The Los Angeles Lakers have a terrible 0-4 start and with upcoming games against the Phoenix Suns, Charlotte Hornets and Memphis Grizzlies, things won’t get any easier. Everyone knows that Kobe Bryant is on a quest to get a sixth ring before he retires but getting it while staying with the Lakers seems like a really long shot. Therefore rumors have been swirling that Kobe should or will demand a trade. Here’s what he has to say about that.
“I hear the chatter of Kobe should ask out and he should go and play for a contender in this latter stage of his career,” Bryant told Yahoo Sports. “But that’s not what I do. I’m extremely loyal to the Lakers.
“I believe in fighting through the tough times as well as enjoying the good times. It’s my responsibility to get us to be the best that we can be. It’s important that we approach that on a day-to-day basis.”
Kobe actually has asked for a trade before when things got tough for the Lakers in 2007 that’s why they ended up trading for Pau Gasol, but let’s just act like that didn’t happen.
“I’ve enjoyed a great amount of success here. You can’t just enjoy the successful times and then run away from the bad ones. No, I don’t even think about [departing]. I’m a Laker.”
Oh wait, so he didn’t forget. He addressed his 2007 trade request here:
“We offered Pau an incredible deal. I saw them put the work in. It’s much different than in 2007 when I felt like they were just sitting on their hands. This is not that case. They were going after it and being aggressive. I will fight for that till the end. They tried, tried and tried and it didn’t work out. I stand behind them 110 percent. I bleed purple and gold.”
Bryant’s contract (he makes $23.5 million this season and $25 million next season) and age (36) makes him almost untradeable, so whether or not he does want to leave the Lakers, it’s very unlikely there’ll be anywhere for him to go.
