Life Without Bryant Is Sounding Pretty Good

On a blazingly bright opening night that will sadly be more remembered for the star who didn’t come out, the Lakers major conflict became clear.

This is not about Kobe vs. Shaq.

This is about Kobe vs. Kobe.

For the umpteenth time this fall, the Lakers wanted Kobe Bryant to join them.

For the umpteenth time, he refused.

He missed the team plane to Hawaii. Missed the first day of full-squad training camp. Missed the team bus to Anaheim for an exhibition game. Missed a team function at Staples Center.

And now, he has missed the great fun of an opening stomping of the Dallas Mavericks, a 109-93 victory Tuesday that he didn’t even deem worth watching in person until he appeared in street clothes in the final seconds of the third quarter.

He said his knee was still not strong enough, only two days after saying it would be fine. He spent most of the game in the locker room, apparently working out, something which maybe he could have done earlier?

Not surprisingly, when he finally appeared, he was given a huge standing ovation and chants of “Ko-be, Ko-be,” from a Staples Center crowd that decided to behave as fans instead of morality police, and that’s certainly their right.

But the Laker organization has to view this in a different context, and right now, it is hoped they see him for what he appears to be.

Kobe Bryant seems to be a tormented soul who doesn’t want to be here. His behavior is erratic. His attitude is horrific. His stress level must be off the charts. His chief goal seems to be forcing his way off the team.

Maybe the Lakers should consider granting his request.

Yeah, maybe they should trade him.

He’s going to leave at the end of the season anyway, right? He’s already said as much. This blatant show of disrespect for the fans has been rewarded with standing ovations and open adoration, but, again, they paid their money and can do whatever they choose.

And he has already buried the knife too deep in Shaquille O’Neal’s back to ever have a relationship with him again, right? Bryant sat next to O’Neal when he sat on the bench Tuesday, but they never looked at each other, and may never look at each other again.

Bryant said late Tuesday that their relationship was fine. It didn’t look fine.

For all the smack O’Neal has talked about Bryant in the past, it was never anything worse than scolding him for not being a team player. In Bryant’s interview with ESPN Monday, he took it to an entirely lower level, calling O’Neal “fat” and accusing him of faking the severity of his toe injury.

What kind of teammate says that about another teammate in public? Parts of Bryant’s diatribe were certainly true, but you don’t say it to the world, and you don’t say it on the eve of opening night.

This seemed like more than a rip of O’Neal. This seemed like a plea for attention by a player looking to play somewhere else.

The Lakers should consider it. Even facing a sexual-assault trial, Bryant would carry much value in a basketball world that seems to think he’s not going to be convicted. Even without the sexual-assault charges, he has done great damage to this great organization in the last few months with seemingly no concern for who he is hurting.

His list of transgressions doesn’t fit well into a standing ovation, understandably, but they are nonetheless worth recounting.

He went to Colorado this summer for knee surgery without telling the team. When asked about it, he said, “Why should I tell them?”

Whatever happened in that hotel room, the ramifications placed this entire Laker dream season in jeopardy while subjecting his teammates to a months-long circus of media attention and innuendo. And he gets mad at O’Neal for not publicly supporting him?

He shows up at training camp saying he has not rehabilitated the knee because of stress and would probably not be at full strength until December. And O’Neal is the one who shows up out of shape?

During the middle of a training camp in which the entire organization did handstands to please him and protect him, he announced he was going to opt out of his contract this summer and seek his options elsewhere. And he rips O’Neal for saying he’s not a team player?

During the Laker exhibition game against the Clippers at the Pond, his wife Vanessa showed up wearing a T-shirt adorned with a nasty expletive, the sort that you wouldn’t want your children to see. It was an oddly obscene thank-you to a community that has shown them so much affection.

Then, of course, there have been all those times when he just didn’t feel like showing up or hanging out or being part of a Laker family that continually turns the other cheek.

Yeah, this is about a lot more than just his dislike for Shaquille O’Neal. Even Coach Phil Jackson said as much.

“We have to stop and analyze a lot of things that are going on, just really take the whole gestalt,” said Jackson Tuesday night. “It’s not just here, it’s not just this situation, there’s a lot involved in this picture and we have to just resolve this and let time heal this.”

Or, maybe Gary Payton and Karl Malone can heal this. Did you watch them Tuesday? They were wonderful together. They were wonderful with O’Neal. Derek Fisher was inspired. Devean George was everywhere.

Not getting ahead of ourselves or anything, but is there a chance the Lakers could win this championship without Kobe Bryant?

It might be worth finding out.

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Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com.