Now that we are in the post-All-Star Game portion of the NBA schedule, there are really only a couple of storylines left: the Warriors’ chase of the Bulls for the best regular season win total of all-time, and the Kobe Bryant farewell tour. There’s plenty of time left for us to talk about the Warriors this year, so I’m going to give Bryant his due and give him the spotlight for one column.
For the record, I’ve never been a huge Bryant supporter. His antics and attitude while Shaquille O’Neal literally dragged him to his first three titles was just downright nauseating. Then, when the whole Colorado rape accusations came out, it made Bryant easily one of the most deplorable and unlikeable figures in all of sports. Somehow, in the decade-plus since, him having the 81-point game, getting within one title of Michael Jordan and him becoming almost an ambassador for a former generation have seemingly erased what a class act jerk Bryant was from when he entered the league basically through 2008.
The Bryant farewell tour is reminiscent of the Derek Jeter lovefest of 2014. Iconic player, iconic franchise that is being shoved in our face. But what people forget is how close Bryant came to not being a lifetime Laker, and more than likely not getting the rings that put him within striking distance of Jordan.
In 2007 Bryant was on the trading block as he was demanding out of LA after Shaq had won a ring without him and the Lakers looked like anything but a title contender. The trade that should’ve gone through was Bryant to the Chicago Bulls. Which, if you look at now, a core of Bryant, Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose would’ve at the very least given Boston, Cleveland and Miami a run for their money in the East.
Bryant eventually never OK’d a trade and forced the Lakers hand into getting Pau Gasol (which, surprise, another generational center carried the Lakers to a couple championships) and the rest is history. But Bryant, at least in rumors, never went along with a trade to Chicago because he didn’t want to be in Jordan’s shadow.
It’s amazing to wonder the power shift and what would’ve happened if Bryant had gone to the Windy City and skewed the superstar team landscape from Miami to Chicago.