Laker Fans Willing to Give Bryant a Shot

Dear Kobe,

I’m a Laker fan. Always have been. Always will be. So what I’m about to tell you might come as a surprise. Leave. Go. Do it for the art of the game. Do it for the love of the game. Do it for the history of the game. Do it for you. Do it for the fans.

On this team, on “Shaq’s team,” you are Michelangelo working at Crayola. You hit the game winner, they roll their eyes. You flex your skills, they flex middle fingers. You have so much to give the fans, and your team and your coach have nothing but nothing for you. You’re a wasted talent on a team that resents your greatness, and frankly, isn’t built for it.

Go where you can spread your wings, display your breathtaking skills. Where a coach won’t reduce you to being a decoy. Go. With my blessing. With the blessing of a true Laker fan, but first and foremost, a true basketball fan. If only you’d come just a few years later. Oh, how we wish this was your team, because it’s your town. And it’s your world.

One more thing, you’d look great in red and blue.

Chris Waters

South Pasadena

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The Lakers are going to chase Kobe Bryant out of town. From Jackson to Shaq to Malone and Payton, they are all questioning his shot selection.

You don’t question the league’s best shooter. Does anyone question Shaq about his bricks? Do they question Duncan, Garnett, Nowitzki, Iverson, Nash, McGrady or Carter about their selection? So the best player in the league shoots some bad shots. So what? Who would you rather have take them? I’ll bet in Jordan’s prime, Phil Jackson never told him when to shoot.

Mickey Mandell

West Hills

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What does Kobe Bryant have to gain by leaving the Lakers? He wants to achieve several goals: (1) Be considered better than Michael Jordan, (2) Win a scoring title, (3) Win the most championships.

Why leave the Lakers? Frustration with a system that doesn’t let him chuck? Frustration with Shaq? I would think three championships would have eased his frustration.

Moving to the Clippers would probably get him the scoring title but not the other two goals. Donald Sterling has a terrible track record. I don’t see Kobe damning himself to purgatory. I don’t see him playing 41 games in Staples as the poor cousin to the Shaq-led Lakers. Too embarrassing.

Knicks? No way. Their management hasn’t made a good trade in over a decade. Maybe Kobe wins a scoring title, but this would also be purgatory.

San Antonio? Playing with Duncan gives Kobe a legitimate chance for several championships, but probably not a scoring title. He might approach Jordanesque reputation because of championships.

A team overlooked by Mark Heisler: Memphis. Why? Because he trusts Jerry West and Jerry is one of the few general managers who actually knows what he is doing.

Richard Raffalow

Valley Glen

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Patton led by example. Karl Malone is the Lakers’ Patton.

Payton brings humor and levity, but Malone is the heart, soul, mediator, maturity, and desire of the current Lakers. The doctors tell Karl to miss a week and he’s ready to get strapped up and play after one game. Doctors tell Shaq to rest for a week and he’s still recuperating after a month. Forget Karl teaching Shaq how to be a leader -- just teach him to make foul shots and layups.

Ben Eisner

Westlake Village