Bryant chimes in on Lakers' moves
In the span of one weekend, the Los Angeles Lakers watched center Dwight Howard shun their advances to join the Houston Rockets, and released 14-year veteran Metta World Peace through the amnesty provision. Both moves will become official this week.
Kobe Bryant, the team's remaining superstar and most popular player, weighed in on those decisions Monday via Twitter.
"I wish d12 the best honestly," Bryant tweeted regarding why he stopped following Howard immediately after Howard announced he was joining the Rockets. "I just find it hard to follow players that wanna kick my teams ass #thatsjustme."
Howard boarded the Rocket ship Friday, when he agreed to a four-year, $88 million deal, and the two parties hammered out an agreement Saturday. The deal will officially be signed Wednesday, per league transaction rules. The 27-year-old spent just one year with the Lakers before opting out of his contract to become a free agent this summer.
Bryant has long supported the view that anyone who doesn't play with him is an opponent, and is on record saying that he doesn't get why current players are friends, on and off the court.
"They don't seem to want to talk any trash," he told ESPN in February. "I say everything to LeBron. He says nothing back. He just laughs. There's no banter back and forth. I guess it's a generational thing. When I first came into the league, the trash talk was downright cutthroat."
Bryant also disagreed with the team's decision to cut Metta World Peace to remove save about $30 million in salary and luxury tax savings. Metta World Peace, who buried a game-winning three-pointer in Game 7 of 2010 NBA Finals, averaged 12.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game last season in 33.7 minutes.
He had meniscus surgery late in the season, and wasn't the same after returning for the Lakers' playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs.
"No game 7 win without Metta! This is a tough day for laker nation #misspeace #newcbacasualty," Bryant tweeted. "Personally I'd keep Metta and make a run with the unit we have and just add a few pieces #keepthepeace #lakersstilldeciding."
