Kobe Bryant and Matt Barnes toe different lines on the Lamar Odom trade – NBA Update
The now infamous Chris Paul to Los Angeles trade, which resulted in a Lamar Odom trade to arch rivals Dallas Mavericks, has been talk of the town this week.
Odom was furious at the treatment doled out to him by the Lakers management, which did not even bother to inform him or his agent, Jeff Schwartz, about the deal. Disgruntled and infuriated, Odom demanded to be traded from the franchise
the very next day, and what followed was a deal with the Mavs in less than three hours.
On Tuesday, he opened up on why demanded the trade;
“It was just about how they did it," Odom said. "I felt a little disrespected”.
Kobe Bryant, who on Sunday, also expressed his rage on the abrupt trade and the manner in which it was handled now seems to have accepted the fact.
In an interview with ESPNLosAngeles.com on Tuesday, the Black Mamba said that he understood Lamar’s frustration, but indicated that this is the way; things have always been handled at the coveted franchise;
"You want to be told things before they obviously come out in public," Bryant said. "Somebody that wins a couple championships with you, you'd think that's what would happen. But it's nothing personal. This is the way they (Lakers)
go about doing it.
"Lamar is a sensitive guy, though. Takes a lot of things personally. He won't see it that way."
Matt Barnes however didn’t agree with his senior pro and took the Lakers management to task;
"It's a shame that they ask us to play with our hearts, but then when it comes to being traded, cut, or moved, it's a business. So there's always emotional ties when it comes to situations like this, especially when it comes to
someone like Lamar that did so much for this team. To kind of be in the dark and then have the trade voided, and then next thing you know you're traded somewhere else. It's a very tough business."
The difference in opinion between the two players indicates a growing sense of insecurity among the Lakers. While Kobe remains untouchable, every other player can become the target of the so called ‘big trades’ by the general manager
Mitch Kupchak. At the moment, the Lakers are making strong strides towards landing the Orlando Magic big man Dwight Howard and as per reports; they are willing to sacrifice just about anybody, including Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, for the trade to happen.
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