Can somebody explain to me why Charlotte traded Kobe to LA?

[bagelred]

1996 draft class was much stronger than 2010. I wouldnt trade Kaman for the 13th pick in 1996, no hindsight.

Players taken before Kobe Bryant:

Lorenzan Wright
Kerry Kittles
Samaki Walker
Todd Fuller
Vitaly Potapenko

Yes, in HINDSIGHT, the 1996 draft was very strong. But actually, this 2010 draft class is supposedly very strong too.

I'd take Kaman over 13th pick in draft, personally......at the time, Divac was a proven asset and Kobe was a high school talent. Who knew?

[GOBB]

It's pretty difficult to accurately evaluate a draft before it occurs, everyone thought last year's draft would suck, but it's turned out to be above average. There was plenty of hype in 1996, but no one necessarily looked like a surefire franchise guy like a Shaq, Lebron, Duncan, or Webber (who was hyped up as a franchise player all through high school and college, even if he wound up falling a bit short).

If it was difficult for anyone to evaluate 1996 draft class? Then they might want to watch another sport. I heard hockey is lookin for fans.

[KG215]

We aren't talking prime Kobe in regards to Baron Davis. Kobe was drafted in '97. They drafted Davis in '99. Kobe wasn't in his prime. And he would have played behind Curry and Rice anyway off the bench.

Now, in regards to Chris Paul, we don't know if the hornets would have been good enough. With Kobe, do they still trade Rice to LA for Eddie Jones and Campbell? And if they don't make that trade, they don't later trade Jones to Miami for Mashburn and PJ Brown. And then Baron's health issues come up, and the move to NOLA, etc etc. So, we really have no idea how good of a team they would have had around Kobe.



He would be a great player on a team we have no idea how good or bad would be. He very well could have been another McGrady in Orlando, struggling as a great individual talent but lacking team success.

Kobe and McGrady aren't even close to the same player. Kobe has shown he has that uber intense competitive gene/killer instinct. I feel extremely confident in saying that no matter who his supporting cast was with the Hornets, he still would have emerged as the best player in the league, and the Hornets never would have been bad enough to fall that low)or is it high?) in the lottery.

[GOBB]

Players taken before Kobe Bryant:

Lorenzan Wright
Kerry Kittles
Samaki Walker
Todd Fuller
Vitaly Potapenko

Yes, in HINDSIGHT, the 1996 draft was very strong. But actually, this 2010 draft class is supposedly very strong too.

I'd take Kaman over 13th pick in draft, personally......at the time, Divac was a proven asset and Kobe was a high school talent. Who knew?

This draft class in 2010 has Wall, Turner, Favors, Cousins. Those are the hyped up prospects. 1996 had quite a few. You telling me who went before Kobe is irrelevant. Teams knew of his demands and didnt care to entertain taking the HS kid who was making ways to go to L.A. Like I said and its well documented. NJ planned on taking Kobe Bryant. Had that happened? Only 7 players would have went before Kobe Bryant.

No hindsight here. I knew the 96 class was strong then. And I didnt need the years to add up for it to be 2010 to say "I told you so.".

There is no comparison with 2010 draft class and 1996 draft class. None whatsoever. I reccommend you review the history of the class and get back to me. 1996 was much stronger. One of the best in recent memory. How ironic we saw history in the NBA Finals tonight by someone from that class. Go figure.

[Showtime]

Kobe and McGrady aren't even close to the same player.

They were in the early 2000's, which is what we are discussing.

I feel extremely confident in saying that no matter who his supporting cast was with the Hornets, he still would have emerged as the best player in the league, and the Hornets never would have been bad enough to fall that low)or is it high?) in the lottery.

I feel extremely confident that you have no idea wtf you are talking about.

[iggy>]

what if the sixers surprised everyone and took kobe #1

[GiveItToBurrito]

If it was difficult for anyone to evaluate 1996 draft class? Then they might want to watch another sport. I heard hockey is lookin for fans.

What you wrote doesn't make any sense.

[GOBB]

what if the sixers surprised everyone and took kobe #1

I wouldnt be a Sixers fan if that were to go down. Imagine if they trade the #1 pick, an unproven talent for Vlade Dicav. A proven center? Ok, dont imagine it because its stupid!

[OnceInADECADE]

i wish Beasley would have told his agent what team n coaches he will like to play 4

22ppg 9rpg would have happened!!

[GOBB]

What you wrote doesn't make any sense.

And neither what you wrote made sense. That makes two of us.

It wasnt hard for anyone to evaluate the 1996 draft class. Only kids who werent old enough to understand what was going on during that time period. And quite frankly thats quite a few kids here.

[Batz]

what if the sixers surprised everyone and took kobe #1

Kobe wouldn't be what he is today...

[aj242]

Somebody has to get the quote from Bob Bass who was Charlotte's GM at the time. He said they didn't like anybody at 13 & Jerry presented the deal for Kobe & they thought they got the steal.

They didn't really want Kobe. The Hornets really had no intention on keeping him.

[KG215]

They were in the early 2000's, which is what we are discussing.


I feel extremely confident that you have no idea wtf you are talking about.

CP3 was drafted in 2005, making his first season 2005-2006, which was mid 2000's. That was when Kobe was in his prime and was emerging as the best player in the NBA. He had some terrible supporting casts in LA at that time and still managed to keep them out of the lottery all but once.

Of course it's possible the Hornets might have been bad enough in 2004-2005 to land at op 5 pick in order to draft CP3 but it's not likely if Kobe is on the team.

[GOBB]

Kobe wouldn't be what he is today...

Agreed. He wouldnt have decided against bonding with teammates at strip clubs, clubs, movies and instead watching countless hours of film on players from the past, studying his opponents (teams/individuals). He wouldnt have put in countless hours working on his game from the perimeter to the post each and every offseason where other players enjoyed thier downtime. He wouldnt have strived to be the best player in the league or in fact the NBA. He wouldnt have set out for individual goals to show people how good he is. He wouldnt have hit clutch shots, wouldnt have dropped alot of ppg.

NBA Comparison: John Starks

[Mirjalovic]

You can't evaluate 2010 draft class because its even not started yet