Confusion surrounds Kobe's future after on-off trade demand
LOS ANGELES: Disgruntled Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said on Wednesday he wanted to be traded from the NBA team before dramatically changing his mind a few hours later.
Bryant's surprising about-turn was sparked by a telephone conversation with Lakers head coach Phil Jackson.
"I would like to be traded, yeah," Bryant told ESPN radio on Wednesday morning. "Tough as it is to come to that conclusion, there's no other alternative, you know?"
Asked if he could be persuaded by the Lakers to stay in Los Angeles, the 28-year-old replied: "No, I just want them to do the right thing."
Bryant, who helped the Lakers win three consecutive NBA championships from 2000-2002, has been frustrated by the team's lack of success over the last three seasons.
An NBA veteran of 11 years, he has become increasingly disappointed by the rebuilding process since Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004 and allegations that he was instrumental in prompting O'Neal's departure.
"(The Lakers) obviously want to move in a different direction in terms of rebuilding," added Bryant, who signed a lucrative seven-year contract the day after O'Neal's trade.
"Three years ago when I was re-signing they should have told me they wanted to rebuild."
Asked if he had any team in mind for a trade, he replied: "At this point I'll go play on Pluto."
Bryant, one of the NBA's biggest drawcards, then back-tracked after sharing his thoughts with Jackson.
"I can only hope that they do something because I don't want to go no place else," he told KLAC radio on Wednesday afternoon. "I want to stay here. This is my team. I love it here."
Bryant conceded Jackson's intervention had been pivotal.
"He stayed optimistic," Bryant said. "He said: 'You know what, I can't blame you for feeling this way. But they are now determined to do something. Let us try to figure things out and I'm confident that we can do that.'
"Phil is a guy I lean on a lot. I just have to try to stay optimistic. They're determined to get something done and they're off this long-term plan thing."
Lakers owner Jerry Buss said in a statement: "We are aware of the media reports. However, Kobe has not told us directly that he wants to be traded.
"We have made it very clear that we are building our team around Kobe and that we intend for him to be a Laker his entire career. We will speak directly to Kobe and until we do that, we will not comment publicly about this."
Bryant pleaded with the Lakers to do whatever it took to build a team capable of contending for the championship once their 2006-07 season ended.
The Los Angeles side failed to qualify for the playoffs in their first season without O'Neal and have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the last two years.
Bryant has four years and $88.6 million left on his Lakers contract.
Agencies
(China Daily 06/01/2007 page24)
