Amid the darkness and hopelessness of the Knicks’ season came a purple ray of light when Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant revealed today that New York’s troubled franchise is on his four-team wish list he drafted this past summer.
Bryant, whose Lakers invade the Garden today at noon for their lone appearance this season, said the Knicks, Bulls, Mavericks and Suns were the teams he wished to be traded to when he made his demand to be dealt.
The Knicks’ off- and on-the-court troubles don’t seem to have affected the Big Apple’s status for Bryant, who still could see himself trading in the purple and gold for the orange and blue.
Bryant seems the only one who doesn’t consider the Knick an atrocity. When he was a free agent, Bryant invited Thomas to his Newport Beach, Calif., home in the summer of 2004 when he was a free agent to listen to his overtures.
“I don’t scare too easily,” he said the Knicks sorry state of affairs. “Things have kind of rolled on pretty fast here in New York. But the mentality you have to have is to keep moving forward and not worry about this situation. Every storm passes.”
Bryant made his wish-list revelation following Saturday’s practice at the New York Sports Club on the upper East Side. The Lakers star was evasive on whether his trade demand still stands.
“They can either trade me or not trade me,” Bryant said. “That’s completely their decision.
“Since the season started, I don’t think about [getting traded]. I’m very happy because we have a very close knit group here.”
However, Bryant can become a free agent after the 2008-09 season, giving the Knicks hope that eventually they can bring the Philadelphia native to the Big Apple for good. Last summer, Thomas talked openly about concocting an offer for Bryant but claimed he would never part with Eddy Curry. That surely has changed. However, with Curry’s trade value down, the Knicks probably don’t have the pieces.
Bryant needs just 20 points today to become the youngest player to reach 20,000 points and he’s always considered the Garden the place to shine.
“To have an opportunity to have it here, it would be special,” Bryant said. “This is the mecca, the center of basketball.”
It’s now the center of chaos. Thomas set his own mark Friday in the Charlotte disaster, posting his 200th loss running the Knicks as he celebrated his four-year anniversary yesterday.
“They’re one 10-game winning streak away from putting the kibosh on this whole thing,” Bryant said. “There’s always hope.”
Knicks fans were ticked off and booed last season when Bryant missed the game at the Garden because of a one-game suspension for a minor forearm.
“Absolutely, it makes you feel good they appreciate what you do and they want to see what you do best,” Bryant said.
Despite Bryant’s trade request, coach Phil Jackson has the Lakers winning, at 16-10. Thomas doesn’t forsee Bryant on the block.
“From what I see, he and Phil have their team moving in the right direction,” Thomas said. “Kobe’s a great player. Phil’s a great coach. I don’t see any problems.”
Quentin Richardson will see if he can take out his rage on Bryant in their matchup. The illustration of the Knicks’ chaos occurred in Charlotte when Richardson yelled at Thomas when he returned to the bench after being yanked early in the third quarter. Thomas shot up from his seat looking to go after Richardson but assistant Herb Williams restrained him. The Knicks were still downplaying the episode.
“A game like that, you’re going to get into it with somebody,” said Thomas, whose team will still be without grieving Stephon Marbury today.
Asked if Williams prevented a fistfight, Richardson said, “That’s crazy.”
“I told you it’s no big deal,” Richardson said. “We came here today it was fine, practiced as usual. It happens every day. It’s just more magnified here.”