LA Lakers 2011-12 Season Recap: Who's to blame?

NOTE:  This article will be published on Fansided's Saving the Skyhook blog, where I am currently contributing as a staff writer.

For the 2^nd straight year, the Los Angeles Lakers fell short in the Western Conference Semifinals.  And also for the 2^nd straight year, the vast majority of fans and the media have labeled it as a disappointing season.  Out of all the teams going fishing so far, I’ve never heard so many names being thrown around as possible scapegoats than the Lakers.  People think they know who to blame (for the most part, Pau Gasol), but they don’t seem to fully understand how much adversity has affected this team’s chances of contending for a title.

All things considered, the Lakers have overachieved this season.  Since the offseason, there was a series of team chemistry-crushing events that make me wonder why anybody expected them to win a championship.  First, their offseason turmoil last summer was overshadowed by that of the Orlando Magic with the Dwight Howard debacle.  After being swept by Dallas in last year’s playoffs, the Lakers did almost nothing to improve their team.  In fact, they took about five steps back over the course of the season.  Considering their lack of chemistry with this particular roster and style of play, current or incoming players that did not meet expectations, or uncertainty with the roster as well as coaching staff and general disarray, the Lakers should consider themselves lucky for getting this far. 

That being said, let’s break down the top three reasons why the Lakers fell short this year.

1. Instability of the team caused by the front office and coaching staff

The quality of roster management of this team has been shaky at best, and the trade rumors didn’t help matters there.  Star bigs Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum dealt were involved in trade rumors virtually all season.  In fact, Gasol was almost shipped as part of the Chris Paul trade that David Stern eventually nixed – something that many seem to think would have made them serious title contenders had Stern not rejected it.  Since last season, Bynum has been in trade rumors involving Dwight Howard.  Clearly, the trades made (as well as the trade talk) affected the chemistry of the team.  Even when Kobe Bryant pleaded to GM Mitch Kupchak to make up his mind on the trade rumors – particularly with Gasol – in an attempt to establish some stability for the team, Kupchak and the Laker management continued to keep the team in a state of limbo.  Even Derek Fisher – a staple of the Lakers’ success over the years and one of Kobe’s best friends – was sent packing.

Kobe Bryant wasn't - and still isn't - sure how long
either Gasol or Bynum would be his teammates

A lack of cohesion can be blamed on the coaching staff, as well.  On several segments of the ESPN/ABC studio show, I heard Magic Johnson make several critical comments about Mike Brown and his inability to make in-game adjustments.  He emphasized the fact that this has hindered Brown’s playoff success in years past with Cleveland, as well.  While I don’t disagree with that, people do need to understand how different his system is than that of his predecessor, Phil Jackson.  The Lakers got very accustomed to Jackson’s triangle offense, and Kobe and Gasol absolutely flourished in that system that helped them get to three NBA Finals (and winning two of them).  Talk about big shoes to fill. Adjusting to a new system takes time.  But at the same time, Brown had to realize that he did not have the personnel to run his pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop schemes.  Bynum and Gasol were vastly underutilized throughout the season, despite the two of them being a matchup advantage for the Lakers on a nightly basis.

2.  Pau Gasol got fed up

Short term memory? Just remember how
valuable Gasol was to LA's 09 and 10 titles

As I mentioned, there has been a lot of misplaced finger pointing going on.  One of the biggest scapegoats, of course, is Pau Gasol.  Now, because of how badly people underestimate Gasol’s impact as a Laker, allow me to take the time to defend him.  Since STEALING him from Memphis in 2009 (which was quite possibly the most lopsided and shadiest trade in NBA history), the Lakers have had a 70%+ winning percentage with Gasol.  In their two championship runs in 2009 and 2010, he outplayed many of the league’s premier power forwards and centers in crucial playoff games (Amare Stoudemire, Kevin Garnett, Carlos Boozer, Dwight Howard, and Nene to name a few), even after being universally labeled “soft” in his first season as a Laker in 2007-08.  He became arguably the best two-way big man in the league, and is one of the few top talents that don’t mind playing with Kobe (at least until now).   Being in the shadow of Kobe, his impact has been vastly underrated, and is one of the most underrated true team players on a championship team that I can remember.

