If you remove Kobe Bryant from the present day Lakers, they are still a very solid team capable of making some noise in the playoffs. Ultimately, they would probably fall short of a championship. If Dwyane Wade were removed from the Miami Heat, they might be contending with the New Jersey Nets in chasing the ’73 Philadelphia 76ers for the dubious honor of “The Worst NBA Team Ever Assembled.” Due to that, it should be obvious by now who is more valuable to their team.
The fact that Dwyane Wade is more valuable to the Miami Heat than Kobe Bryant is to the Los Angeles Lakers isn’t a slight to Kobe in the slightest. In fact, it’s a testament to the vision and patience that the Lakers have had under Mitch Kupchak. He inherited a flawed juggernaut, dissembled it, and from it reassembled a new, more coherent juggernaut. Kupchak has assembled a team that will allow Kobe Bryant to contend for the rest of his career. Does that mean he isn’t as “valuable” to the Lakers as he once was? Of course. But that that also means that the Lakers have a much better team, one which will contend for a title for years to come. And in the end, I think it’s obvious which of the two options that Lakers Nation prefers.
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