Is Kobe Really Worth It?

The longer Kobe Bryant’s $100-million Tour of Troubled Teams drags on, the more you wonder whether he’s worth the effort and expense.

Lakers Owner Jerry Buss already has fired his pseudo son-in-law Phil Jackson, dangled multiple MVP Shaquille O’Neal to despised rivals in trades and made an over-the-top offer that was rejected by Bryant’s hand- picked coach, Mike Krzyzewski, who’s never coached an NBA game. Buss promised Bryant everything, including the maximum allowable $130-million contract. Yet, it still isn’t enough. Not yet, anyway.

Bryant continues to treat the Lakers like they’re the ones on trial when they’ve done nothing but show him love. Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak, no doubt feeling the pain of unrequited amour, has spoken privately of sleepless nights.

Bryant didn’t learn one thing about loyalty even after he got caught cheating. He hosted Cablevision czar James Dolan, top exec Steve Mills and Knicks president Isiah Thomas on Wednesday night in Orange County, hours after meeting with the bigwigs of the Denver Nuggets, a team whose advantage for Bryant would be convenience should he ever become a candidate for Colorado’s work-release program.

San Antonio is another reported suitor, and Clippers Owner Donald Sterling is running around L.A. flashing wads of cash, the ill-gotten gains of an organization only out to make money. If Bryant gets what he deserves, he joins the Clippers. Bryant has the ego telling him he can win, one-on-five, and if he takes Sterling’s loot, he’ll have the chance to prove it.

Bryant obviously doesn’t get it. Doesn’t get that he owes the Lakers big-time for standing by him through his tribulations and his upcoming trial for felony sexual assault. Doesn’t get that he should finally just take their $130-million offer that’s been on the table for more than a year, and say, “Thank you very much, Mr. Buss.” Or even, “Thanks, Dad,” considering Buss has said Bryant is “like a son.”

For engineering this stall game, Bryant should be sent to his room. And if he’s holding out only to ensure O’Neal’s exit, he should have his car keys taken away, too.

The sad thing is, the Lakers probably would have upped the $130-million offer by now if the NBA allowed it. But it’s already $30 mil more than he can get anywhere else. As Lakers spokesman John Black said this week, “We’ve made it crystal clear we want to re-sign him.”

Bryant apparently prefers a long courtship. When it comes to employers, anyway.

Though he is fantastically talented, it certainly was no given that the Lakers would clear everyone out for him. That they’d dump nine-time champion Jackson, the boyfriend of Buss’ daughter/Lakers exec Jeannie Buss (nepotism isn’t what it’s cracked up to be), and try to dump O’Neal, the one most responsible for the three rings in the three-ring circus that’s a dynasty of dysfunction.

The Lakers have shopped Shaq to Dallas, Sacramento and others, and judging by Bryant’s overt involvement in the coaching situation, it’s a wonder Bryant isn’t working overtime on this one. As far as we know, anyway. If Bryant’s annoyed the Lakers haven’t traded Shaq the moment his fingers snapped, well, it takes time. They’re looking for “two All-Stars,” plus a third player, according to competitors, a reasonable request for a potential franchise alterer such as Shaq.

It’s understandable the Lakers would favor Bryant in that he’s six years younger than Shaq, fits better into their Showtime scheme, works like a fiend and has healthy feet. But now that they have, shouldn’t Bryant repay them with a quick answer? This idea that he needs to go through “the process” is insulting to the Lakers, and likely a massive time waster for the panting suitors. With Kupchak having ruled out a sign-and-trade deal, there’s practically no chance Thomas and Co. will return from L.A. with anything more than smog in their lungs.

The idea’s been advanced that the Knicks, prohibited from offering above the midlevel exception to this all-time talent, may benefit by Nike raising their $40-million deal with Bryant by 50 percent or more if he goes to New York. That sounds nuts. The Knicks can dream of having their Phil Knight in shining armor, but this is no time for reputable companies to up payments to Bryant.

Hardly anyone seems to think Bryant will be convicted, but what if he is? What if Bryant’s strutting around cell block E in those Nikes?

While Bryant’s conviction chances appear remote based on what’s leaked out, if he’s only using the Nuggets to get L.A. to trade Shaq faster and ultimately rejects Denver, Bryant has needlessly risked annoying the jury pool. He already has annoyed the rest of us.