That being said, Gasol obviously had a subpar and inconsistent year.  But before you go on blaming him, there are many reasons why Gasol’s play has suffered this season.  First and foremost is the coaching situation, as described above.  He thrives in the post – not running pick-and-roll offenses 20+ feet from the basket.  The second major factor why Gasol is so jaded was the aforementioned nixed trade for CP3.  You saw how Lamar Odom, who was in the same trade, reacted – he was distraught to the point where LA had to dump him to Dallas for basically nothing.  Gasol, on the other hand, maintained his professionalism throughout the season, despite continuing to be in trade rumors and being called out by fans (and sometimes his teammates…and by his teammates, I mean Kobe – more on that below).  When the trade for CP3 got nixed, I thought it was a blessing in disguise, as the Lakers front court depth would have suffered severely without him.  In the end, why he constantly seems get blame and a lack of appreciation is beyond me. 

After a few successful seasons together, you have to wonder
 if  Pau and Kobe's relationship has now deteroirated 

Let’s go back to Kobe for a second.  We all admire his drive and competitiveness, and the fact that he’s almost 34 and is still arguably somehow one of the top 5 players in the league (I was talking to a coworker, a Laker fan, about this:  he’s only a year younger than KG and is the same age as Jermaine O’Neal – yet we consider the latter two to be much, much older).  But this season, not unlike other seasons, he has made several team-dividing comments. When Kobe publicly criticized Gasol for his play in Game 4, TNT’s Charles Barkley couldn’t help but say that Kobe should have been the one to blame for his atrocious shot selection; the Lakers were up handily in that game, and Kobe went away from throwing the ball into Gasol and Bynum and instead took several contested long jumpers.  In the waning moments of Game 5, even with the game out of hand, Kobe was expressing a constant visible frustration toward Gasol on several plays where it appeared the two were not on the same page.  Let’s not forget that this is not the last time he has called out his teammates and refused to shoulder any blame – I will never forget when he completely quit on his team in two very important games:  Game 7 vs. Phoenix in the first round of the 2006 playoffs, and Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals vs. Boston.  As much praise as Kobe gets for his freakish durability, high level of play and intense competitiveness, instances like these can help one understand why many players don’t like playing with him.  I think he’s been extremely overcritical of Gasol, and I don’t think Gasol wants to play another possession with Kobe.

Because of these issues Gasol has had this season with both the front office and Kobe, I think he’s gone this offseason.  He’s sick of being in trade rumors, and he’s sick of being called out and blamed.  And when he does get traded, hopefully he will be in a system more conducive to his strengths.  Maybe then he will get the recognition as an elite player that he deserves. 

3.  The supporting cast was terrible

The issues went deeper than just the star players.  The Lakers’ supporting cast was among the worst of the league over the season (their bench was DEAD last in scoring this season).  Ron Artest, Steve Blake, Ramon Sessions, and Matt Barnes proved not to be effective enough to put the Lakers over the top.  Changes to the roster over the course of the season proved not to be very constructive, either.  Two vital pieces to their 09 and 10 championship runs – Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher – were no longer there.  When they acquired Ramon Sessions from Cleveland, I was suspicious that he would provide the same impact as Derek Fisher.  Early on, he seemed to be on track to proving me wrong (12.7 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.2 rebounds in 30.5 mins per game as a Laker).  But after a horrible postseason (9.7 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds a game), the Lakers have to wonder if they should have got rid of Fisher, who is now in a position to win a title NOT in a Laker uniform. 

Kobe had to get accustomed to playing without two of his best
role players in Lamar Odom (left) and Derek Fisher (right)

Before the playoffs even started, Artest didn’t help matters after earning a seven-game suspension for elbowing James Harden into a concussion.  His absence made the Lakers already-thin bench even worse, and was a big reason why LA even struggled closing out Denver in the first round.  In my opinion, they were very fortunate to even advance past them; if Blake didn’t catch fire in Game 7, the Lakers could have gone home much earlier.  Other than Jordan Hill, the Laker role players were a disappointment.

What should the Lakers do?

With Kobe making $30 million next year, there is not much that LA can do in free agency.  Their best move would be to throw Bynum and whoever else Orlando wants (other than Kobe) for Dwight Howard.  But then, you would have to look at the coaching situation.  If LA gets Howard, is Mike Brown the right coach for them?  He failed to find ways to get two of the league’s best post players to get consistent touches.  Howard had issues with his Orlando teammates for not getting the ball enough; how do you think he will like Brown’s offensive schemes? 

Some have gone as far as to say the Lakers should consider amnesty’ing Kobe.  As much as I blame him for having an adverse psychological affect on his teammates, I still think waiving him is an extreme.  Of all players on the team, he is the one lock to remain in a Laker uniform.

I know this is never gonna happen, but LA and Orlando should make the first ever head coach trade.  I honestly think both teams would be better off.

