Sources: Chicago still the most likely preference for Bryant
By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: October 27, 2007, 4:37 PM ET
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The Kobe Bryant-to-Chicago trade talks are very real, and they've been real for a while.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls have been having daily discussions about Bryant trade possibilities for at least the past week, with Bryant's no-trade clause throwing a unique wrench into the situation, according to sources.

The Lakers are asking for a package built around Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah, which is more than Chicago is willing to surrender. Also, Bryant would not want to play in Chicago if the Bulls surrendered all four of those players, believing there would not be enough talent left to compete for a championship, and he would veto that trade even if the Bulls and Lakers were both in favor of it.

Further complicating matters is the division within the upper echelon of the Lakers front office, a house divided between the competing desires of owner Jerry Buss, his son, Jim, daughter Jeanie (and her boyfriend, coach Phil Jackson) and general manager Mitch Kupchak. According to sources, one faction seems more determined than ever to part with Bryant, while others still are hanging onto the belief that Bryant can still be persuaded to stay in Los Angeles.

Bryant sat out the Lakers' final exhibition game Friday night in Las Vegas after injuring his right wrist in the Lakers' previous game. It has become an accepted fact around the Lakers that Bryant still wishes to be traded, and two sources with direct knowledge of the ongoing trade discussions said Bryant's preferred -- and most likely -- destination remains Chicago.

So while the NBA's only no-trade clause gives Bryant a substantial amount of leverage in determining his future, it also is hampering the Lakers in their efforts to get something approaching fair value for arguably the best player in the league. One source said the Bulls' supposed opposition to including Deng in any deal had been overstated in recent media reports.

A source told ESPN.com that the likelihood of a Bryant trade before opening night seemed higher a few days ago than it does now, and a deal going down sometime before the end of November now seemed more likely. But the situation remained fluid, and with other teams trying to lobby the Bryant camp to get on the list of his acceptable destinations, the trade possibilities surrounding Bryant only figured to increase in the days leading up to Tuesday night's start of the NBA season.

Chris Sheridan covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.

My 2 cents...

I believe the trade is done and agreed to. Kobe wouldnt come to chicago if we traded Deng. Supposedly the Lakers 2nd choice was Nocioni. Since he can't be traded until 12/15, they announced there is no trade. This makes sense bc Pax doesnt want the bulls distracted for the next 6 weeks and brings Kobe here to a team with a losing record....

I wouldnt be suprised if this trade was announced at 12:01 am on 12/15...

Gordon, Nocioni, Wallace and a draft pick....(I think the Lakers will have to throw in 1 or 2 players for salary and roster purposes)

(I'm hoping Kobe wants Tyrus here too!)

You can tell this Bulls team is not right. They were completely inept in the 4th quarter last night against the sixers. Hinrich couldnt hit anything and kept turning it over and Gordon was forcing his game. If we had Kobe...we would win games like that in the 4th...Plus, he draws so much attention that Deng and Tyrus would benefit greatly.

duno if the money is equal but i would trade gordon,nocioni,noah and a draft pick we need a change lets get something done if not wait till nocioni can get traded

Right now I'd give them Deng, Kirk and Wallace for Kobe and a filler. That would be thee best deal they could ask for. I'm tired of watching the same spiff every year. Last year it was a 3-9 start, the year before that it was like 0-9.. SKILES, GET THE TEAM READY DAMN IT! 0-3 is pretty bad but even worse that all of those teams we lost to probably weren't really considered to be playoff contenders this year.

Nothing new here, but I think folks absolutely must read this piece by Chad Ford on the true value of Kobe Bryant.

I would NOT like to see kobe as a chicago bull. I think I don't like Kobe for the same reasons Phil Jackson doesn't like Kobe. He doesn't give it his all 100% of the time. Same with shaq. kobe has a bigger ego than michael jordan or scottie pippen had, former chicago bulls that always played 100%..

Kobe would not make a good chicago bull player
----I absolutely hate Kobe's personality and attitude, but he always plays 100%, I cannot say any different. He is actually playing quite inspired right now, for whatever reason: unselfish, and of course, taking on the leadership in the clutch....The Lakers are not playing too shabby actually......