So far, it hasn't been the kind of drama we might have feared in Los Angeles—Dwight Howard didn't kick off the preseason with any new trade demands. Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant aren't chasing each other around for the ball. Everything in Laker-land is seemingly copacetic.
Yet distractions persist, and some easily avoidable ones at that.
Shaquille O'Neal instigated the first flare-up just days ago, and the Lakers themselves inexplicably gave life to the issue. First, Dwight Howard defended himself, ultimately lecturing O'Neal to, "Sit back and relax" (via the Los Angeles Times' Mike Bresnahan). Then Kobe piled on. Even Phil Jackson had his say.
Whatever happened to just saying "whatever"?
This time the drama is unprovoked, unless you consider Smush Parker's depressing sour grapes sufficient provocation.
This time, there's this (via The Orange County Register's Janis Carr):
“I almost won an MVP with Smush Parker and Kwame Brown on my team,” Bryant said before Wednesday’s 93-75 exhibition loss to Portland. “I was shooting 45 times a game. What was I supposed to do? Pass it to Chris Mihm or Kwame Brown.”
Bryant was referring to 2005-06 when the Lakers’ roster included Brian Cook, Stanislav Medvedenko, Devean George and Parker, Mihm and Brown.
Bryant continued, taking aim at his favorite whipping boy, Parker, calling him “the worst. He shouldn’t have been in the NBA but we were too cheap to pay for a point guard. So we let him walk on.”
With all the recent talk of retirement, we might want to dissuade Mr. Bryant from a post-basketball career in diplomacy. Something involving brutal honesty might be a better fit.
Here's the thing about what Kobe said: We all sort of agree. We've almost certainly said fa...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