Summary

Ultimately, the Lakers’ failures have been a result of a lack of chemistry – from the front office to the coaches, and to the players as well.  The fact that they were a few breaks away from possibly being in a position to make the Conference Finals is nothing short of amazing.  I expect a major overhaul over the offseason, with Kobe being the lone guaranteed Laker next season.

Analyzing the Effect of Trade Rumors on NBA Stars

Note:  this article will be published on FanSided's Saving the Skyhook blog.

With the March 15^th NBA trade deadline looming, many players league-wide are wondering what jersey they are going to don by week’s end.  Although it’s hard for the average sports fan to feel sympathy for multi-millionaire athletes dealing with uncertain futures, you have to wonder just how much the psyche of these players are being affected by swirling trade rumors.  One would think that the growing shroud of uncertainty constantly hanging over them has to wear on them in one way or another – both on and off the court. 

We’ve seen several high-profile players being shopped around over the last few years.  This season has been no different; rumors involving Dwight Howard Rajon Rondo, and Pau Gasol have been under the most scrutiny.  How have they been personally handling these rumors?  And what can we expect from them going forward after the trade deadline this Thursday? 

Gasol (left) and Rondo (right) have been saying all the right things,
but how are they really handling the constant trade rumors?

We recently heard Kobe Bryant stick up for his teammate Gasol by calling out GM Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers’ management.  He was publicly trying to relay just how difficult it is for Gasol (or any player being shopped around) to put his whole heart into playing for a team that’s actively trying to trade him.  Due to the sensitive nature of trade rumors and the private manner in which teams address them to the media, we have a relatively limited idea of how much of an effect they have on the implicated players.  We just saw the Lakers management tell their players to cut the external chatter short, in an attempt to minimize the drama caused from trade rumors.  So unless players publicly speak about their feelings, our opportunities to gauge their psyche are limited.  For that reason, the performance of these players in the midst of trade rumors may be our best way to make an assessment. 

Now, let’s examine a sample of prominent players that were involved in trade rumors and blockbuster trades over the last 10 seasons.   Whether these players were driving the trade talks themselves, or their respective teams put players on the trading block against their will, here are some of the more notable cases below.  The blocks highlighted in green denote a 10% improvement after the trade, while the red blocks indicate at least a 10% decline in the respective stats as shown.  For better resolution quality, please click on the figure.  Special thanks to ESPN TrueHoop blogger Ian Levy of Hickory High, who was a great help in putting these numbers together. 

If you go by a case-by-case basis, some players on this list wanted to be traded, and some didn’t.  And some, well, could have cared less.  Obviously, every player’s situation was different, and many variables factored into each player’s performance.  Nonetheless, the before/after comparisons are something very interesting to look at in light of Kobe Bryant’s aforementioned assessment on the impact of trade rumor drama.

Vince Carter made the biggest improvement of any star traded in the last ten  years

Bar none, Vince Carter gained the single-most benefit from the resolution of his situation after being traded from Toronto to New Jersey – and his gargantuan improvement shown in these stats reflect that.  But as he admitted, this was largely attributed to his half-hearted effort during his waning days in Toronto.  More than any star player in the last decade, Vince’s performance was directly correlated to how motivated he was.  In Toronto, he publicly criticized Raptors management for failing to put together enough talent around him to build a contending team.  When traded to New Jersey, he did all the things he failed to do during his last couple years in Toronto:  attacking the basket, playing some defense, and just putting in more effort overall.  Playing alongside Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson was a huge motivator for him, as he spent years being the lone star in Toronto.  All of this led to a vast improvement in nearly every statistical category.  Of course, this was all short-lived, and Carter was not always engaged in subsequent years to date.  To learn about his ups and downs some more, take a look at my in-depth take on his career as a whole, which tries to explain his sporadic effort over the years. 

C-Webb (right) did not find greener pastures in Philly
playing alongside AI (left)

In contrast to Vince’s case, some players didn't exactly benefit from being traded.  Of everyone listed here, Chris Webber seems to be the one who suffered the most from changing jerseys.  Of course, injuries played into his decline (and eventual retirement) more than anything.   Nonetheless, then-Sixers GM Billy King’s experiment of pairing him up with Allen Iverson was obviously a failiure – as the Sixers only managed to obtain a 7^th seed and only win a single playoff game that season.  But given Webber’s and Iverson’s respective situations at the time – as two perennial All-Stars yet to win a title – both felt it was an experiment worth attempting.  I’m not entirely sure if Chris Webber was forcing his way out of Sacramento the same year he was traded, even though he did express a desire to leave before he became a free agent in 2001.  But I suspect that his decline was due to a combination of his injuries, his lack of cohesion with Iverson, and the realization that he had a pretty damn good team in Sacramento compared to his new team in Philly.

