Bryant wants out of Lakers
(Agencies)Updated: 2007-05-31 09:06
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, who is increasingly upset over the direction the National Basketball Association team has taken, wants the club to trade him.
"I would like to be traded, yeah. Tough as it is to come to that conclusion there's no other alternative," the 28-year-old Bryant told ESPN radio.
Bryant said he is fed up with empty promises from Lakers' management and now it is time to move on.
 Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, seen here in April 2007 and who is increasingly upset over the direction the National Basketball Association team has taken, wants the club to trade him. [AFP]  |
Bryant, who joined the Lakers in 1996, has four years left on his contract which also includes a no trade clause which he would have to waive.
Bryant has become increasingly frustrated by the Lakers' poor performance in the regular season and playoffs. The Phoenix Suns eliminated the Lakers in five games in this year's post-season.
The Lakers have not won a playoff series in three years - ever since they traded their giant centre Shaquille O'Neal.
O'Neal and Bryant were an explosive tandem on the court, winning three NBA championships together. But they feuded off it and some speculated their differences led to O'Neal's July 2004 trade to the Miami Heat.
Bryant is also upset with a Laker "insider" who was quoted by the Los Angeles Times as saying Bryant was responsible for trading O'Neal.
"You (management) know the blame you cast upon me. Step up and do the right thing," Bryant told ESPN.
Asked what team he would prefer to go to Bryant said, "At this point I would go play on Pluto. I just want to work hard and go play."
Lakers spokesman John Black did not immediately return phone calls
Wednesday
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