The Los Angeles Lakers could easily have a flock of suitors once they decide to put superstar Kobe Bryant on the trading block. On Thursday, multiple sources reported that there are already several teams potentially interested in trading for Bryant and his huge contract.
According to Real GM, the Dallas Mavericks, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets and the New York Nets are possible suitors for Bryant, if he becomes available on the trading block.
ESPN veteran NBA insider Chad Ford stated in his recent column that trading Kobe could be the only option the Lakers have to speed up their rebuilding after experiencing perhaps the worst stretch in franchise's history.
Moreover, an NBA executive told Ford that the Lakers should start tanking away the remainder of the season for them to have a shot at the top-5 pick in next year's draft, where center Jahill Okafor and point guard Emmanuel Mundial could be up for grabs.
"I don't think Mitch has much choice but to find ways to lose," one GM told ESPN. "They're going to be bad anyway. You don't want to be just good enough that you lose the pick and still miss the playoffs.
"I don't think they have the assets to get good enough to make the playoffs and I don't think they have the [expletive] to trade Kobe. It's paradoxical, but right now losing seems like the only way to really get better."
The 36-year old Bryant averaged 25 points and 3 assists per game between the first two games of the season, as the Lakers badly lost to the Houston Rockets and the Phoenix Suns back-to-back.
Two months ago, one NBA executive believed the Lakers superstar has zero value on the trading front because of his big paycheck ($23.5 million for the for the next two years), while he has also been blamed for the Lakers' struggle as of late.