Dwight Howard has his eyes set elsewhere,
but is still playing well in Orlando

Unlike Rondo and Gasol, we know Dwight Howard has publicly requested to be traded.  Since he has been under the most scrutiny as far as trade rumors are concerned, let’s compare his situation to other superstar players demanding a trade in years past:  Shaq, Allen Iverson, Ron Artest (BTW, I still refuse to call him by his new name), and Carmelo Anthony.   Shaq showed slightly greater improvement and efficiency after being traded, which was to be expected after a bad situation (the most memorable part being his feud with Kobe Bryant) got worse in LA prior to being traded.  But of course, pairing up with the young but highly-gifted Dwyane Wade had something to do with that.  Iverson and Artest welcomed a change of scenery, but their +’s and –‘s in their stat comparisons were a relative wash; Iverson’s shot attempts went down, but he had to get used to having a high-volume shooting teammate in Melo.  Years later, Melo benefited from more shot attempts being in Mike D’Antoni’s system, but overall has been playing at about the same level since the trade.  So in the end, the superstars we’ve seen publicly demand a trade have neither improved nor regressed on a significant level.   

While we don’t see too much of a distinct pattern (at least, not to the same degree as with Vince Carter and Chris Webber) with most of the players on this list – at least in terms of individual performance –  this analysis does show that there is some precedence to the situations of Howard, Gasol, and Rondo.  In terms of a prediction, it’s tough to see any of them improving from their already-solid productivity with their current teams.  All three have been able to put up stellar numbers regularly, but they have all expressed disdain over the lack of resolution on their respective situations.   Their individual performances have not suffered, but their uncertain futures have had an effect on the success of their teams as a whole.  We saw the 2010-11 Nuggets improve significantly after Melo’s departure, even with Melo maintaining his productivity in Denver.  So while trades and trade rumors do not have a huge overall effect on individual performance (with a few exceptions), teams as a whole are put at ease upon resolution of the trade talk.  

NBA Officially in a State of Chaos

For the most part, the basketball community felt a huge sigh of relief when the lockout was lifted.  But did that spell the end of the turmoil among Commissioner David Stern, the players, and the owners?  We should have known better.  We should have predicted that, after months of several heated discussions, that rifts would be permanently created and grudges would be held.  After both sides made considerable compromises to end the lockout, promises were made to both the players and owners that efforts would be made to ensure their needs would be met.  So after all this, what’s the outcome?  For one, every team transaction, from here on out, will be further scrutinized by everyone in the league.  Now, the same day the lockout ended, we’ve already seen how ugly things have become with the chaotic Chris Paul trade fiasco.  In the end, the NBA has seriously tarnished its brand, and things seem to quickly be spiraling out of control. 

Let's hope the league wises up and allows CP3 and Kobe to become teammates

The unfathomable veto of the trade that would have brought Chris Paul to the Lakers is the latest episode in what’s been a devastating blow to the NBA’s image.  Owners were furious that yet another star player would be moving to a premier franchise.  And from my understanding, it wasn’t JUST the acquiring of Chris Paul alone that prompted the owners to react; rumors swirled that the Lakers still had a chance to acquire Dwight Howard from the Magic.  While it may not have been feasible immediately after the Lakers parted with both Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom to get Paul, owners were still weary that Howard might eventually finagle his way to LA – especially if he’s not traded to another team. 

Scola (left) and Gasol (right) would provide offensive
firepower to their respective teams' front lines

What kills me is that this trade was said to be vetoed for "basketball-related" reasons.  Are you kidding me?  From a basketball perspective, it's fair to say that New Orleans may have fared the best of the three teams from doing this trade.  Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, and Emeka Okafor together would have formed a playoff team-quality front court for the Hornets.  That's before even mentioning the acquisition of Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic - who are both up-and-coming prolific scorers (if you don't know Dragic, check out this 23-point 4th quarter outburst he threw down on a very good San Antonio team in the 2010 Western Conference Semis).  From a marketing perspective, you obviously can't replace CP3 - even with these high quality players.  But it baffles me that the league doesn't realize that this is a much better option than letting Paul walk at season's end, and thereby giving New Orleans nothing in return. 

