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Kobe Wants Out of Los Angeles

Fed up with losing team, Bryant says "There's no other alternative."

By Dustin Lushing, Newser Staff

Posted May 30, 2007 3:42 PM CDT

(Newser) – Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, on a tear ever since the team was knocked out of the playoffs, finally lost it on a New York radio show today and declared that he wants to be traded. The 28-year old shooting guard is frustrated with the team—which has not won a playoff series since Shaquille O'Neal was traded in 2004—and livid at suggestions that he was responsible for the Shaq trade.

Bryant has four years and $88.6 million left on his contract. The Lakers head office has yet to decide what they will do with Kobe's declaration, and any team he is traded to will absorb a $13 million "trade kicker"—much like a signing bonus. Asked where he wanted to play, Kobe said, "At this point I'll go play on Pluto."

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Kobe Wants Out of Los Angeles