Milwaukee Bucks veteran Jared Dudley has insisted that most players around the NBA don’t want to play with Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant.
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Dudley is known for being honest and forthcoming with his opinions, and he was asked about the Lakers and Bryant on Wednesday as he did the rounds at ESPN.
“Most guys don’t want to play with Kobe. He gets in this thing where he doesn’t pass and then overpasses and then tries to get triple doubles every night, that’s why I think it will be a while for the Lakers to get good because they’ve got no stars. I would be surprised if [Kevin] Love goes there,” he said, as reported by Sports Grid.
This topic isn’t anything new as earlier this season it was suggested by an anonymous general manager that there were those around the league that didn’t want to move to LA and play at the Staples Center because of Bryant.
Others have dismissed it as being nonsense, while general manager Mitch Kupchak said as recently as earlier this week that players that don’t want to come to the Lakers for that very reason are not even welcome then.
Regardless of whichever way it is looked at, Bryant’s style and attitude can work both ways depending on the individual. There are those that will respond and react positively, while there are others that will clash with it.
Ultimately, it isn’t for everyone and so the Lakers will press ahead with their free agency plans this summer ahead of what will be their guard’s final year in the league with the mindset of adding players that will work for the team as a whole.
What is clear is that they need to identify and acquire talent that can be future cornerstones of the franchise, and Bryant will play a vital role in that initial transition next season.
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