The NBA season is heating up, with contenders looking to pull away from the pack and others struggling to keep up.
Check out the latest news and rumors below.
Lakers Should Consider Trading Kobe, Columnist Says
Kobe Bryant has become the subject of trade rumors as the Los Angeles Lakers keep losing and it becomes apparent they won’t make the playoffs.
The group, which some fans considered a possible contender for a low seed, lost Steve Nash and rookie Julius Randle in the preseason or early season, and sixth man Nick Young is also out due to an injury.
The rumors appeared to start with pure speculation from an ESPN reporter, but prompted Bryant to tell Yahoo Sports that he’s not going anywhere.
But Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated says that the Lakers should consider trading Kobe.
Los Angeles Lakers News, Rumors: Kobe Bryant, Jeremy Lin, Jordan Hill, Julius Randle
“The Lakers are bad. Really bad. They may not challenge the ‘72-73 Sixers for the worst record of all-time, but at the very least they will keep pace with this year’s tanking Philadelphia team.The Lakers are inefficient on offense (No. 16 in the NBA), a disaster on defense and have a weird aversion to shooting the three, a weapon that virtually every successful team of this era has utilized in one form or another. Bryant has attempted nearly a third of the Lakers’ triples during their 0-5 start, suggesting that he has unilaterally decided there is still value in them,” Mannix said.
“It’s hard to see things getting much better, either. The schedule is brutal -- a Nov. 28 home date with the Wolves is the Lakers’ first game against a non-playoff contender -- and help isn’t exactly on the way. Steve Nash is gone, Julius Randle is out for the season, and if you are banking on Nick Young to make a measurable difference, well, I’ve got Ernie Grunfeld’s office number for you.
“So I'll ask: Why not trade Kobe? Or, at the very least, have a real discussion with Kobe about if he wants to be traded.”
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