![]() Whoever takes over next as coach will walk in the door with the expectation he will get the team back on that postseason track. They wanted to do that this season, but the early injury to Cade Cunningham ended that dream, and the focus shifted to developing young players like Jaden Ivey while making sure they had strong lottery odds for this season (they ended up with 17 wins and the worst record in the league). The Detroit Pistons want to make a leap into the postseason next year. We’ll probably never know exactly what was said, let alone what was intended. It was a private conversation many years ago. Bryant took it as an insult.īut that’s just a guess. Here’s my guess: Someone from Charlotte – either Cowens or Bass – tried to comfort Bryant in a chaotic situation by saying the trade would work out for the best because the Hornets wouldn’t have played him much. Of course, Bryant would want to avenge being treated that way. In part because he fanned his competitive fire with perceived slights like this one.īryant is right: Who would say that to a 17-year-old? It just sounds cruel. He quickly became a contributor with the Lakers then developed into an all-time great. Charlotte had veteran wings like Glen Rice and Dell Curry.īut Bryant was that special. Dave Cowens, the Hornets’ new coach, was among those who raised the possibility, dismissing Bryant as “a kid” who would have a hard time playing for Charlotte. Within minutes, there was talk of Bryant’s going to L.A. On Wednesday, the Hornets took Bryant with the 13th pick of the NBA draft. Perhaps, Bryant initially thought Cowens said it and more recently learned it was Bass. ![]() Or maybe both Bass and Cowens were on the call. ![]() Cowens denied it.ĭid Bryant forget whether he talked to the general manager or coach? Forget which position Cowens held? That’d be perfectly understandable decades later. However, in previous tellings, Bryant said Charlotte coach Dave Cowens delivered that message. He died last year, so he can’t tell his side of this story. The Hornets’ general manager was Bob Bass. I’m trying to – what are you telling me that for? I’m 17. And he goes, “Well, it’s a good thing we’re trading you, because we couldn’t have used you anyway.” You motherf. Yeah, yeah.” And you’ve got media in front of you and all that. He just tells me, “Hey, you know what’s going on.” Like, “Yeah. So, I get on the phone with the Charlotte GM. You get drafted, you get on the phone with the GM of the team that drafted you and all this stuff. After the moratorium, Bryant went to Los Angeles, where he had a Hall of Fame career. Divac threatened to retire, but eventually relented on joining the Hornets. 13 in 1996 to trade him to the Lakers for Vlade Divac. Long enough to develop resentment for the Hornets.Ĭharlotte drafted Bryant No. Kobe Bryant spent 16 days as a Charlotte Hornet.
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