Hey Kobe, “Wanna Be Like Mike?” Then stay with the Lakers. Do you want to start carving your own path? Then pack your bags, or actually just change Los Angeles jerseys, and sign with the Clippers.Michael Jordan spent the entire meaningful part of his career (we are all trying to get that Wizards uniform out of our minds) with the Chicago Bulls. The franchise was built around him. The coach, Doug Collins, was let go because of him. He was given a level of commitment that only special players receive. Sound familiar? After dealing arguably the most dominant player of all time, and parting ways with a coach tied for the most NBA titles to keep him happy, the Lakers have made it abundantly clear that this is Kobe’s team. The only problem is, Kobe isn’t officially a member of the team anymore. As an unrestricted free agent, the Lakers could end up turning their franchise upside down in an effort to appease the Clippers’ new franchise player.
This is exactly what the outcome should be, if Kobe is smart. He has always wanted to win without Shaq, and now that would be possible even if he stayed with the Lakers. Yet the Lakers are no longer the best place for Kobe to play. If he stays there now, after they gave up Shaq and Phil, he HAS to win. He must win. He will be expected to win a championship immediately, to prove that he was the key to the Lakers all along. This is not going to happen. The Lakers are not winning another title anytime soon with the new team they have put together. When they don’t win, it will all be put on Kobe’s shoulders, and it should be. It will be his team, and it will not be a good team, certainly not a serious contender.
The Clippers, however, are a team that no one expects anything from. They are widely regarded as one of the worst sports franchises of all time. If Kobe can bring them to the promised land and deliver a title, or two, or more, he will undoubtedly go down in basketball history in a class with MJ, Magic, Larry, or perhaps even a class all his own.
It is certainly plausible to believe that this Clippers group, with Kobe, could be perennial title contenders. Consider the nucleus of the team. Elton Brand is an established “20/10″ type player in the league having put up 19 points and 11 rebounds a game for his career. He is among a handful of elite power forwards in the league and a blue-collar worker. The Clippers have Brand signed for the next 5 years. Corey Maggette is a rising star who has increased his scoring average each of the five years he’s been in the league (8 PPG, 10, 11, 17, 20). He continues to improve each season and is also under contract for the next 5 years. The Clipps 7-foot center Chris Kaman made noticeable improvements in his game last season and is beginning to come into his own. He is one of very few true centers in the league that can actually play. Kaman is under contract for the next 4 years. The player who has the most up-side on the team, and arguably the most up-side in the entire league other than LeBron, is 2004 1st round pick, Shaun Livingston. He has drawn comparisons to Penny Hardaway in his prime, and even Magic Johnson! As a 6’7” point guard, he and Kobe would create endless match-up problems and could end up becoming one of the best backcourts of all time.
The pieces are in place. The script is ready to be written. Kobe can become the player known for taking the NBA’s worst franchise and making it a champion. In turn, he could become the NBA’s greatest champion. Before you say it, I’m well aware of how many titles Bill Russell won, and I’m also well aware of how many he won with a franchise that is a habitual loser (0). The challenge awaits Kobe. I can’t remember the last time he didn’t meet a challenge head on. To conquer this challenge might be the greatest basketball feat of all for Kobe.