[Morpheus1]

Kobe is argueably the best all-around player in the NBA. Kobe makes every player on his team better, while at the same time dominating himself. Gary Payton could never fill his role on the team. You could ask any owner/coach in the NBA, if they had Kobe on thier team they would never trade him away for Karl and/or Payton because he is much more valuable. If Kobe doesn't play, that's what the Lakers did, trade Kobe for two older less talented players who don't even completly understand the triangle offence yet.

If Kobe doesn't play, they lost half the reason they made it to the western conference championship last year. Karl and GP are good players, but thier best years are behind them while Kobe seems to get better and better with each season. You could even put Shaq in the same category as Karl and GP, he's not young either, and he has been on a spiral down. (You may not think it can happen to Shaq, but a awful end to a great carreer happend to all the best centers in history[few exceptions])

If you want to admit it or not, Kobe is a huge factor next year, not some replaceable element. Without Kobe (in my opinion) they don't have a realistic chance at beating the Mavs, Kings, or Spurs in a 7 game series.