 This isn't a bad trade for the other two involved teams, either.  In the aftermath of losing Yao Ming, Houston would have landed the second-best big man in the league in Pau Gasol - and were already in the running to land Nene.  And of course, Kobe and CP3 would form the best back court in the NBA for the Lakers - albeit with a thin front line.  So how the hell is NOT doing this trade better for all three teams from a basketball perspective? 

Clearly, there are lingering issues resulting from egos of owners and players in the aftermath of the lockout.  So who's at fault for keeping this going?  

By opposing the trade of CP3 to LA, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is
showing that he's obviously not over the loss of LeBron James

To owners, the new CBA should have further prevented teams from stacking up the league’s best players; ever since LeBron, D-Wade and Bosh joined forces in Miami last offseason, owners became determined to not allow something like that to happen again.  Thus, when the very first news they hear (on the SAME DAY the lockout ends, to boot) is the rumors of CP3 and Dwight Howard both going to the Lakers, their natural reaction is to push back.  They were promised competitive balance, and felt they were lied to.  I think all basketball minds agree that New Orleans, in the proposed trade, got a pretty damn good deal out of it.  But if we’ve learned anything this offseason, it’s that most owners don’t see things from a basketball perspective – only money. 

At the same time, you can’t blame players for wanting to play for bigger market teams.  To CP3, his desire to achieve long-term security (by signing an extension with the Lakers) has been denied.  If he blows out his knee this season, he’s screwed.  There’s no denying he has a right to be livid at the league.  Smaller market teams want more than 1% chance of landing star players to improve their venue, but other than a few exceptions – Reggie Miller with the Pacers, Tim Duncan with the Spurs, and Kevin Durant with the Thunder – star players prefer bigger markets.  That’s never going to change, and owners need to come to terms with that. 

Things will only get uglier from here on out.  We’re being told that this happened ONLY because the NBA currently owns the Hornets, causing a perfect storm for this debauchery to happen.  But hence forth, every blockbuster trade - especially between big and small-market teams – is going to be heavily scrutinized.  Even the New Jersey Nets, who are widely anticipated to be considered a bigger market when they move to Brooklyn next season, got in trouble for tampering in their ongoing attempts to trade for Dwight Howard.  Howard, who is open to the idea of playing with All-Star guard Deron Williams, now has more political obstacles to overcome.

It's not just the NBA-owned Hornets whose trade discussions are under scrutiny;
the growing chaos has hindered trade talks involving Dwight Howard (left) and Brook Lopez (right)

What a mess.

So who is to blame for the NBA’s image spiraling out of control?

The easy scapegoat, of course, is David Stern.  He’s the one who allowed the lockout get to the point where it did.  He’s the one who’s been really wishy-washy on why he vetoed the trade.  He’s the one hiding from all the heavy criticism.  But remember that ultimately, Stern answers to the owners; the only reason he’s employed is because of the owners.  He claims all of his decisions are not affiliated with any pressure he gets from owners, but IMO, that’s not plausible. 

David Stern has long ago worn out his welcome

All things considered, he really needs to retire.  He’s gotta go.  The NBA badly needs new leadership.  Regardless of whether he’s truly at fault, we know Stern’s reputation is now irreparable, and that he shouldn’t linger around any longer trying to salvage it.  Besides, he wouldn’t be the only sports figure failing to go out on a high note; just two months ago, we saw Penn State legend Joe Paterno’s last season marred by the Jerry Sandusky scandal.  But unlike Paterno, Stern’s leadership has been far from flawless up to this point.  In fact, you can question the very beginning of his reign upon the first NBA draft lottery in 1985:  many conspiracies are out there giving solid evidence that Stern “aided” the New York Knicks to win the draft lottery – and of course allowing them to land #1 pick Patrick Ewing.  Of course, the infamous Tim Donaghy scandal comes to mind as well, which put the entire integrity of the game into question.  Fair or not, Stern’s legacy will always be associated with these conspiracies. 

It's tough to imagine either Greg Oden or Brandon Roy
ever setting foot on an NBA court again

The growing rift between the owners and players is not the only sad story to surface before this already-shortened season even started.  Portland Trailblazers star Brandon Roy, who could no longer avoid the inevitable, called it quits on account of his gimpy knees.  We saw flashes of the great player he could have been in Game 4 of last year’s First Round matchup vs. the eventual NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks, and it appears that's the last of him.  Things are also looking pretty glum for his teammate Greg Oden, who is continuing to struggle making his way back on the court after a heavily injury-ridden start to his career.  So on the Blazers front, the already-sad story is only getting sadder. 

