Former Laker Coach Phil Jackson is about to publish a book entitled "The Last Season: A Team in Search of its Soul," in which he recounts his conflicts with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. In it, we learn Jackson wanted to trade Bryant to the Suns for Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion during the 1999/2000 season (Jackson's first with LA) but was told by the great Jerry West (then the team GM) owner Jerry Buss would never trade Bryant. As recently as this past January, Jackson demanded the team trade Bryant, and in a "tirade," adding: "I won't coach this team next year if he's still here. He won't listen to anyone. I've had it with this kid."

Regarding the feud between Bryant and O'Neal, Jackson writes:

"Bryant was angry about the allowances the Lakers afford Shaq, failing to note the hypocrisy in his accusation. Nobody this year, or in any year I've coached, has received more 'allowances' than Kobe Bryant. At times the pettiness between the two of them can be unbelievably juvenile."

Oh goody....another voice heard from in the never-ending story All My Laker Children.

~Adam

I just heard on Sportscenter that another thing Jackson brings upo is that Bryant complained about the airplane the Lakers provided for Kobe to fly to and from Colorado for his court dates. What was it Kobe? Bag of peanuts too small? Were the seats not have enough leg room? Or was it that the stewardesses complain when you tried to sodomize them?

Regarding the plane issue, according to local radio, Jerry Buss owns three airplanes for corporate use, two less than two years' old and a third, about eight years' old. It was this older plane that he put at Kobe's disposal to travel to & from Eagle. According to the folks on the radio, the other two planes--the newer, more posh ones--are never used to transport players, only corporate business types.

~Adam

For anyone interested, Phil Jackson is being interviwed on WNYC radio right now - 10/24 12:30 pm EST