Chris Paul Trade: Why Kobe Bryant Will Wind Up Eating His Words

Let the war of words officially begin.

For the first time ever, there are two relevant basketball teams located in Los Angeles.

The Clippers have been the ugly red-headed step-child to the Lakers for decades and now the tides have turned with the addition of Chris Paul. Putting him with a young core including Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe makes the Clippers one of the most exciting teams in the league.

Lakers star Kobe Bryant has taken notice, and has officially fired the first shot according to Beto Duran of ESPN Radio in LA:

Uh oh!

Kobe shouldn’t be making jewelry references when talking trash considering it took a $1 million ring to apologize to his wife for getting accused of rape in Eagle, Colorado back in 2004.

Bryant’s comment makes you think that Kobe still isn’t taking the new-look Clippers seriously.

Big mistake.

In addition to their young core, the under-the-radar signing of Caron Butler is going to pay monster dividends, and Mo Williams provides a ton of playoff experience.

Let’s compare the top six for each team:

Kobe vs. CP3: advantage Lakers          

Pau Gasol vs. Blake Griffin: advantage Clippers

Andrew Bynum vs. DeAndre Jordan: advantage Lakers

Metta World Peace vs. Caron Butler: advantage Clippers

Derek Fisher vs. Eric Bledsoe: advantage Clippers

Matt Barnes vs. Mo Williams: advantage PUSH

The Clips hold the slight advantage and you have to remember they are for the most part all very young while the Lakers are only getting older.

What if the Lakers lose a “home game” to the Clippers this season? What if the little brother wins the season series? The media is going to gather his preseason quote and shove it in his face. Bryant has taken an elitist attitude towards the Clippers and it looks like it’s going to backfire.

What if the Clippers beat the Lakers in the playoffs?

This is going to be an unprecedented season for the Clippers and I don’t think the Lakers are prepared for it.