Somehow, even after the labor situation resolved itself, the NBA is looking worse and worse.  All we can hope for now is for the chaos to subside, and that things start looking up once the actual basketball gets underway.  Until then, the bleeding won’t stop and the growing divide between players, owners, and the commissioner will not be set aside.

NBA "Villains"

At this very moment, I’m watching the Celtics and Lakers – the NBA’s best rivalry - on ABC.  Since I really enjoy reading Bill Simmons’ live diary columns, where he compiles all his thoughts at certain points throughout a game, I was tempted to mimic such a column on this game.  Watching the heated matchups between players, any game between these two teams would make for a very entertaining diary - especially if you’re allowed to quote players uncensored.  Since I can’t lip-read everything on TV and not rich enough to sit close enough to hear players constantly berating each other, I’m not able to come up with such diaries.  Plus, the Sports Guy kind of does that, anyway.   I’ll hold off on stealing people’s ideas, especially people whose columns I actually like. 

Anyway, it’s easy to see how all the great matchups in this game (Bryant vs Pierce, Garnett vs. Gasol, Allen vs. Fisher) create tension between players.  For the fans, it’s fun to watch.  It also gives fans more incentive to root for their teams, especially when a player on the other team is giving your favorite player a hard time.  There are so many guys that fall into the “You-Either-Love-Him-Or-Hate-Him” category.  But overall, certain guys are hated a lot more than they’re loved.  They have become villains of the NBA. 

I decided to give a crack at ranking the villains of the league – those who are enemies in most eyes but also have completely embraced that role.  Most of these guys, unsurprisingly, are playing in this game.

5.  Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett

Pierce and KG have been a formidable duo and are considered nightmare matchups for any opponent.  What really gets under the skin of their opponents (and fans) is that they’re not shy about rubbing it in their faces. 

Outside of Boston, there are mixed opinions on Pierce at best.  He is known for his smack talk to opponents, even in the middle of iso plays.  He relishes these opportunities, knocking down clutch shots on a routine basis.  But as all anti-Boston fans will remind you, there are other reasons for disliking him.  His pride, confidence and competitiveness often carry through to his demeanor off the court.  You can tell that it bleeds through things he says at press conferences.  Perhaps a lot of hate was generated toward him from Lakers fans during Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals, where Pierce appeared to hurt his knee.  About 30 seconds after being carried off the court, he magically recovered and destroyed the Lakers in that series, earning Finals MVP honors.  While some saw this as a “Willis Reed” moment, most questioned the injury and Pierce’s toughness as he was carried off the court.  Personally, I don’t think anybody should question the toughness of a guy who was stabbed 11 times and had a bottle smashed over his head, only to return to full health just days later.  After Game 1 of last year's first round match-up between Miami and Boston, Quentin Richardson bashed both Pierce and Garnett, calling them "actresses."   Either way, you either love the guy or hate him. 

Like them or not, Pierce and KG will talk a lot of trash - and back it up

As for KG, well, I have already mentioned previously that he is easily the NBA’s premier trash talker (btw – notice how many of SI’s top 10 trash talkers are on this list also).  Even Joakim Noah recently had to vent about him.  It seems like his popularity with other players and fans has declined somewhat –somewhat noted by not being voted as a starter to the All-Star game for the first time in ump-teen years.  As this is the latter phase of his outstanding career, he uses his savvy veteran tactics a lot more than sheer physical ability – including verbal jousting to get inside his opponents’ heads.  This particular season, he’s had numerous run-ins with many players (examples of late:  Dwight Howard, Channing Frye, and Mickael Pietrus) – and picking up technical fouls more often than he did earlier in his career. 

4.  Derek Fisher

From an opponent’s standpoint, is there a more irritating guy to play against?  Widely regarded as the best “flopper” of the NBA, he is easily leading the league in terms of how many times he’s tricked NBA officials.  And who can argue against the label of being a dirty player?  In the 2009 Western Conference Semifinals, Fisher took a complete cheap shot at Houston’s Luis Scola. 

Also, can you blame the entire state of Utah for absolutely loathing this guy?  In their eyes, he went from a loveable  figure (with the condition of his daughter during the 2007 playoffs, where he famously showed up late after taking his daughter to a doctor in New York for treatment drained a game-winning 3 pointer to help the Jazz K.O. Golden State) to a complete scoundrel.   Not just because he ditched the Jazz that offseason to join the Lakers, but also for the reason behind it:  he apparently thought that there were no doctors near Salt Lake City that were good enough to treat his daughter.  Huh?  Talk about adding salt to the wound.

