Kobe Bryant Tells Lakers Management to Pick a Side in Pau Gasol Trade Talk

We have less than one month remaining before the NBA trade deadline expires, but Kobe Bryant wants a decision made now.

The Los Angeles Lakers star isn't happy with how the Lakers are treating Pau Gasol and thinks it is affecting the team.

Following a disappointing loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, in which Gasol had 17 points and 12 rebounds, Kobe said:

"

Basketball is such an emotional game, you got to be able to have all of yourself in the game and invested in the game. We didn't have that. Pau, it's hard for Pau because of all this trade talk and all this other stuff, it's hard for him to kind of invest himself completely or immerse himself completely into games when he's hearing trade talk every other day. I wish management would come out and either trade him or not trade him.

"

To some, this would sound like an excuse for a team that is 4-4 in their last eight games and only 18-13 overall, but it's not.

Kobe knows this team has to make a move sooner rather than later, and he's no stranger to putting pressure on the organization.

Pau is averaging a career-low 16.6 points per game so far this season while Kobe is averaging a league-leading 29 points per game.

Kobe is essentially carrying the Lakers on his own.

Trading Gasol for anyone other than Dwight Howard is unlikely to make this team legitimately better, but ending the trade drama is something the whole team can benefit from.

We've already seen the Lakers foolishly trade away one key component this year (Lamar Odom), and it would hardly be shocking if they were to do it again.

One thing is for certain, though. Kobe isn't going to keep quiet when the Lakers are losing. Expect things to only intensify if L.A. doesn't win more games.