I generally respect a lot of reporters. Many of them do a great job covering their respective teams. But sometimes a few of them ask lazy questions aimed at getting a reaction rather than getting information.
Because, as the success of horribly disgusting screaming matches like First Take tell us, we just loves us them wild reactions.
So with that, I bring you this. The LA Lakers are… SPOILER ALERT!!!… still Kobe Bryant's team.
I got a question earlier about whose team this is," Bryant told reporters at the Lakers media day Monday. "I don't want to get into the, 'Well, we share …' No, it's my team. But I want to make sure that Dwight, when I retire, this is going to be his. I want to teach him everything I possibly know so that when I step away this organization can ride on as if I never left."
Alright, aside from the lazy, obvious question about whose team it is… as if Kobe Bryant would relinquish any of the control… it's nice for Lakers fans to see Kobe is so concerned about the future of the franchise.
And Dwight Howard, for his part, is cool with it.
"I'm willing to go through that process, learn from one of the greatest to ever play the game and I think it will be great," Howard said. "I think learning from a guy like Kobe, I know he's going to be tough on me but I expect that and I want him to do that. So, I'll take all the heat that he's going to give me because I know at the end of the day that's going to make me a better player and a better person and it's going to make this team better.
The real question is not really "who's team is this?" The real question is "is everyone cool with this being Kobe's team and with Kobe getting in your face if he gets pissed about something you did?" Because with Steve Nash in charge of distributing the ball, and also still quite adept at taking over certain points of the game, and with Dwight Howard desperate for a larger role in the offense, It is possible Kobe's "takeover" mode can chafe a few.
Oh, and have we mentioned Pau Gasol yet? He is going from second option to third, maybe fourth. And Pau is not necessarily stoic. He will be the first person to tell you he needs the ball more. And he is a key piece to this puzzle for the Lakers.
Kobe is always going to be in charge when he is on the floor. This team is his motorcycle, and he has got 14 side cars for everyone else. And if they are cool with that, Kobe's happy. If they are not, then we will start to see some of the friction that could be the Lakers' biggest problem this season.
