Sam Smith

How do you suppose Kobe Bryant would feel now playing with Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas, Chris Duhon and Ben Gordon?

As opposed to Andrew Bynum, Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom and Luke Walton?

Hey, Michael Jordan kept telling the Bulls to trade for Walter Davis and Buck Williams instead of having Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant.

The big story of the NBA coming into this season really was not the referee issue (it's difficult to call one guy a scandal), but Bryant's apparent desire to be traded and near daily reports about Bryant being on the verge of coming to the Bulls.

It seemed to be Bryant's preferred destination, and even Phil Jackson, when the Lakers were in Chicago in December, acknowledged Bryant had "Chicago fever."

But the only thing really hot now is the Lakers, who have surprisingly emerged as a legitimate championship contender with a big front line and, of course, the irrepressible Bryant.

Though the general cynicism in Los Angles is the Lakers remain one losing streak away from a Bryant trade demand, it would seem more likely that Bryant and the Lakers might have prematurely stumbled upon a team to be taken seriously.

Patience, gentlemen, patience.

It seems to be what the Lakers best had, though there were serious talks. The Lakers promised Bryant they would look for a deal and felt they had to honor their promise. So they did talk with the Bulls, as Bryant seemed to believe the quickest way to the NBA Finals with Tim Duncan still in good health was through the Eastern Conference.

But the pieces just couldn't fit.

Sure, the Lakers were considering a deal, and although you never get full value when trading a star, the Lakers had to get close. It became too much for the Bulls, or anyone else, as there were talks considered somewhat serious with at least two other teams.

So Bryant had to play basketball. After all, it's what he does, perhaps better than anyone in the NBA.

And what do you know, Bynum showed up. The missing piece.

There was this street video last summer in which Bryant seemed to disparage his teammates, including Bynum.

And after a fast start last season, Bynum faded badly and the general feel around the Lakers was at just 20 going into this season, Bynum was two or three years away from seriously helping the team. Bryant was entering the prime of his career and it seemed a shame to waste it working with kids.

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But working with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar seemed to pay off.

Bynum had natural talent, if not always it seemed motivation. Suddenly, he was a 7-footer with good footwork who could catch the ball and finish, a rare talent in the NBA these days. And Lamar Odom could fall back into the third option role where he fits better, and Bryant could begin to lay back to open games like Jordan did in his prime and not have to take on so much until the game was on the line.

Suddenly, it was a stable Lakers team.

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Jackson signed a contract extension, and veteran Fisher had returned. The team was running the triangle offense smartly and adapting to the changing style of play in the NBA and scoring more. The Lakers are among the top scoring teams in the NBA — in the top five entering this week in scoring and shooting — and still Jackson had them concentrating on defense as they were among the best in opponents' field goal percentage.

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And now the Lakers, despite being the third-youngest team in the NBA, were competing with everyone in the conference.

They beat the Suns twice, split with the Spurs and Jazz, blew out the Nuggets. And they had the weapon no one really did in Bryant. There's nothing like the great finisher, especially in the playoffs, when the game slows some and the scores are lower. None of the contenders has a better one than Bryant.

And now it seems Bryant is accompanied by the pieces to get him in position.

Perhaps this will all change if they have an early playoff disappointment again. Though the Lakers seem to see there are possibilities, the word is they are trying to interest teams in Kwame Brown's expiring contract to add a good piece. If the Lakers can do that, it could be very interesting come spring, and perhaps the most surprising ending to all that Bryant trade talk.