Lakers For Life: Kobe Bryant Will Not Demand Trade From Los Angeles

After Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Charlotte Hornets, 107-92 for their first win of the 2014-2015 NBA Season, the veteran guard was asked about the possibility of him playing elsewhere other than the Hollywood squad. Bryant’s reply strong and to the point saying that a trade from L.A. will never happen.

"It's not going to happen," Kobe Bryant said post-game via USA TODAY Sports when asked about the rumours that he’s going to leave the Lakers via a trade. “I have a no-trade clause. Jeanie [Buss] and Jimmi [Buss] aren't sending me anywhere.”

Jeanie is the team governor and Jimmie is the executive vice president of basketball operations for the Lakers.

"It's not going to happen," the 19-year NBA veteran added. "It's not going to happen. You go through the good times, you've got to go through the bad times.”

Bryant led the Lakers’ charge against the Hornets turning a 51-42 halftime deficit to a 76-64 advantage after the end of the third quarter. Los Angeles cruised the rest of the way as Bryant finished with 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

Jeremy Lin matched Kobe’s 21 markers and added 7 assists while veteran big man Carlos Boozer added 16 points and 5 rebounds for Los Angeles which notched their first win in six games. The Lakers will face the Memphis Grizzlies (5-1) on Tuesday (Wednesday in Australia).

Aside from guaranteeing NBA fans that he’ll retire as a Laker, Bryant also mentioned that the final two years in his contract with the club will be his last in the league emphasising his intention of calling it quits after the 2015-2016 season. Bryant, who averages 26.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists for L.A. this season, signed a two-year contract extension worth $48.5 million in the 2014 offseason.

“I'm so loyal to this organization, there's not a chance… I’ve been really fortunate to win a lot of games here, a lot of championships here. You can't [expletive] with [that],” Bryant finished in the same interview. Kobe won NBA titles with the Lakers in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010.

The root of the Kobe Bryant trade rumours is the fact that the Lakers are struggling off the gates in the new season and most likely will miss out on a playoff spot this season. But for Bryant, staying loyal to the organisation which he has been part of since 1996, is more important than chasing another NBA championship with another ballclub.