Pivot Points: Kobe and LeBron Together Is a Match Made in Heaven or Hell?

As 2010 draws near, speculation about potential destinations for LeBron James continues to permeate the news and cyberspace, and I would like to throw my hat into the arena for an entirely different take from the norm.

While everyone else salivates about the prospects of James joining their teams, I shudder to think about any chances of LeBron donning the purple and gold of the Los Angeles Lakers.

I'm sure that commissioner David Stern would love to daydream about the increased interest that the NBA would receive if such a move were to ever take place, and the marketing dollars that would be sure to follow, but I think it's a doomed proposition.

For one, the pieces that the Lakers would have to give up would amount to much more than what they would get in return in my opinion, as I am not in the clan that believes the addition of James would amount to instant success.

For Los Angeles to make such a deal work, they would have to be willing to part with at least three of their highest profile players, and for the sake of argument, let's just speculate on who those three might be.

The only players on the roster who would be untouchable in such a scenario would probably be Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, the two players who are pretty much considered the core of the team.

That means that Lamar Odom and Ron Artest being expendable, would almost certainly receive their walking papers, and although it would be tough to see them go their loss could be absorbed.

Much harder to absorb would be the loss of Andrew Bynum, who would have to be included in order to make any type of major deal work and could equate to the Lakers' mortgaging their future.

What has been lost in the Lakers' blazing start to this season is the continued strides that Bynum has made to become an elite center. Between Bryant's heroics and Gasol's consistent double-doubles Bynum has been a steady presence in the middle.

Although James may be a once-in-a-lifetime player, Bynum, in his own way, can be rightfully included in this class, and players at his position are a lot harder to come by than small forwards.

How many franchise centers have made their way into the NBA in the past 10 years? How about the past 20 years? How many currently roam the hardwoods of the NBA right now?

I would say two legitimate, being Bynum and Dwight Howard, and if you want to add Andrew Bogut and Robin Lopez, I'll give you those and it still doesn't come near to the number of elite small forwards who have walked the same path.

James, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, and Carmelo Anthony are just a few and the list goes on and on. None of these players may be on the same level as James, but all are players that a team can be built around.

Check the rosters of the teams around the NBA and you will find a glut of players that can contribute at the small forward position, but great centers are much harder to come by.

Bynum is already more fundamentally skilled than any center to enter the league in 10 years, and barring another injury, has the potential to assume the throne of greatness.

Aside from the obvious implications of losing a franchise center, what would be the climate around the rest of the league if such a move were to take place?

Half of the NBA cried foul when the Lakers were able to acquire Gasol on the cheap, and although the price tag would be much higher, can you imagine the out cry if James were to make his way to Los Angeles?

The cries of foul play and favoritism would reach a much higher decibel level than already exists, and the morale of the league would be similar to when Michael Jordan was denying everyone a turn at greatness.

Even though Jordan's era consisted of numerous great players, the supremacy of his Chicago Bulls was unquestioned and he was the reason that various legends of the game retired without tasting the nectar of a championship.

The Lakers would become a virtual monopoly with the presence of Bryant and James, and although fans in Los Angeles would rejoice the pairing would ultimately be bad for the cause of achieving league parity.

Besides those issues mentioned, how would Bryant and James co-exist in the same atmosphere together without the presence of friction?

I'm well aware that they were both able to put aside their egos for the sake of winning Olympic gold for the United States, but a season long pairing would present an entire different set of challenges and dynamics.

Bryant and James are universally considered as the two best players in the game of basketball, two alpha-males at the top of their games, so who would assume the mantle of leadership on a team that included them both?

Kobe would be reluctant to relinquish the influence that he has gained in his 14 years as a Laker, and it's hard for me to picture James playing second fiddle to anyone, so obvious controversy would ensue.

The fact that they are both professionals would stymie some of the eventual resentment, but there would still be room for potential clashes to erupt.

Much has been made to the effect of James' value as a team player, but would that hold true if he were unable to dominate the ball in his usual fashion? What about the strides that Bryant has made in that arena?

It's also hard for me to picture Kobe being as effective without the offense flowing through his hands, or without him getting the touches that he is accustomed to, and what would that do to team chemistry?

The Lakers' owner, Jerry Buss, has been known to make decisions with the direction of his team in mind and it's hard for me to fathom him coming to a conclusion to add James if the opportunity presented itself.

Even though money has not played a major factor in Dr. Buss's decision-making, the current financial climate would definitely play a role in the process, and Gasol is on the brink of signing an extension, as is Kobe Bryant.

How do you make those numbers work without teetering on the brink of financial ruin? Even if you could move money around to make a deal, is it ultimately worth it?

Finally, if it's not broke why try to fix it? The Lakers are in a position to challenge for the NBA title for the forseeable future with their present roster, so why even chance adding James to the mix?

It's not like their future hinges on signing James, they are after all the defending NBA champions, and they presently own the best record in the entire league, in addition to being the prohibitive favorites to repeat.

The skills that LeBron brings to the table are evident and unprecedented, and there are numerous teams in the NBA that are in the hunt for his services.

I can think of various teams that James would immediately upgrade, and the Lakers are not at the top of the list by any means.

If by any chance he has a desire to play in Los Angeles there is another team that shares space with the Lakers that would be more than happy to accommodate him.

If he can get used to wearing red and blue instead of purple and gold I'm sure that the Clippers have a spot for him. He can even keep wearing his No. 23 if he so desired.