NBA Insider with Ken Berger

It’s time for Kobe Bryant to come out and state publicly where he stands now that the Lakers are doing everything in their power to appease him by attempting to acquire Kevin Garnett.

Kobe had a lot to say a few weeks ago, to just about every media outlet known to mankind. Where is he now?

Where are the sound bytes? The proclamations? The contradictions? The Kobe-isms?

It’s been almost a month since Bryant sent shockwaves through the NBA by stating unequivocally that he wants the Lakers to surround him with All-Star talent or trade him.

You know the rest: Some comments he made about feeling better after speaking with coach Phil Jackson were misinterpreted by all but about two or three NBA media. Kobe didn’t back down that day, and he still hasn’t.

When trade talks that would send Garnett to the Lakers became public Monday, the first thing I thought was: What is Kobe going to think? Would this be enough to get him to state publicly that he wants to stay in L.A.?

So far no word from Kobe. It should be coming soon, as he will be making a public appearance this week at a basketball camp he is holding in Santa Monica, Calif. Promises to be a media frenzy that’ll make Paris Hilton jealous.

But while Kobe hasn’t spoken on the airwaves or anywhere else for attribution, he evidently has sent a smoke signal out through ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher, one of the only media types in the country in whom Kobe confides. My antennae went up Monday night when I heard Bucher on TV saying that to the best of his understanding, the Garnett situation in fact HAS NOT changed Kobe’s mind. He still wants out of L.A., Bucher said.

Hardly anyone has picked up on this, but the words should be taken as straight from Kobe’s mouth as far as I’m concerned. But that’s not good enough. If Kobe has an opinion one way or another about the Garnett deal, he needs to come out and say it. The Lakers and all the people he led on his magical mystery tour a few weeks ago need to know what he thinks now.

A few more thoughts on the Garnett trade talks:

1) Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and Kwame Brown are not enough for Garnett straight up. Minnesota should be looking for more.
2) That’s where a multi-team deal would come into play. The Celtics make the most sense, since they have the No. 5 pick. But various reports had Boston pulling out of a potential four-team swap also involving the Pacers because the Celtics weren’t pleased with what they’d get out of it. If they’re sending the No. 5 pick and Al Jefferson to the T-Wolves, the Celtics should get more than Jermaine O’Neal in return.
3) If a third or even fourth team is going to be needed to send Garnett to the Lakers, Jerry Buss and Glen Taylor will find that team. The involvement of the owners proves how serious both team are about appeasing their disgruntled superstars.