It looked at times as though Kobe Bryant would pull the team through its rough patch before the All-Star break, but with a 25-29 record and a 3.5-game gap between the Lakers and the eighth-place Houston Rockets, the prospects of a playoff run are fading fast.
Los Angeles has been the subject of rampant trade rumors and intense scrutiny this season. As Bryant does everything he can to hoist the team on his shoulder, the talk may be taking its toll. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, Bryant seemed “indifferent” when asked about the trade rumors involving Dwight Howard that began to swirl during All-Star weekend.
“I don't know what they're going to do. At this point, it doesn't matter.”
It’s easy to understand Bryant’s frustration. He’s a winner, and he’s always done his talking on the court with a basketball in his hands. The idea of missing the playoffs after the Lakers loaded up for a championship run this offseason can’t sit well with him, and he probably wasn’t implying that he doesn’t want Howard on the team.
Still, that might be the best course of action for Los Angeles at this point.
According to Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times, the new luxury tax restrictions presented in the league’s collective bargaining agreement could put the Lakers on the hook for about $81.5 million in luxury tax next year. In comparison, Los Angeles will likely only spend about $30 million for this year’s tax.
The Lakers have never been concerned about spending money to win championships, but the odds of adding another title this year are slim, and the Howard expe...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
