No Kobe in Utah? What a shocker

This week, Kobe Bryant said he wouldn't consider playing for the Jazz.

Now that's a shocker, right up there with "RODMAN ARRESTED" on the surprise-o-meter.

The Lakers All-Star said he was upset with the way the Jazz treated Karl Malone, both last summer, and during a skit this January. Said Bryant, "If you're looking at an organization, you've got to take that into consideration. . . . I'm going to sit down this summer and consider everything, but no, I wouldn't (consider Utah). Not now."

I have only one thing to say to Kobe about rejecting Utah: Get in line. If Rony Seikaly, Derek Harper, Gilbert Arenas and LaPhonso Ellis don't want to play in Utah, why would he?

Realistically, the Kobe-to-Utah scenario never had wings. A February story in the Deseret Morning News revealed Jazz plans to throw money at Bryant next July in hopes of luring him. But the story noted it was contingent upon Bryant's being cleared of felony rape charges.

The plan was also contingent upon another factor: whether Bryant would be willing to listen to the Jazz.

Guess what. He's not.

Playing in Utah is something he would never have done anyway, unless the Jazz could pay far more than anyone else. But several other teams are clearing salary cap space to make a run at Bryant, including Denver, Atlanta, San Antonio, Phoenix and the cross-town Clippers. Beyond that, the Lakers can offer Bryant roughly $4 million per year more than anyone else, under cap rules.

Utah was never on Bryant's radar screen. His remarks about the way the Jazz (mis)treated Malone were merely a smokescreen. Bryant wasn't really mad about the way the Jazz treated Malone; he was mad about the way the Jazz treated him.

Likewise, Malone claimed to be upset about how Bryant was portrayed in the skit; more likely he was upset how he was portrayed.

Skit or no skit, Bryant knows he wouldn't have fit well in Jerry Sloan's structured, team-oriented system. Sloan likes screens; Kobe likes dunks. Sloan likes passing; Kobe likes shooting.

Bryant knew the Jazz don't have enough high-level players — even with him — to win a championship. He knew there weren't enough endorsement opportunities in Utah. Beyond that, he knew he would never be revered in Utah, considering his current legal situation.