The Lakers installment

With the arrival of future Hall-of-Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton in their line-up for little or no money at all, the Lakers were looking like they would crumple the opposition next NBA season. But nosiree. The athletic prized stud from the City of Angels, Kobe Bryant, is being charged with felony sexual assault that would land him a minimum of four years in jail if found guilty. Yes, Kobe, he of sterling reputation and a very pretty wife. I was even moved to smithereens when I read that Mr. Bryant was reduced to tears after the Lakers were eliminated by the Spurs in the last playoffs. But even off-season, he is grabbing the headlines and not because of his basketball wizardry.

Kobe is being accused by a 19-year old hotel employee from Colorado of what accounts as “rape.” The star player himself admitted that he committed adultery and that the sex was consensual and pledged his innocence. But the merits of the case are up to the lawyers to contemplate. This Kobe Bryant special seems a daily fodder among star athletes these days and gives us a peek inside the private world of a very private Kobe Bryant. But in terms of how these will affect the Lakers championship parade, pundits are still debating the issue. Some fans are already on tenterhooks; others are lackadaisical.

Without Kobe Bryant (top), Shaq O’Neal may have to lead the L.A. Lakers alone next season.

I may seem impassive but the Lakers title hope always boils down to Shaq. I agree with sports writer Sean Deveney of SportingNews.com that even if Kobe would end up a convict, as long as Shaq is in shape, who cares if the esteemed guard would wear everything orange. That is not undermining Kobe Bryant’s importance nor talent. He is a very important piece of the puzzle. But it’s always better to think of the worst and hope for the best. Malone and Payton may be aging but they are still agile and owners of skills that have brightened their profiles—great distribution, posting and shooting from mid-range in Payton’s case and setting screens and hitting the weakside board for Malone.

Of course, with the addition of Malone, it’s sad and quite tearful to see Robert Horry go. He’ll be playing for the defending champs, the Spurs. We’ll surely miss his last minute shots and heroics. Other bits and pieces of the roster are quite intact. Rick Fox is back. Derek Fisher will play the two position and will come off the bench. Horace Grant is also back. I’m not quite certain if it’s a good or a bad move. But he’s a former Laker and he’ll probably sub for the Mailman. Draft acquisitions Tab Cook and Luke Walton are still untested.

Kobe aside, the Lakers of next season will be a definite hit, a box-office smorgasboard. I never thought Karl Malone would ever don a Laker uniform. I thought of him a Utah Jazz once and always. And he’ll be wearing jersey number 32 with Magic Johnson himself presenting the uniform. For the Glove, well, he grew up in California, so he’s probably at home. It’s quite magnanimous of them really to sign for almost nothing to pursue a dream. The Mailman’s previous of $19.2 million a year with the Jazz is a far-cry of the current $1.5 million. Ditto with the Glove’s contract, down from last year’s $12.6 million to this year’s $4.9 million.

Then there is Shaq. The diesel. Big-daddy. Would it be too much for him to keep in shape? He has done it before and he was a mighty force. The job will be done if the tower of strength is nimble and quick. Hope his big toe would be in tip-top condition or any of his fingers for that matter. Shaq is the key to the whole thing. The flabs should indubitably go.

And the other power-houses? Jason Kidd and Alonzo Mourning signed with the New Jersey Nets. And....so far, LeBron James and Kobe are having much of the NBA summer spotlights. LeBron is still a superstar in the making. The future is still in his hands. As for Kobe, he’s giving us quite a distraction. Why everybody doesn’t have the squeaky clean image of Tim Duncan is difficult to figure out. But we all have our darkest moments and this already long-drawn soap opera could be it for the Lakers superstar. How he would handle winning and surviving would be unveiled come October 28 at home against Dallas and would continue throughout the season.*

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