Ax, You cannot brand that trade to be a bad one. No way. First off, you gotta take what is one the horizon. Kobe was a future. Heck Layden even passed on Webber to give Houston the notorious contract. A bird in hand is better than two in the bushes. Second, Lakers can offer Kobe about 134 million (Clippers about 84 mill under the current salary cap). Knicks couldn't match it either way. And if Kobe would have taken a cut to play in the Big Apple, then he can still do it. The Nike ad can equate the offer from other club alone. I am just defending the marbury trade here. What u said about NY being Yankee town, I agree. Heck, I'd hope they didn't have salary cap as in Baseball. Imagine we'd have Shaq, Kobe, Marbury/Kidd, Garnett/Oneal/Duncan whatever all playing for one team. I won't give up Marbury/Thomas for Vince-ible Carter. He is too injury prone and he is a one man show. I like the first trade though, but very unlikely.