POLL What team will Kobe Bryant be playing for at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season? Bulls Mavericks Lakers Knicks Suns Other  View Results

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4. MAVS -- Mark Cuban has made no secret that he'd be interested in acquiring Bryant, and he certainly wouldn't be afraid of paying that enormous salary. Sources say every player on the Dallas roster other than Dirk Nowitzki is available. But the Lakers aren't likely to do a deal without getting back Dirk, and they would be almost as leery about trading Kobe to this Western Conference power as they would be to sending him to Phoenix.

3. KNICKS -- New York is said to be one of the preferred destinations for Bryant, who no doubt would love the big stage (and endorsement potential) of Gotham. The Knicks have Stephon Marbury, Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph and David Lee, but it's unlikely the Lakers would want enough of them to make a deal. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak would probably want some draft picks and financial flexibility (if he's not going to get an All-Star), and New York can't offer much in the way of those assets.

2. CELTICS -- An intriguing newcomer to the Kobe Sweepstakes, the Celtics could offer Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and some other spare parts. Pierce is an All-Star, and he's from the L.A. area. From Boston's standpoint it makes sense, assuming it wouldn't mind adding another gargantuan salary to that of Kevin Garnett's. Bryant could replace Pierce's scoring while providing a better perimeter defender to go with Ray Allen. However, the Lakers would probably need more than just Rondo in return -- even with Pierce as the main chip.

1. BULLS -- If any team could get a deal done now, most NBA types seem to agree it's the Bulls. Chicago could offer a combination of Luol Deng or Ben Gordon, along with a rising stud such as Tyrus Thomas, Joakim Noah or Thabo Sefalosha, plus a future first-round pick in '08 or '09. Plus, the Bulls are in the East and Kobe has listed them as one of the teams he would like to play for. But Chicago might have concerns about Bryant's huge contract. Also, would GM John Paxson be willing to break up his promising young core and the continuity his team has developed over the past three seasons?