Kobe tears up Lakers management

by dekokfo399 on 2012-02-21 14:16:58

"So, we got to March 15, the (trade) deadline. That's what I was thinking (about). We hope for that day to come and go (without a trade)," said Gasol, who spoke to reporters on his team bus after the game when they caught up with him through Kobe's remarks.

"This is what I'm thinking (approximately). We hope for that day (without a deal)," Gasol said after the game as reporters caught up with him on his team bus. "Obviously, if someone tells me something beforehand, it would be great, but I'm not trying to force anything. I'm trying to force a team, if they want to trade me, trade me tomorrow."

"Because obviously I still believe in our team, I believe in our city, and I believe we can continue to be a special, special team, a successful team."

"Of course, we're talking to a lot of teams (approximately), like everyone else, right up until the trade deadline to see if there's a way to improve the team," Kupchak said in the report.

"But the likelihood is, it's going to be one of those playoff teams. That's just the way it normally works out, but we'll see."

Just as Kobe wants Pau to stay in Los Angeles, Gasol said he wanted to remain with the Lakers.

Gasol's status with the Lakers and Kobe's evident appreciation for how Gasol has handled himself amid the surrounding commotion has started despite the team being 18-13 this season.

Gasol was asked at the time by reporters if he intended to initiate a conversation with Kupchak when the team returned to Los Angeles on Monday to play the Portland Trail Blazers.

"He's handled it with great professionalism," Kobe said.

"He's gone about doing what he can do, but let's face reality. If you don't know where you're going to be tomorrow, if your head is on the chopping block, you feel like you're just waiting around. It's hard to put yourself into every game."

However, Kupchak had not initiated any direct conversations with Gasol concerning the franchise's future with power, since the two spoke on the first day of training camp following the failed three-team trade that would have sent Gasol to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets.

"It's important (for Gasol) to know we support him," Kobe told reporters Friday, but was more vocal Sunday.

"...If they trade him, at least you give him some closure, at least he gets some closure. I'd rather they don't trade him, but if they're going to do it, (expletive) just do it if you're not going to do it, come out and say you're not going to do it."

"Nothing," Gasol said when asked if he'd had a meeting with Kupchak regarding the continued trade speculation.

"I saw him after the game in the locker room. That's it, but we really didn't have much to say."

"You just want some clarity, a little bit of clarity. I think that would help him out a lot."

"I gave (Gasol) a nod," Kobe said.

"It's just a player giving him everything when you don't know if you're going to be here tomorrow, it's tough, I'd rather they don't trade him at all. If they're going to do something, I wish they'd just (expletive) do it. If they're not going to do it, come out and say you're not going to do it. That way, he can be comfortable, he can go out, he can play, he can invest all of himself into the game."

"He's taking it all from the field (with no trade rumors)," Brown said.

"There's been no doing of any rumors. Rumors are going to happen all the time. There's been talk about every guy on this team one way, shape or form. We've just got to as a team, as individuals, ignore the noise."

"I don't know if I should approach him because obviously there's been a lot of rumors, there's been a lot of talks and it seems like teams keep making offers to them (the Lakers) or else this information wouldn't be coming out," Gasol said.

"It seems like almost every other day the team puts stuff together, so it's par for the course. I'm happy that there's somebody out there who loves having me on their roster because they value me as a player, but at the same time it's frustrating because if I had a player or a team that came to me and said 'look, I'm not interested because I value my players and I want you here,' then that would be one thing. But it seems like that's not the case. That's what I'm getting. I haven't really confirmed it per se, but from the situation of the talks and all, that's my take."

Kobe made it clear that he likes the Lakers' decision not to trade Gasol, the four-time All-Star whom Kobe paired with to win consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010.

"He was on his computer (Saturday) when we landed, he was looking through some articles and all that," Brown told reporters prior to the team's shootaround Sunday.

"I just came over and said 'Pau, you stop looking at that crap. If you do, it's going to kill you.' It's out of his control. If it's going to happen, it's going to happen, and nobody knows except upstairs and the ownership people... Worry about doing anything, it's wasted energy."

"I believe we'll make some adjustments here and there, but obviously with ourselves and Pau and Andrew (Bynum) being the starting foundation," Kobe said.

"But you can't have one of our pillars not knowing if he's going to be here or not. Do something. One way or another, do something."

"Basketball is such an emotional game, you're able to put yourself into it all and invest yourself into the game. We haven't been able to do that," Kobe said after Gasol had 17 points and 12 rebounds against the Suns.

"Pau, it's tough for Gasol because with all these trade talks and all this other stuff, it's tough for him to fully invest himself or fully immerse himself into the game when he hears trade talks every other day. I wish management would come and either trade him or not trade him."

The Lakers' general manager Mitch Kupchak ruled out a major move involving the Lakers' roster over the weekend.

For more news, notes and analysis, check out the Land O'Lakers blog from the Kamenetzky brothers.

Lakers coach Mike Brown said Gasol has been unable to avoid the rumors that have swirled in recent weeks involving trade scenarios with Houston, Boston, Minnesota, Orlando and Chicago for Gasol.