The official fire Mitch Kupchuk thread.

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Originally Posted by twenty-four

I think Kobe's desire for ring is greater than for more money. Besides he gets most of his money from endorsements.

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His endorsement potential is much lower in pretty much any other market excluding NYC.

The teams that have a chance to win it all, or are in big markets (like the Knicks), in all likelihood don't have cap room to add a max deal player.

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Originally Posted by DiehardKingsFan

Then we started losing and instead of accepting responsibility for his role in the team's demise, he threw Kobe, Dr. Buss, and Kupchak under the bus, got pissed off at some comment Kupchak made, and demanded a trade to Miami to be with his new pal Dwyane Wade.

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This is revisionist history. LA chose to deal him to Miami because it was the only legitimate Eastern Conference trading partner. There were other suitors but mostly West Coast teams like the Mavericks and Kings.

(The only one of the two who has ever demanded a trade to a specific team is Kobe, back when he got drafted.)

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Originally Posted by SmytheKing

If you really believe Kobe had nothing to do with Shaq leaving, tell me why he wouldn't resign until after he was gone. Also, you really think Kobe sticks around if they don't trade him?

Go ahead and believe what you like though. Common sense tells anyone with an open mind different.

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Pretty much. Even if it wasn't explicitly demanded by Kobe, it was implied.

They both are partially to blame, but can we get over this discussion already? Shaq is gone and he isn't coming back.

If Kobe was traded and Shaq stayed, everyone would be talking about Kobe the same way they talk about Shaq now.

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Originally Posted by DiehardKingsFan

um, bull-****ing s***

Shaq is a big arrogant pussy. With the Lakers (and even now) Shaq plays about a month of the regular season and then gets injured and disappears until around Christmas. During this time Kobe had to put the team on his back as if it's his team. Then Shaq comes back, fat, out of shape and wants the ball to go through him the entire game. Shaq would demand that Kobe pass the ball and not take shots. Despite Shaq being a selfish prick Kobe had no problem deferring to Shaq for the first 3 quarters but felt like the fourth quarter should be controlled by someone that can shoot free-throws. Kobe was smart enough to know Shaq's lack of free-throw shooting would hurt them down the stretch of games while Shaq was too arrogant to see it himself, always claiming "I can make em in the 4th" when as we all know he's one of the worst FT shooters in the game..

Shaq was also a cruiser - he didn't mind doing just enough in the regular season and turning it up in the playoffs, but Kobe wanted to destroy the other team every game. Kobe being the competitor he is ever so slightly questioned Shaq's work ethics/conditioning and Shaq the pompous ass took it personally and got angry at Kobe.

Shaq wanted out. Just like he wanted out of Orlando. Shaq was Penny's big brother and loved Orlando until he realized the team couldn't get over the hump - then he was a 'big fish in a small pond' and needed to move on to bigger things in LA. While in LA, he was Kobe's big brother and smiled and grinned his way to three championships and praised Phil as the best coach in the world while slamming Penny and the Magic under the bus whenever he got a chance. Then we started losing and instead of accepting responsibility for his role in the team's demise, he threw Kobe, Dr. Buss, and Kupchak under the bus, got pissed off at some comment Kupchak made, and demanded a trade to Miami to be with his new pal Dwayne Wade. He has also proceeded to bash Dr. Buss, Kobe, the city of LA and anyone who happened to be wearing purple and gold at each opportunity he has had.

But, I guess some people are too ignorant to acknowledge that Shaq was a pompous ass taht wanted out of LA, and would rather heap all the blame on Kobe.

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Accepting a role in the teams demise? Shaq had 3 finals MVPs when we won those titles. By the fourth try Kobe got jealous and wanted to take over the series over against the Pistons having poor shot selection when Prince was all over him and he didn't pass the ****ing ball. Also Remember it was Bryant that had the team distracted by his rape trial case. Lets Recap Bryant's shooting in that final-

Game 1- 10-27 FG's and 1-6 behind the arc.
Game 2. 14-27 FG's and 1-5 behind the arc.
Game 3. 4-13 FG's and 0-4 behind the arc.
Game 4. 8-25 FG's and 2-6 behind the arc.
Game 5. 7-21 FG's and 0-2 behind the arc.

Kobe was ****ing brilliant.Yeah Shaq may be a lazy **** during the season but at least he shows up for the ****in playoffs. Kobe deserves more than fair share of the blame in the "teams demise". He didn't bring in Payton and Malone, it was Shaq.

Looks like Kobe joined with the masses that want Kupchak canned.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18893597/