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Kobe Bryant has made a bold demand to the Lakers front office. According to ESPN's Ric Bucher, the disgruntled diva shooting guard is asking owner, Dr. Jerry Buss to dig into the franchise's past and bring back Jerry West to replace Mitch Kupchak as general manager.
Did I say ask? Actually number 8, err 24 is demanding the doctor brings back the architect of the Lakers dynasty or else...he wants to be traded.
"The Logo" is finishing up a five year stint as the GM of the Memphis Grizzlies, his contract ends July 1st. (Yes, they have a basketball team in Memphis, they've got uniforms and everything.) West does not rule out returning to LA in an interview with ESPN's Jim Gray.
"I haven't thought about it at all until Kobe brought it up today. My main priority is to [Grizzlies owner] Mike Heisley and to finish up with the Memphis Grizzlies," West told ESPN's Jim Gray on Sunday night. "I am fiercely loyal to Mike, as I am to Mitch Kupchak. Having said that, I'm a lifelong Laker and we will see what happens."
So what's it gonna be Kobe or Mitch? The choice sounds like an easy one to me - keep the best player in the league and give a pink slip to the GM who has done nothing but keep his fingers crossed and hope Andrew Bynum becomes the center he used to have. MSNBC's Michael Ventre thinks otherwise.
AP Photo: Matt A. Brown
