Kobe Bryant Recruiting Raja Bell
There has seldom been any love lost between Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant and former-Phoenix Suns defensive nemesis Raja Bell. Surprisingly, Bryant and Bell may no longer be rivals, but rather teammates.
Bryant and Bell have even agreed on a face-to-face meeting to discuss the possibility when Bell travels to Los Angeles on Wednesday for the EPSYs. If the two do become teammates, it will be interesting to see how they interact with one another. The pair’s current relationship is best described by Bell clotheslining Bryant to the floor by in Game 5 of the fierce 2006 Suns-Lakers series, which the Suns eventually won in seven games.
Bryant wants Bell in a Lakers jersey, but demand for Bell around the National Basketball Association has been high. The 33-year-old tough’s defending is desired by the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks. The Phoenix Suns also want to re-sign him. The Miami Heat were also in the mix, but after their signings of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, the salary cap space to bring Bell there simply does not exist.
The Lakers do not have much money to spare for Bell, and after signing journeyman point guard Steve Blake, the Lakers only have $1.8 million of their mid-level exception left to offer Bell next season
Apparently Bryant wants Bell on his team mainly due to the suspension-inducing hard foul Bell committed on him. Bryant feels that anyone who can get competitive to the level of fouling that hard is someone that he needs on his team.
This respectful opinion was not Bryant’s outlook on the situation immediately following the incident. Initially, Bryant went on a tirade and continually referred to the elder Bell as “kid.”
"Does he know me?" Bryant said. "Do I know this guy? I don't know this guy. I might have said one word to this guy. I don't know this kid. I think he overreacts to stuff. ... I don't know this kid. I don't need to know this kid. I don't want to. We go out there, we play the game and leave it at that. Maybe he wasn't hugged enough as a kid. I look at him a little bit, he gets a little insecure or something. I don't know."
Bell retaliated by describing Bryant as a "pompous, arrogant individual" who gets preferential treatment from the refs. He also added: "It's a personal thing when someone continually hits you in the face."
The two have recognized their mutual competitiveness and have seemingly been able to resolve any issues. Bell would be a welcome addition to a Lakers team that is going for a three-peat Championship run and is also weak in the backcourt.
Point guard Shannon Brown is leaving Los Angeles in search of a bigger payout and the Lakers’ other guards are not particularly exemplary in pure defence. If Bell does join forces with Bryant, he will provide the final piece in the Lakers’ quest for the NBA’s best defence.
The Lakers already have Ron Artest, winner of the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004, and would love to see another defensive powerhouse on the court. With Miami’s offensive trio in place, the Lakers think they can succeed best with as much defending as possible.
Bryant’s interest in Bell bodes well for Lakers fans. As he has often exhibited on the court, Bryant does whatever possible to get he wants. In this case, he wants Bell. Bell would like being part of an actually contending NBA team. The only shame will be that no one outside of the Lakers’ practice facilities will ever experience the thrill of Raja Bell guarding Kobe Bryant.
Tags: