Detroit has been rumored to be interested in a few power forwards to back up big free-agent signing Charlie Villanueva, all odd ducks with some flavor of a wacky game. There was "Big Baby" Glen Davis, a thick shooter with a personality vacillating between child and swag. Or Drew Gooden, the ultra-confident post player with a million bizarre hair decisions.But according to ESPN's Chad Ford, the Pistons went with 26-year-old dunker Chris Wilcox, who spent last season between Oklahoma City and New York. Ford reports Detroit will pay Wilcox $6 million over two seasons, which tells me the Pistons don't really want to wait around on Eastern contention, despite the relatively young core of the team.
Teams biding their time don't spend money on Chris Wilcoxes. The former Sonic and Clipper hasn't changed for years. He does two things well: rebound and dunk. He tries to shoot jumpers, and he tries to defend, but ... well, it hasn't really worked out.
And that's OK for a backup power forward in today's NBA. Some of the best "third bigs" -- like Brandon Bass, for example -- can be counted on for a solid 15-footer and some decent defense. Others, like Leon Powe, bring unstoppable energy on the offensive boards and dunk the crap out of the ball when they get it around the time. Only few teams have the luxury of Lamar Odom (maybe) or Rasheed Wallace (depending on how Doc Rivers runs his rotation). So Wilcox is acceptable in this sense: almost no one else will be bringing All-Stars off the bench in the frontcourt. It doesn't happen.
But the problem is that Detroit just forfeited Amir Johnson to Milwaukee, despite the fact that Johnson 1) is five years younger than Wilcox, 2) will earn roughly the same salary as Wilcox this season, and 3) has a contract which will expire next summer, in the vaunted summer of 2010. Amir is better than Wilcox today, but Detroit had to get from under Johnson's contract to have the room to sign Villanueva and Ben Gordon. It's a backwards situation which hurts the Pistons next year, and probably in 2010-11. (And never mind that, while Johnson's shotblocking ability was desperately needed on the Detroit roster, Wilcox's abilities are replicated by incumbent Pistons reserve Jason Maxiell.)
So, like so many of Detroit's moves the last several years, this is one that looks good in the narrowest sense but raises some substantial red flags in the macro sense. What is Joe Dumars doing?
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
I have no idea what Dumars is doing to our team but I have faith at the moment. This is what he did 7-8 years ago. Traded away his two stars (Grant Hill and Jerry Stackhouse) for three decent but not great players (Ben Wallace, Chucky Atkins, and Rip Hamilton) and we watched two of those three become some of the top players at their positions with one becoming, arguably, the best defensive big man in the history of the game.
He then added a few pieces through free agency, trades, and the draft. He drafted Tayshaun who EXPLODED in the playoffs and hasn't missed a single game in, what now? 4 seasons? He signed Chauncey Billups who was a journeyman at the time and is now one of the best point guards in the game. And he traded for Rasheed Wallace, a player that a lot of people had pretty much given up on.
Let's look at what he's done now.
-Traded his best player (Billups) for two decent players who could both very easily be all stars next season (Villanueva and Gordon)
-Drafted Maxiell (high intensity, crowd favorite off the bench), Stuckey (may end up being a bust, we'll see after this season), and Daye (who reminds me very much of Tayshaun) as well as Summers and Jerebko (who seem like solid players from what I have seen)
-Signed a few players (Kwame Brown, Wilcox, and Bynum). Two of those three are going to be starting come the beginning of the season (barring a huge trade).
Granted, we're still a player away from being able to contend (we need to unload Rip for someone, maybe Chandler or Pryzbilla or maybe even Stoudemire or Boozer) but this is EXACTLY what he did for 04 championship team. Brought in a bunch of players who others had given up on really (Wilcox, Brown, Bynum, Villanueva to a point, Summers because he fell so low) and molding them into a contender. We aren't going to win a championship right now, no. But this blue collar style of team can win it again. Just give it some time.
I think your underselling what Billups did for that roster . Im not like his biggest fan or anything its just after what he did for the Nuggets i think 100% he's by far the most underrated baller in the league. And also your understating how big a star Sheed was back then. Yes i know he was about to turn into a journeyman type player (getting dealt to Atlanta for a week and all lol ) but at that time he was easily in the top 5 PF's talent wise and was one of the very few big men back then that could play inside and out. They dont have anyone on this roster that is like either one of those guys. The closest is Gordan or Bynum to Billups and Villa to Sheed - ppplllease. I understand your saying the 2 teams are the same talent wise but really when you look its not even close , Gordan and Bynum will never have Billups leadership and Villa will never have Sheed's all around game. Not to mention they have nothing in any shape or form NEAR the defensive monster that Wallace was in those playoffs. Your kinda getting over your head with those kinda statements. I realize your a Piston fan (and im not) but i dont think you actually realize the talent level in the Piston core that got them to the Conf. Finals or further for however many ridiculous years in a row like they did - that's unheard of pretty much in the salary cap era.
I have been thinking they should be really really aggressive in going after Amare. Im thinking the fairest trade to get the Suns to bite would be - Prince, Hamilton, and Stuckey (plus maybe a pick if they have to) to the Suns for Amare and Barbosa. And after that i think it would be smart for Phoneix to approach the Hornets (because they obviously are trying to get rid of Chandler from when they tried trading him before the trade deadline for NOTHING) and try to trade Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley for Tyson Chandler and M. Peterson to help get a decent bigman to make up for trading Amare to Detriot (and if Tyson can get healthy you better believe he';; be alley oopin it up with Nash like he did with CP).
New Orleans would cut their payroll a few million and finally get a good SG that can run with CP and a trio of CP, West, and Richardson shouldnt be to bad , esp. if Peja can stay healthy like he did the season before last. Theyd end up CP,Richardson,Peja,West,whoever they can get center wise as their starters.
The Suns would get fair value back for Amare but probably have to throw in Barbosa to be able to pull back those three (Stuckey,Prince,Hamilton) and would end up with Nash(with Stuckey shortening up Nash's minutes),Hamilton,Prince, Frye, and Chandler as their starting 5.
The Pistons get their young big man to pair with his young scorer SG and young big man rebound helper in Villa. They end up eith starting Bynum, Gordan, Maxiell (he is 6'7" afterall), Amare, and Villa. That starting 5 may not scare anyone this season but that is a roster that can GROW together ya know. I mean look - Bynum is 26, Gordan is 26, Maxiell is 26, Amare is 26, and Villa is 24. Ha! Thats amazing. In like 2-3 years they would ALL be in the absolute primes and would all have played with each other for 2-3 years straight. Only problem with that little fantasy is that Amare might bolt next summer. But they clear cap space by getting rid of the 4 years at 12 mill a year contract that Rip has.
You can't use height as a reason for a player to play a position. Maxiel CANNOT play the 3, period. He is a power forward and nothing else. Too big to play a good small forward (Anyone remember Antoine Walker trying to play small forward after his heyday in Boston? Maxiel has an almost exact build that Walker does but Maxiel can't shoot the three ball) and too small to play center.
Cantstopdrinkin,
Welcome back. First up, your whole trade doesn't make any sense because the only reason the Hornets want to get rid of Chandler is for cap purposes. Seeing as how Jason Richardson has more years than Chandler on his deal and more money, this would obviously be the exact opposite of what the Hornets would want. Thinking about talent, they'd be trading a big for a small, which is a no/no in and of itself, but considering that Chandler is significantly younger as well, makes less money and has less years, your deal makes even less sense.
Furthermore, the only two positions the Suns are for secure at going into next season is point guard and shooting guard. Why would they trade for Stuckey and Hamilton? And, why in the world would they "throw" in Barbosa. He's way younger than Hamilton, way cheaper and is a proven commodity that had a tough year last season having to deal with his mom's death.
As for the Billups comment. What you fail to mention is that in addition to adding Billups, the Nugs also added Nene Hilario, who had an all-star caliber season, Chris Anderson who was second in the league in blocks, Dahntay Jones who was a defensive-minded wing they didn't have last year, and a healthy Kenyon Martin. These four additions had more to do with the Nuggets "rise" in the standings than the acquisition of Billups. I mean, the Nuggets only won four more games with Billups over Iverson, and this in a conference where the Spurs, Hornets, Rockets, Golden State Warriors, and Suns all suffered major injuries.
Billups is a cerebral player who's got a great TS% for a guard, but he wasn't that much of an upgrade on Iverson, if he was even one at all.
Once again Dodger you just shout your mouth off before you think fully about things. I said to trade Chandler AND Peterson. I know that Richardson makes more then Chandler. Im a diehard Hornets fan. With packaging Chandler and Peterson though they are trading more salary then they are getting back and instead of just trading Chandler for NO ONE like they tried to do this season they would get a swingman they have needed for years to go with CP. I understand you dont normally trade a big man for a little but when they big man is hurt every other month, you already showed you would give him up for nothing, and they are trading more for financial reasons then for trading so they are gonna get less back no matter what they do pretty much. This move lets them cut about 3-4 million off the payroll without getting TO much worse. I almost hate when you answer back now because i have to end up explaining things like im talking to a 10 year old...
And maybe this will finally shut you up and show some folks how much you know about what your trying to lecture someone about. Dodgerbloo says - What you fail to mention is that in addition to adding Billups, the Nugs also added Nene Hilario, who had an all-star caliber season, Chris Anderson who was second in the league in blocks, Dahntay Jones who was a defensive-minded wing they didn't have last year, and a healthy Kenyon Martin.
- Lets see how did they "add" Martin when he played more games the year before then he did last season (71 to 66).
I agree about Nene cause i been sayin he would have made a difference for them the last few years. But for you to say D. Jones and Chris Anderson had more to do with the rise of the Nuggets then Billups is laugh out loud roll around funny. Exactly where was Jones in that Lakers series? He helped guard CP , that was it pretty much. Chris Anderson played a great energy role and im a big fan and mad my Hornets let him go, but dont be fooled man - the Nuggets went as far as they did because of Billups. Any and every person who knows basketball knows that. Even Carmelo said it. Billups not only made that team better with his talents , he also got the most out of Mello for the first time. Dont underestimate how little things like that effect a team that plays a team based game. Subtract a ball killer like Iverson and add probably the best leader in the sport and your team changes dramatically.
"Billups is a cerebral player who's got a great TS% for a guard, but he wasn't that much of an upgrade on Iverson, if he was even one at all. "
That sentence will stay with me everytime i see your name now. Wow. Like i said ask anyone who really knows basketball and its not even a question. Ha go say that sentence to some people that know basketball and see their reaction. You've brought up some ok points sometimes before so i figured you kinda knew the game. But after that comment i dunno what to say man.
Cantstopdrinkin,
Everyone who knows basketball? You talk like you have a whole army of believers behind you. Last I checked, and you never responded back to our last conversation (nor read through it all) people sided with me. I haven't found a single "person who knows basketball" who thinks you're right. Look on this very page. Josh doesn't agree with your assessment of Maxiell.
Martin played gimpy last year, despite playing in more games.
For the stat heads out there, Melo had his worst statistical campaign in three years. That could be due to injury, but it certainly doesn't prove that Billups made him better. If you say he improved on D, that would be more for his involvement with Team USA and Kobe and Coach K's influence on him. Look at Lebron, Howard, Wade, etc. Read up on how they looked at Kobe's work ethic and drive during the summer. All of them had career seasons, especially on the defensive end.
As for Billups, what'd he do against the Lakers again? Oh, right, he shot 39 percent from the field and disappeared in games five and six. Don't talk to me about Dahntay Jones not being there. He had to guard Kobe. Tripped him. Pushed him. Made life difficult (even though Kobe still torched the Nugs). Billups had to cover the inconsistent trio of Fisher/Farmar/and Brown, the Lakers fifth, seventh and tenth options.
Look, I like Billups. I know he brings "team" ball. But to go out and say he was the reason the Nugs won a grand total of four more games this year and made it all the way to the WCF, is as inane as you saying Michael Jordan carried, all by his lonesome, the Bulls to a record 72 wins and an NBA championship.
Real basketball people know the sport is a TEAM game. Meaning, five players play. Billups contributed to the team's success, but he wasn't the reason. Far from it. Melo's somewhat commitment to D. Dahntay Jones' ability to guard twos (again, something the Nugs didn't have last year). Birdman's rise. Nene's all-star like season. J.R. Smith's clutch, though streaky 3-point shooting. The beyond solid and very understated season of Anthony Carter. Etc. Etc. Etc.
As for the Chandler deal, you just explained why nobody wants Chandler. So, why would the Suns want an overpaid two with no upside (Peterson) and a gimpy, oft-injured, fairly expensive big? They wouldn't. Just like they wouldn't want Stuckey, Prince and Hamilton for Amare and Barbosa. Are you kidding me with these ideas? And, you talk about the overall presence of Billups outside of his stats, including everything he brings to the game, and then spout off how Richardson is such a good shooting guard. He's decent offensively, can get red hot, and can wow with his explosiveness, but he's a volume shooter as well. He's worse per shot attempt than Iverson. (the irony...)
Lastly, Billups is underrated. Never said he wasn't. I think he's a HOF based on his last seven years of work. Just don't think he's THE reason the Nugs were better last year.
And also P.S. - i wasnt saying those trades will happen or anything i was just giving some better ideas for the guy talking about Detriot. The trade i would love to see happen and thats kinda possible with salaries is Phoneix trading Amare and Richardson to the Hornets for Peja, West, Chandler, and a 1st rounder. Ha the pick and rolls with CP and Amare would be sick.
Now to answer back to what you just wrote. A whole army of believers behind me? Where do you even come up with stuff. I simply stated people that know basketball, because i know the game very well and have heard countless ex players (you know guys who have actually played the game at a high level), coaches, and people who do nothing but study the game who have said the smae things i just said about Billups and the same things i was saying about the Lakers length. You either know the game or you watch the game and buy to much into stats and not what actually happens on the court and you are a watcher/stater , i can tell by how you talk about it. Its ok , nothings wrong with it , you just dont need to come preaching like you know everything .
Obviously you didnt read the last posts of our last conversation. Just like this one i got sick of explaining things and TOLD YOU that i wasnt responding back anymore, as for people agreeing with you - who exactly did again? Just because one person stops typing back because he's sick of explaining the same thing over and over again doesnt mean the other guy "won" the arguement.
As for the Maxiell thing - yes he can play SF. He is a better fit at PF but that doesnt mean he cannot play SF if the team needed him to. The A. Walker comparision is just a joke because he was 6'9" compared to 6'7".
As for the Melo comment - why in hell would you throw out his season stats. Im talking about when it matters. By far his best playoffs and he said after many games the reason he seemed mentally tougher in the playoffs for THE FIRST TIME was because of Billups. Look it up.
Lets see next up i can prove you dont know what your talking about .... ah yes D. Jones. Ha yeah he only got on the floor for a few minutes in that series and had to trip up Kobe because he exposed just how shallow his game is. All he is is a quick defender, thats it bud.
Wow Billups got shut down offensively in those 2 games. Like i said its about other things you do on the court also. It had to happen because there's no one that can matchup with that Laker team talent wise and if they had beat them it would be huge upset. My point about Billups is he hit a ton of big shots to even get them that far and the entire team (including Melo and Karl the most) has said he made them mentally
tougher.
And my last point ,since i proved you wrong at all points once again , is this- quit throwning in regular season stats (ex. Denver winning 4 more games) when almost everything i have talked about has been directed at the playoffs when things matter. Because yes they only won 4 more games but a.) they got him 2 games into the season and needed a little time to get to know new teammate's games (and still won more games and went deep in playoffs for first time) and b.) its the playoffs that count and thats when his "extra" wins added to team really came into play.
So again this will be my last post in this fight so type back and claim you "won" it. I proved every point you made wrong .. again and really dont wanna keep re-explaining myself ... again. The ONLY point out of everything you said was the Barbosa thing. I thought the same thing and is why i said they might have to ask for a 1st rounder to get him added to the package....
Also one last thing - notice when i go to prove you wrong about something i post what you said. If your gonna say i said something you need to post what i said because you keep sayin im saying stuff that im not. When did i ever " and then spout off how Richardson is such a good shooting guard."? I said he is the type of SG the Hornets havent had for a while and have needed. I know he is almost threw with, hence trading Chandler who is a risk for him. And yes i know i explained why a team wouldnt want Chandler but you have to put things in perspective to each situaiton. Yes he is a risk but he also could get healthy like he did the season before last and since the Hornets are trying to give him away the Suns could jump on it and trade an aging swingman for a risky big man . And i was only saying they do that IF they traded Amare away and i only threw his name because they shopped him SO much last year and no one knows what will happen this year. Since they are trying to extend Nash's contract they obviously wanna try to win some now so if they do trade him they are gonna want proven players instead of draft picks and a chance to get Hamilton,Prince,and a big man rotation guy is a good deal and your not gonna get much better. Thats just how the trade market is. When your trading a superstar you hardly ever get full value back.
Once again its not like im just chosing people out of the blue. These teams want to trade these people. The Hornets are trying to give Chandler away and the Suns shopped Amare around a ton last year and some even after Shaq got traded. The Hornets need cap room and instead of just giving away a center in this center deprived league im suggesting ways where they could actually get something they need in exchange and the only way to do that is find a team that needs that piece. Well like i said if the Suns made that trade they would need a big man and the Hornets could take advantage of that. You have to put it all in perspective with whats going on around the league and with each team at the time.
Meant to say Detiot would get back a PG rotation guy not a big man . And i also meant to say way back in my first post Detriot could trade Rip,Prince,and Stuckey plus a 1st rounder or Rip,Prince, and Maxiell plus a 1strounder...
I'm not trying to "win" anything. Nor am I preaching. You're the one who comes on here and makes these statements like they are fact, and I disagree. You say I use stats to prove my point. Stats are one way to prove one's point. On previous posts, I have linked you to stories written by sports writers. What coaches, ex-players, etc. have you spoken with that say the same things you do?
When I debate with you, I try to use all of the available tools in proving my point. Stats, the commentary of others and my own observations of the game. You haven't "proven" anything I've written wrong. You've just said it is. Anytime I bring up a relevant point, you revert to telling me how i've misrepresented you...
"notice when i go to prove you wrong about something i post what you said. If your gonna say i said something you need to post what i said because you keep sayin im saying stuff that im not."
Try engaging what I've written. Billups got shut down in the Lakers series because the Lakers were more talented? How so? From what I've observed, the Nuggets are loaded with talent. The Lakers used a rotation of 7 players in playoffs. Brown and Farmar got spotty minutes. Vujacic was nonexistent. Powell and MBenga played sparingly.
Fair enough about the regular season versus the postseaon. this year's nugs went farther than a Melo-led Nuggets team has ever gone in the playoffs. But look at the watered down competition they faced to get there. An injury-plagued Hornets team. A Dallas team nobody expected to make the second round, who had a gimpy J Howard. Denver breezed through the first two rounds of competition. John Hollinger had them rated as the best team. Henry Abbott picked them to beat the Lakers. It all depends on perspective.
As for the "Like i said its about other things you do on the court also. It had to happen because there's no one that can matchup with that Laker team talent wise and if they had beat them it would be huge upset. My point about Billups is he hit a ton of big shots to even get them that far and the entire team (including Melo and Karl the most) has said he made them mentally
tougher."
first off, Melo also talked about how Kobe made him mentally tougher and raised his game during the Olympics. At least acknowledge that.
Second, I believe that the Nuggets had more talent then the Lakers going into the WCF. I'm not alone, check http://20secondtimeout.blogspot.com/ DAvid Friedman is a respected sports writer. He echoes these sentiments. LA had the best talent, Kobe Bryant. But player for player, the Nuggets simply had more. Melo is at least in Kobe's stratosphere. Billups is far and away better than Fisher. Nene's game is not as refined as Pau's, but his defense is better and his offense was underrated. J.R. Smith and Linas Kleiza at least equal Odom. Remember, Smith won or shut the door on many games with his hot shooting. When Smith and Odom are on, both teams are tough to beat. Chris Anderson provided far superior play to anything a gimpy Bynum did. Anthony Carter much better/consistent than Brown/Farmar. Dahntay Jones better than Vujacic.
Again, to say Chauncey was the reason for the Nugs turnaround does not jibe with the idea of basketball being a team game. If that's the case, then why is it different with Kobe? Why, when countless writers (Chris Sheriden, Friedman), commentators, coaches (Jeff Van Gundy), ex players (Mark Jackson) say that Kobe has made this Lakers team better, why do you say the opposite about him? You say his team is loaded with talent. I don't get it. I'm not trying to fight. I just want you to justify your very definitive statements with evidence that we can grasp onto. If you want to try and argue about who said what or whatever, then I can't stop you. But I won't quit questioning your thought process as long as you continue to post stuff that you aren't able to prove.
The difference between Kobe and Billups is that you have a bias against #24. You claim Billups turned around the Nuggets. You claim that MJ won six rings by himself, "If you want to see someone who did it by himself, Michael Jordan!"
Yet you credit everything to Bryant's teammates, "their length" and spout off about how basketball is a team sport and that "everyone who knows basketball" can see these things. I just don't get how "people who know basketball" can see it so starkly different based on who the player is.
I could again discredit most of your points but like i been sayin im just sick of typing the same things. Im not getting into it about the Lakers and the Kobe/Jordan debate, my point was that he did not have an All Star center like pretty much every great PG/SG/SF has had in the history. Almost every little man that won multiple rings had a great or at the least an All Star center except Jordan , and he won six titles. I've tried to explain to you just how talented that Laker team is when you combine those kinda players in that starting five so im not gonna try to get that through to you again. peace...
the history of the sport****
Seriously, please take the time. Take the time today, and I'll stop bugging you. I just really want you to address what I'm talking about. Stop belittling what I'm saying and start addressing it. Please. You don't have to get into the Jordan debate. I know where you stand on that. I'm just bringing that up to support my point. But I'd like you to address what else I've stated. I've given you plenty of evidence on my side. Actual people who have supported similar ideas. Stats to help support those ideas. And my own commentary. I just would like you to address the points I've made with your own evidence. Thanks.
I agree about the Nuggets had OVERALL more talent because they are about 10 deep but the Lakers starting 5 (who played almost the entire game every game) have more talent then any 5 guys Denver can put on the floor at one time. I understand most of the time depth can beat just 5 good guys because they get tired but that Laker team is a special exception just because of how much talent they have and having 3 legit stars and the other 2 guys (Fisher and Ariza) could be stars on other teams. Once again you put words in my mouth , i never said Kobe made the Lakers worse...never said it dude. He is what helps make the talent level on that team off the charts, but he didnt do ANYTHING until he got another All Star center,got Fisher back (who was a top 2 option when he played for Utah),and Ariza turned into a threat. Look it up - 2 first round playoff exits and didnt even make the playoffs one year.
Again i never said Kobe had nothing to do with Melo being mentally tougher, i just said that Billups had MORE to do with it then anyone. I also belive that the Olympics helped every superstar that played a major role better this year. But the difference in how Melo played in the season and how he played in the playoffs he straight up said many times after games was having Billups there. I heard it over and over again. I saw Magic, Jeff Van Gundy, Barry, pretty much every ESPN analyst (around the horn guys, PTI guys, etc.), and Charles and the TNT guys ALLLL echo what i have been trying over and over to get through your thick head about how Billups was the reason the Nuggets completely changed their culture and went as far as they did.
-"Again, to say Chauncey was the reason for the Nugs turnaround does not jibe with the idea of basketball being a team game. If that's the case, then why is it different with Kobe? "
Are you serious with this question? Kobe is NOTHING like the leader Billups is. Yes he has changed alot and come a long way but no he does not have that effect. Yes i have been preaching its a team game. The reason Billups had such an effect is because is probably the best "team" player in the league. I had him underestimated big teim but after this last season you can OBVIOUSLY see the effect he had in Detriot and the effect he had on Denver. Its almost like night and day man , i dont see how you can argue with it, like i said ALLLL those people i listed said this same thing over and over through the playoffs. Not to mention i got to see it first hand in the 2 home games i went to in the Hornets series. Watching how the entire team looked to him at timeouts and fed off his leadership and clutch offense AND defense. Melo has said this on tv. Do you see why i dont wanna respond? MOst of what im typing is common sense and has been said on tv over and over and on written articles on SI.com and Espn and here and Sportingnews.com. I read all 4 every day. I keep up with almost every atricle written on all 4 of those websites , but because im typing instead of talking to you this gets so boring trying to teach on a 10 year old level man.
Your saying and acting like a said Kobe is horrible and no good , Billups is the best player in the league, all these ridiculous things when i never did. I simply stated how much ridiculous talent and basketball IQ is on the Lakers, pointed out exactly how big an effect Billups had on the Nuggets (by the way a lot of writers already have it ranked as one of the top 5 trades of all time just because of how lopsided the difference of the Pistons afterward and how good the Nuggets were afterward), and threw out a few trades for fun that make sense because those teams have been trying to get rid of those players for almost a year now....
I think Kobe is the 2nd best player in the league and the best scorer by far. I dont know whose comments you keep reading but all i did was point out that columnist need to stop with the "Kobe finally won one by himself" because he has an insane amount of talent, including an All Star big man for the second time in his career. So calm down and quit hallucinating comments that i dont even write much less think that way...