The weirdest part about this is the fact that Fisher is the President of the NBA Players Association.  If you’re a player and you get in trouble with the league front office – be it a fine or suspension – D-Fish is the guy you need to stand by your side.  How weird must that be for guys that hate playing him (and vice versa)? That’s like asking your ex-girlfriend to put in a good word for you to your future wife’s parents.  Maybe he’s good at not holding grudges.  But I doubt it.

If Robert Horry were still playing, I think the two of them would be tied at this spot.   The fact that both of them can get inside their opponents’ heads and hit ridiculously clutch shots throughout their careers has given plenty of ammo for anti-Lakers fans to hate them.

3.  Bruce Bowen

I know, I know – he recently retired.  But he really deserves to be on this list.  Aside from many players who have publicly trashed Bowen in press conferences, how many of Bowen’s opponents have completely avoided any questions from the press regarding their opinions about him?  Probably about 100. Drawing criticism from both coaches and players (and famously dubbed the “Edward Scissorhands” nickname from Phil Jackson, citing Bowen’s physical-player grab-and-hold tactics), Bowen is both respected and hated for his ability to get under his opponents’ skin.  From Ray Allen to Steve Francis to Vince Carter to Steve Nash, Bowen has been constantly accused of playing dirty. 

Ray Allen, among many players, have expressed disdain over Bowen's play

Questions about Bowen’s defensive tactics came to light particularly after he puts his foot underneath players after they shoot –same manner in this video of him guarding New York Knicks guards Steve Francis and Jamal Crawford.  In fact, Isiah Thomas reportedly told his players to “break his ------- foot” if they saw Bowen do that to another player.  How does he get away with this?  I say it’s because of his super nice personality off the court.  I’m sure he’s very diplomatic with NBA officials and the league office whenever he’s asked about his defensive strategy.

Dirty or not, Spurs coach Greg Popovich has used Bowen masterfully, having covered top scorers like Dirk Nowitzki very effectively.  But effective or not, Bowen’s physical play did not make very many friends (or fans outside of San Antonio).  And he’s succeeded and won championships because of it.

2.  Kobe Bryant

Before this off-season, Kobe has been the clear-cut number 1 on this list for several years. 

Now before I break down all the things he’s done to solidify his villainy, I’ll say this:  his popularity has definitely recovered since the mind-boggling rape accusations (a tremendously HUGE blow to his image, regardless of whether or not he was at fault).  To his defense, Kobe has been in a no-win situation -both on and off the court.  In games, he is criticized whenever his team loses and he takes too many shots.  When he doesn’t shoot that much and the Lakers lose, he is criticized for not carrying the load.  When the Lakers lose and Kobe gets on his teammates, he is seen as a total a-hole. 

As much as Laker fans want to defend Kobe, it’s hard not to hold him accountable as to why he’s had so much more difficulty with keeping a good image than most superstars in the NBA.  Now I know this is irritating to both Kobe and Jordan fans (and me), but I’m going to compare Kobe to MJ’s golden standard:  Did Jordan get the same criticism for shooting too much (or too little)?  Maybe he did very early in his career, but he was winning championships left and right ever since.  Did MJ ever (publicly) demand a trade?  Absolutely not. 

Before I go on and on comparing Kobe to MJ, take a look at this must-read article:  an extremely solid case breaking down MJ vs. Kobe by Skip Bayless.  It will save me from spinning wheels trying to explain this. 

Why was Kobe so hated?  For one, he was widely regarded as a not-so-pleasant teammate.  Many sources blamed him for his rocky relationship with Shaq and breaking up the Shaq-Kobe duo.  In all fairness, Shaq was probably not the easiest teammate to play with – just ask Penny Hardaway.  But Kobe’s competitiveness often got the best of him in many interpersonal situations with teammates and coaches.  In his earlier days as a Laker, Kobe was widely regarded as a loner.  He has made more of an effort to be outgoing and social with his current teammates, but he clearly had problems getting along with people early on in his career.  Even coaches have publicly complained about him.  Phil Jackson famously described Kobe as “uncoachable” in his book.  Is he a good teammate?  This can be questionable as well.  If I’m Andrew Bynum, I don’t think I could stand playing with him.  He was infamously caught on tape bashing Mitch Kupchak’s decision to refuse trading Bynum for Jason Kidd.  Remember when he accidentally injured Andrew Bynum in the middle of the 2008-09 season?  Pay close attention to his initial reaction.  It really seemed as though he was feeling more upset about possibly missing out on a title than he was genuinely concerned for his teammate.

