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

[Rowe]

I'd love to know the logic behind that decision, and who was the GM at the time.

[wang4three]

Kobe and his agent forced his way to LA.

[Rowe]

Kobe and his agent forced his way to LA.

Just the Lakers? Or did he want to go to a major market?

[wang4three]

Just the Lakers? Or did he want to go to a major market?

I'm pretty sure they targeted the Lakers. New Jersey also wanted to draft Kobe but his agent kinda suggested that he wouldn't play for NJ so we took Kerry Kittles.

[Peteballa]

I'd love to know the logic behind that decision, and who was the GM at the time.

Kobe was a young baller, they had no idea how good he was going to be..

Vlade Divac was a legit, proven center, 16/10 guy the year before he was traded.

At the time, in my opinion, it was a smart move by Charlotte and a risky one by LA. But, obviously, it paid off.

[Blzrfn]

Charlotte is stupid, and Kobe is a frontrunner. That is how it happened.

[lakerHater]

...Cuz KoMe is a spoiled Brat!

[ThemBombs]

that being said, can anyone imagine Kobe in a Hornets jersey?

[srekaL]

Good move by Kobe Imagine if he had to play for Charlotte.

[High Roller]

Vlade was also a proven player then, the trade didn't seem so lopsided at the time.

[GOBB]

Just the Lakers? Or did he want to go to a major market?

Just the Lakers . Kobe grew up a Laker fan. Wanted to play for them. Agent made it possible. Lakers wanted Kobe. Calipari took Kittles instead of Kobe because Kobe had no intentions on playing there.

-just read wang posts, what he said

First West had to take the huge gamble of trading veteran center Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets for their thirteenth pick in the draft. Then he learned that John Calipari, the coach of the New Jersey Nets, planned to take [Kobe] Bryant with the eighth pick before the Lakers could snare him at thirteen.

“Jerry wanted Kobe, so he basically called up and talked Cal out of drafting Kobe,” explained Hal Wiseel, who was with the Nets at the time. West encouraged the Bryant family to talk to Calipari and explain that their son really wanted to play for the Lakers. “He knew if we didn’t take him at eight, he’d drop to Charlotte, and he could make the deal with Charlotte,” Wissel recalled. “Cal was young in the league and, hey, it’s Jerry West on the phone.”

Vlade was also a proven player then, the trade didn't seem so lopsided at the time.

The hell it wasnt.

[lilkobe]

Cus Kobe refused to play for Charlotte and gave them a list of teams to trade him to that he'd play for. The real question is, why wasn't he drafted higher

[GOBB]

Cus Kobe refused to play for Charlotte and gave them a list of teams to trade him to that he'd play for. The real question is, why wasn't he drafted higher

list? Ok, tell me the list of teams. I'm pretty sure you dont know because they do not exist. It was L.A all the way.

[lilkobe]

list? Ok, tell me the list of teams. I'm pretty sure you dont know because they do not exist. It was L.A all the way.

I know he had Lakers and Knicks on the list not sure of others.

[bagelred]

Kobe Bryant was the 13th pick in the draft.

Would you trade, for example, Chris Kaman for the 13th pick in this years draft right now? I wouldn't. Most people wouldn't. Kaman is a proven legit center in this league, and the 13th pick is a gamble.

That was Divac for Bryant. Understand now? They didn't know Kobe Bryant was going to become KOBE BRYANT!!