Hmmm, now that would be an interesting trade.
Bryant keeps an eye on Bulls | Chicago Tribune
Instead of wearing a Bulls uniform, Kobe Bryant watches Bulls uniforms.“They're one of the teams in the league I most enjoy, so I watch them regularly,” Bryant said.
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General manager John Paxson's secret free-agent pitch to Bryant in July 2004 has been well documented. But Bryant entertained his flirtation in a new light Thursday, answering how he thought he would exist with coach Scott Skiles.“I'm sure I'd enjoy it,” Bryant said. “He's a hard-nosed guy, a blue-collar guy. I enjoy hard work. So I'm sure it'd be fine.”
Bryant is supremely talented, no doubt, yet I wish teams were more patient. The current crop of Bulls players is still on the upward arc of talent/experience, and should only get better. Why risk altering the team for nebulous rewards? Why trade promising young players for Kevin Garnett or Kobe? One of the reasons I like basketball over other sports is the concept that team play trumps individual play. 5-as-1, as the cliche goes. The Bulls, as currently constructed, are fun to watch play exactly because they don't have a superstar player (like Kobe Bryant, or Allen Iverson) who holds the ball while the other four players stand around or set picks, or ogle the dance team, or whatever.
Tags: Bulls
The Orioles ruined their franchise trading away talent instead of developing it. They traded Dennis Martinez instead of working with him, and Martinez was fantastic in Montreal. They traded away Curt Schilling, Steve Finley, and Pete Harnisch for Glenn Davis who had a bad back and disappeared. If they'd kept Schilling and Martinez they would have remained a perennial contender, especially if they had kept Eddie Murray.
I'm sure if I cared I could remember more examples. So--I agree with you. Don't trade for superstars if you have good talent working as a unit.