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Kobe Bryant posted a message on his Web page Sunday strongly suggesting the superstar wanted to be traded from the Lakers.
"When you love something as much as I love the Lakers its [sic] hard to even imagine thinking about being elsewhere," he wrote on his Web site, kb24.com. "But, the ONE THING I will never sacrifice when it comes to basketball is WINNING."
The two-time scoring champion also wrote: "The more I thought about the future, the more I became convinced that the Lakers and me just have two different visions for the future."
The 28-year-old nine-time All Star has four years left on his contract, but can terminate it following the 2008-09 season.
Bryant last month voiced frustration at Lakers management and publicly requested he be traded after the team was eliminated by Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs.
Though he said nothing could change his mind, Bryant later backed off after speaking with coach Phil Jackson.
"I don't want to go anywhere -- this is my team," Bryant told KLAC radio at the time. "I love it here. I called Phil, man. He and I talked; it was an emotional conversation. But he just said, 'You know what, Kobe? Let us try to figure this thing out."'
But Sunday's post was a not-so-subtle hint that tension remained between Bryant and the franchise. Bryant wrote that the Lakers, owned by Jerry Buss, had not backed him with players the team needs to win championships.
"The Lakers are pursuing a longer-term plan that is different from what Dr. Buss shared with me at the time I re-signed as a free agent," he wrote. "I have seen that plan unfold for the last three years and watched great trade opportunities come and go, and have seen free agents passed on. That has led to the Lakers not winning a playoff series."
Buss' spokesman Bob Steiner and Lakers spokesman John Black both declined comment Sunday.
Buss, who signed off on Bryant's seven-year $136.4 million contract in 2004, two weeks ago issued a statement stating, "We will continue to pursue every avenue possible to improve our team with him as the cornerstone."
Bryant earned $17.72 million last season and will earn $88.6 million over the next four years. He is considered one of the NBA's most dominant players and a top draw at the Staples Center.
Source: AP
"When you love something as much as I love the Lakers its [sic] hard to even imagine thinking about being elsewhere," he wrote on his Web site, kb24.com. "But, the ONE THING I will never sacrifice when it comes to basketball is WINNING."
The two-time scoring champion also wrote: "The more I thought about the future, the more I became convinced that the Lakers and me just have two different visions for the future."
The 28-year-old nine-time All Star has four years left on his contract, but can terminate it following the 2008-09 season.
Bryant last month voiced frustration at Lakers management and publicly requested he be traded after the team was eliminated by Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs.
Though he said nothing could change his mind, Bryant later backed off after speaking with coach Phil Jackson.
"I don't want to go anywhere -- this is my team," Bryant told KLAC radio at the time. "I love it here. I called Phil, man. He and I talked; it was an emotional conversation. But he just said, 'You know what, Kobe? Let us try to figure this thing out."'
But Sunday's post was a not-so-subtle hint that tension remained between Bryant and the franchise. Bryant wrote that the Lakers, owned by Jerry Buss, had not backed him with players the team needs to win championships.
"The Lakers are pursuing a longer-term plan that is different from what Dr. Buss shared with me at the time I re-signed as a free agent," he wrote. "I have seen that plan unfold for the last three years and watched great trade opportunities come and go, and have seen free agents passed on. That has led to the Lakers not winning a playoff series."
Buss' spokesman Bob Steiner and Lakers spokesman John Black both declined comment Sunday.
Buss, who signed off on Bryant's seven-year $136.4 million contract in 2004, two weeks ago issued a statement stating, "We will continue to pursue every avenue possible to improve our team with him as the cornerstone."
Bryant earned $17.72 million last season and will earn $88.6 million over the next four years. He is considered one of the NBA's most dominant players and a top draw at the Staples Center.
Source: AP
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