss to the Utah Jazz in the semi-finals of the Western Conference Play-offs, but soon after, a dynasty was born in the City of Angels that not many saw coming. Shaquille went from a man-child to a man and Bryant blossomed before our eyes into the top player in the world. The young man who seemed to be destined for stardom after winning the slam dunk contest at the ripe age of nineteen, turned into the player that no one wanted to guard.

After what seemed like three failry tale seasons in Los Angeles he Lakers fell to the Spurs in Western Conference finals to in 2003 and all hell began to break loose. Kobe and Shaq were at each others throats. Kobe told management if Shaq remained on the team, he would opt out of his contract the following year and become a free agent and soon enough, the dynasty began to crumble.

In 2004, with The Diesel still in purple and gold the, and with newly added aging veterans Karl Malone and Gary Peyton joined the squad with hopes of putting them back over the west. The plan worked until the finals came around and the Lakers wer rolled by the Pistons in what seemed to be a five-game sweep.

From there, the walls on Bryant's castle came crashing down around him.

Shaq was dealt to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom and all-star Caron Butler who was later traded by the team, for Kwame Brown of all people. Malone went back into retirement. Peyton followed Shaquille to South Beach through free agency, and Phil Jackson hit the dusty trail only to write a book about his time in L.A. which aired the dirty laundry of his entire campaign with the Lakers. Kobe took most of the blame.

That brings us to today.

The money is not the issue and neither is the commute from Newport Beach each morning to the Lakes facilities.

It's management.

Mitch Kupchake has done a magnificent job of pissing off the best all around player in the world the past few seasons.

He traded away Shaquille O’Neal a few years back only to watch Shaq win another title with another all-star guard. Soon after, Bryant saw more blockbuster NBA trades that didn't involve his team in any fashion. While the Lakes struggled to stay above .500 last the past few seasons: the Nuggets acquired Allen Iverson for next to nothing; the Celtics somehow brought Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to Bean-Town in less than ten days of work; The Hawks snagged Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby; The Bulls grabbed Ben Wallace; The Mavs picked up Jason Kidd; and Knicks brought in Zach Randolph from Portland.

The Kevin Garnett deal was the one that undeniably broke the camels back. It was no secret that Kevin Garnett wanted out of Minnesota and the Timberwolves management made it happen.

Bryant had been all but begging the team to trade him due to their lack of ability to acquire another star to help him out. This is when you began to understand Bryant’s frustration. Lets take a step back and look at the situation with an unbiased eye.

You are Kobe Bryant:

You’re not getting any younger.

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