Kobe Bryant Should Get Proper, Sensible Acknowledgement at 2016 NBA All-Star Game

San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green (14) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 11, 2015, in San Antonio.

Few would describe the Lakers’ free agent pitch to Aldridge that way.

“You’re trying to balance that as much as possible”, Lakers coach Byron Scott said. Kobe Bryant and Russell took control of the game, each of them with seven points, and the Lakers lead 19-15 midway through the first quarter. He simply can’t play at a high level anymore and anyone who has watched him struggle this year knows that. “Right now, I’d say in China there’s still Kobe and [then there’s] everyone else”. They are sitting at just three wins and 19 losses. He is holding back the development of his teammates, by their own admission, and he is no doubt the most destructive (in a bad way) force in the National Basketball Association. “I think he deserves to be there”.

“We have to make things easier for Kobe”, said Clarkson, who lamented the team’s frequent tendency to feature Bryant in isolation situations. Scott also suggested he will start duplicating Wednesday’s rotation only until the second half of the season. “We’ll see what the fans and the coaches decide, and then we’ll go from there”.

Scott said the Lakers received the same feedback after their first meeting with Aldridge last summer and changed their strategy when given a second chance.

Right from the start, the Spurs’ approach that eventually landed Aldridge to a four-year, $84-million contract couldn’t have been more different than L.A.’s. The respect people had for him on the court seemed to compensate for the lack of respect that most had for him off the court.

“I don’t pitch too much”. “That’s overblown that we’re going to have some kind of salesman deal”. We tried to sell Jason Kidd (2003) and it didn’t work. If they don’t, I don’t care. Tony Parker had the night off, so Mills’ contribution helped the Spurs run away with the victory.

“Just knowing any given night you don’t know who’s going to be that guy, that’s the strength of this team”, Thomas said. At this point there is nearly zero doubt that the Lakers will retain him as he is one of their very few bright spots but the question now becomes how big of a pay raise is he in for.

LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds as he led the Spurs to a 109-87 win over the Lakers at the AT&T Center to remain flawless inside the friendly confines. He has been acting deferential on offense and his 45.5 percent shooting will be a career-low if it doesn’t improve. “But no one will see him to the fullest extent until the Lakers hand him the ball and let him go”.

After balloting for the All-Star game opened Thursday, Silver spoke with SiriusXM NBA Radio and admitted he thinks Bryant should get a sendoff at the midseason exhibition.