One year removed from playing in the NBA Finals with former teammate Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and his current Lakers teammates will not be playing in this year's playoffs. Once thought of as the man who could achieve Jordan like greatness, people are starting to wonder if he is the cancer that cannot be stop. We salute Kobe Bryant because he is going to have a lot of time in the off-season to get prepared for the next NBA season.

First of all do not think that I have something against Kobe Bryant. He is a great player, but he does not bring the best out of his teammates like Michael Jordan or Larry Bird were able to do for many years. The Lakers' current record of 33 wins and 38 losses is a direct reflection of Kobe's leadership. He is going to be one of the league's top scorers for years to come, but can Kobe lead a team to the playoffs without Shaquille O'Neal? You can't win a championship in the NBA when you do not share the ball or motivate your teammates.

I do not believe Kobe believed in Shaq's dedication to working out; however, he made Bryant's life much easier on the basketball court. Kobe is a dominant player, but the Lakers' current squad needs a lot of help, and some trades and free agent pick ups in the off season are needed for the team to make the playoffs next season.

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