Launch of My Blog & Kobe Demands a Trade

The big headline today is Kobe Bryant demanding a trade from the Los Angeles Lakers, and with the demand, the soap opera continues. Kobe has the talent, that is unmistakable, but it has always been his attitude that has plagued him over the years. From demanding Shaq be traded and getting the max contract possible from the Lakers to demanding Jerry West come back, Kobe has always wanted his way. Though he has been more of a team player in recent years than previously, his drive to get his way has trumped other people, whether it be Shaq or Jerry Buss, the Laker owner. Up to this point in his career, what Kobe wanted, he received. Now, his desire to leave the Lakers and contend for a title elsewhere will leave fans feeling blue. This situation that Kobe put himself into is one that may define him further. If he gets traded, will he find the happiness he doesn’t feel right now in Los Angeles? If he wins a title elsewhere, what happens if his team doesn’t win the title the year after? Or the year after that? Kobe will once again be in the same situation, but a different team. Teams being rumored to have interest include Houston, Boston, New York, Chicago, and Phoenix. If I were Kobe, the rumored McGrady-for-Bryant swap doesn’t sound like a bad idea to me. If Kobe stays put in LA, will he accept his role or be disgruntled and push and push for a trade until fans demand one as well? Will he embrace the concept of a team and embrace the team-first style of the Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons? Unfortunately, I wouldn’t count on that.