Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe May Be Reason L.A. Can't Get Any Stars

Whether a trade destination, free agency, or just traveling fun, for fans and NBA players, Los Angeles is the place to be. Just not for the Lakers this year. It's about that other basketball team in LA right now and the band-wagoner's know. 

Since the start of the season, it seems that the Clippers are the new landing spot for the hottest free agents and are a viable place to be traded in the NBA.

It seems as if every good player available since the seasons beginning has passed on the Lakers and the question now is why?

It's a known that Kobe Bryant isn't the nicest person in the world and it's a wonder if that is why Baron Davis, a Los Angeles native, apparently didn't even really listen to offers to play with one of the leagues greats. 

It's really unexplainable. The season is closing in on the halfway point with not one move by the Lakers except the one that hurt them the most—trading Lamar Odom.

Unless the Lakers plan on acquiring Dwight Howard and Deron Williams, this fantasy of acquiring glitz and glamour players needs to cease. It's not about just getting Howard or Williams, it's about getting a core of players that are going to create an identity together. 

That's what the Thunder, Heat and Bulls have—a conclusive identity. 

The Mavericks had it last year.  They were a group of older veterans with deep playoff experience and they went out and took a championship last year.

Whether it's just irony or coincidence, too many players have just seemingly ignored the Lakers. 

 

Jamal Crawford went to Portland and Kenyon Martin liked Los Angeles so much, he came on out and signed with the Clippers.  Good job LA. 

Now the Lakers are apparently after Ramon Sessions. 

Sessions might be a solid player that is playing well in the small market of Cleveland, but could he really survive in the shark tank of a city like Los Angeles?

And why are sportswriters, fans and critics talking as if Sessions is the second coming of Chris Paul?

Sessions, as the Lakers starting point guard, would be no different than Derek Fisher. 

Of course the offense might move at a slightly faster pace, but it's not as if Sessions is a speed demon. Being younger, he'll be able to keep up with quicker more athletic guards, but he isn't on anybody's defensive-team ballot either. 

With all due respect to Sessions, he may see the floor well and be a good decision maker—both ingredients to coexist with Kobe—but is he really the point guard to take the Lakers to the next level?

Check out Sessions' stat sheet. Numbers don't lie, so technically speaking, probably not.  Fisher knows this team with utter detail on offense and defense. He's reliable and although a step slower, very solid.   

There would be continued adversity if the Lakers were to trade off a player like Gasol for Sessions. 

 

To trade Gasol for Rajon Rondo is a different story.

So what do the Lakers do as the year progresses? The NBA season is a third of the way through and, unfortunately, there are still questions for the Lakers. 

The elite teams of the season are starting to push into the mode of separating from the rest. The Thunder are 20-5 and the Bulls 22-6. Even the Spurs have looked good in their last few outings in a six-game winning streak.   

The cohesiveness developed in basketball has taken it's course and, in a few weeks, the strong will truly differentiate from the weak while the mediocre are reconsidered.

The Lakers have never been weak, but having their place in the NBA reconsidered will be a topic of discussion. Especially with that other team in the building. 

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1057124-kobe-may-be-reason-los-angeles-lakers-cant-get-any-stars

Alex Hinshaw Ramon Ramirez Sergio Romo Brian Wilson Eli Whiteside Mike Fontenot