Shaq and Kobe couldn't put their egos aside, and Shaq moved elsewhere

We all know Kobe wants to win more than anybody.  But how is his attitude when his team faces adversity?  Kobe has had several games where he quit on his team.  I don’t know how you can spin it any other way.  The two such episodes that come to mind are Game 7 vs. Phoenix in 2006 and Game 6 vs. Boston in 2008.  In that game vs. Phoenix, Kobe took one shot attempt during the entire 2^nd half.  Even Charles Barkley called him out, saying Kobe was trying to prove a point and flat out quit on his team.    Even during his offensive “explosions” of scoring 60+ points, some of his teammates were reportedly not particularly pleased.  Trevor Ariza got an unfriendly glare from Kobe after not giving him the ball on a possession during a 61 point, 0 rebound, and 3 assist effort vs. the Knicks.  A 61/0/3 stat line is quite the individual accomplishment, but hardly indicative of any teamwork whatsoever.  

On top of the turmoil with his own teammates and coaches, he doesn’t exactly get along very well with his peers on other teams, either.  Ray Allen publicly criticized Kobe for his request to be traded, basically saying that Kobe did not “get it” yet.  Raja Bell, Ron Artest, and Matt Barnes have all had heated (but hilarious) run-ins with Kobe.  A very physical player, Kobe is not shy about getting physical with his opponents.  Bell clotheslined Kobe in the aforementioned 2006 playoff series, and bashed him afterwards – calling him a “pompous, arrogant individual.”   Artest and Barnes expressed dislike for Kobe also, but I have no idea why they completely sold themselves out by joining Kobe in LA. 

One of these days, I will write an entry on how fortunate the Lakers have been to win all titles that they did during the past decade.  But I’ll address one of these reasons right now: if Pau Gasol doesn’t get gift-wrapped to LA (which, by the way, was the shadiest transaction in the history of the league – as the Lakers did not even have to trade their 10^th best player back to Memphis), does Kobe really “change” into a better teammate, the way he is now? Does he ever win a title in his career again?  I have my doubts.  For all we know, he would have been traded to another team (in all likelihood, Chicago – but thank goodness that didn’t happen; the MJ comparisons would never have ended). 

If you think I’m a Kobe hater, read this article by Bill Simmons before you judge.  He lays out everything I touched on in a very comprehensive and unbiased manner.  I will say this:  despite his reputation as a villain and being criticized often by fans, coaches, and players alike, Kobe has obviously had great success in his career.  He is immensely gifted and has a terrific work ethic.  His desire to win is unsurpassed by many, and he has 5 championship rings to show for it.  He may not be the most popular superstar of all time, but he may end up being one of the most successful ones.  You just gotta wonder if he would have had more success if you took away some of the self-inflicted drama he’s had in his career.    

1.  Lebron James

This is a no-brainer.  Remarkably, he probably wouldn’t have even been on this list prior to ‘The Decision.’  But at this very moment, he is THE most hated player – perhaps in all of sports.  I’ve seen approximately 20 videos mocking his Nike commercial, where he tries to defend the manner in which he handled his decision to leave Cleveland.  Everybody on this list has plenty of ill-wishers, but I’ve never seen it get to this level.  Has anyone been rooted this hard to fail to the point where voodoo dolls and witchcraft are summoned? 

Just like these LBJ jerseys, Lebron's popularity burned. Big time.

Honestly, I’m surprised he wasn’t more unpopular prior to free agency.  Everyone pays a lot more attention NOW to his poor choice of words in several press conferences.  But it’s not like he got worse – he’s never been known for being very articulate or making any sense.  Also, how about his constant teasing of the fans when it comes to entering the Dunk Contest?  If he truly cared about the fans, he would dunk.  Period.  MJ, Dominique, Kobe, Vince, Dwight – they all did it out of respect for the fans, whether they wanted to do it or not.  One of his excuses is that he doesn’t want people to think of him “as just a dunker.”  Well, that would be better than being thought of as a complete d-bag by 49 and ½ states, wouldn’t it? 

(On a side note, I can’t WAIT to see Blake Griffin in this year’s Dunk Contest.  He will be incredible.)

All of these guys have completely embraced their villain role, at the expense of their popularity with a majority of the world.  They are all motivated by the intense hatred towards them.  With so many people rooting for them to fail, these guys are wired in a way where they all feast off that criticism and ill wishing.