It's Always Fun to Speculate on Trades

There is some rampant trade speculation going on over on the Hornet's Report Boards about trying to trade for Kobe Bryant. I'm not sure I really want Bryant on the team, and I believe the trade would never happen for a variety of reasons, but I'll give it my best to come up with a pair of plausible trade scenario that didn't require a third team to complete.

Things to consider:

• Kobe has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he'd have waive the clause before he could come to New Orleans. And he wouldn't want to come unless he thought we would win.
• In the NBA, players being traded for one another have to have salaries within 15% of one another. Kobe makes about $19 million so we'd have to give the Lakers players with combined salaries between $17,000,000 and $22,000,000 for this year.
• Since this would mean the Lakers were going into a rebuilding mode, they'd have to get back young talent, or veterans with contracts that are expiring soon. That excludes Peja Stojakovic and probably Morris Peterson from the trade. Both are older veterans with long term deals.

So, here are the best trades I can come up with that won't completely gut the team, making Kobe not want to come to New Orleans. In general, I assume CP3 would have to be here to make Kobe even consider it.

Realistic Scenario:
Chandler(10 Mil) + West(10 Mil) + Pargo (2 Mil) for Kobe Bryant(19 Mil) + Chris Mihm(2 Mil) + Brian Cook(3 Mil)

Lakers lineup: Chandler, West, Odom, Walton, Fisher with Bynum, Brown, Radmonovic, and Pargo off the bench.
Hornets Linup: Armstrong, Mihm, Stojakovic, Bryant, Paul with Cook, Ely, Peterson, Wright and Jackson off the bench.

Verdict: The Lakers would be loaded up front, and could then turn around and trade Odom, West or Bynum somewhere else to pick up a guard and shift Walton to SF. They'd have a very good team, and even losing one of those three would leave them with an incredible front court. The Hornets would end up really thin up front, though with tons of perimeter firepower and a so-so bench. Armstrong would be in the fire. I'm not a huge fan of this, but I think this would be the only way to pry Kobe from the Lakers.

Far Fetched, but Maybe:
Chandler(10 Mil) + Jackson(5 mil) + Julian Wright(2 Mil) + First Round Picks for Kobe Bryant.

Lakers lineup: Chandler, Bynum, Odom, Walton, Fisher with Brown, Mihm, Wright and Jackson off the bench.
Hornets Linup: Armstrong, West, Peja, Bryant, Paul with Ely, Butler , Peterson and Pargo off the bench.

Verdict: Lakers get a possible future peice in Wright and the amazing Mr. Chandler. But they already have a young center in Bynum. The Hornets get a great starting five, but is weak off the bench. West could be swapped out for Chandler, but I don't think he's got the value Chandler does.