Why Kobe Bryant Wanted Jeff Teague in 2014

Kobe Bryant is known to be an individual that takes on the mantra of needing to win at all costs throughout his storied NBA career. Resulting from pursuit of championship glory, most of the time, was an over-eagerness to control the Los Angeles Lakers roster. Again, it was the backcourt of the roster that was the sore spot, the one area where most of the more public examples occurred, and one, in particular, is being pursued more actively today.

Setting the Stage: Lakers in Flux (2014)

By 2014, Kobe Bryant was most definitely in the twilight of his career. The Lakers, coming off two straight underperforming seasons, were scrambling and trying to find pieces that could surround their aging superstar. Their championship window seemed to be closing rapidly.

The Point Guard the Black Mamba Coveted: Enter Jeff Teague

Sensing the need to have a more dynamic point guard manning the position, Kobe, reportedly, continued to lobby the Lakers’ front office to be more aggressive with the team’s pursuit of then another rising star with the Atlanta Hawks, Jeff Teague. A young player who employed speed to his advantage in running the point, Teague seemed to play the right tune beside Kobe’s scoring wizardry.

Though days could have been way too bright to say no to playing with Kobe Bryan, Teague turned down the Lakers. The reasons were not well outlined probably due to contractual issues, but the 28 year-old hinted at other reasons such as the suffocating tax burdens in Los Angeles. They were suddenly searching for available starting point guards.

In comes Jeremy Lin: An Offensive Genius

It ended up being Jeremy Lin, a player whose “Linsanity” era with the New York Knicks had captured the imagination of the entire NBA just a few years prior. But since then, Lin’s performance had declined, and his set of skills was not necessarily the best fit for Kobe’s playing style.

Kobe’s Regret Over the Lin Pairing

According to Teague, when he and Kobe met up in their next game, he was mad about the way that it ended. In fact, Teague confirmed Kobe said to him, “You left me with this sh*t?” in reference to Jeremy Lin. Pretty small story, but it apparently shows Kobe’s frustration at not being teammates with Teague.

Did the Lin Experiment Work? Taking a Look at their Short-Lived Partnership

Kobe and Lin’s on-court chemistry was never fully realized. The Lakers finished the 2014-15 season with a miserable 21-61 record, missing the playoffs for the third year in a row. Lin only stayed in Los Angeles for one year before joining the Charlotte Hornets.

The episode additionally depicted the influence of Kobe Bryant on the front office decisions of the Lakers. While a basketball genius, sometimes the heat of his competitiveness overcame him, which reflected in his judgment about the very construction of the team. He could have been so convincing and brought in a player in a style that is closest to his type than one which really would have helped fit the needs of the team.

Was Kobe Unfair to Lin? Evaluating the Fit

It’s important to recognize that Lin was a good player in his own right, just one who needed to be in the right situation to thrive. But, his skillset, particularly on the defensive end, wasn’t necessarily what Kobe needed in the twilight of his career.

This episode also brings to the fore Kobe’s influence on front office decisions of the Lakers. While nobody could dispute his basketball IQ, his competitive fire blinded him on occasions probably to see what a lucid and dispassionate view would have been about team building.

Conclusion: A Missed Opportunity or a Case of Different Needs?

It remained a hypothetical whether Teague’s presence would have helped the Lakers during their return to contention. Finally, the story highlighted this many issues—to construct a winning team and walk the tight balance between the influence of a superstar and the needs of a team.

This has been learned as a moral of what would have happened if these talented individuals had worked together perfectly, making the Lakers championship contenders. Of course, the arrival of Teague would have been nothing more than speculation. However, the story underlines the details behind building a winning team.

Not only to get talented players, but to find players that are able to play, integrating with one another in a way where they bring out each other’s strengths. Finding that right balance between the influence of a superstar and the general needs of a team is a question NBA franchises have to deal with daily.