Kobe vs. New Shaq?

When L.A. drafted Andrew Bynum to be the next Shaq (or something close to it), presumably they weren’t thinking that process would include a feud with Kobe Bryant. But you’ve heard about the “Kobe Bryant Video” footage by now. Andrew Bynum was working out at the Los Angeles Lakers practice facility when Kobe Bryant met with Los Angeles Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak in the same building the other day, and according to the L.A. Times, Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum never spoke. We don’t want to read too much into that; maybe they never ran into each other or maybe they didn’t know each other was in the building, but the whole “ship him out” thing makes a Kobe Bryant/Andrew Bynum rift very conceivable …

Hold up: the Kevin Garnett-to-Boston deal might not have been killed by KG after all. It had been reported that KG said he’d opt out in ‘08 if he was traded to the Celtics, but the Boston Herald quotes an anonymous Celtics source who says, “I’m willing to bet [KG’s agent] hasn’t even talked to (Garnett) and that he’s just trying to posture something so it doesn’t happen. In fact, I’m pretty sure of it. So I don’t put much stock in what he said.” …

The Herald also said the Mavericks could enter the Garnett sweepstakes sometime soon …

The East Valley Tribune says the Wolves don’t want Shawn Marion and Matrix doesn’t want the Celtics, so any KG-to-Phoenix deal might have to involve Amare Stoudemire. While some reports say the Suns have decided they’re not giving up Amare, Steve Kerr told the Tribune, “It would take an awful lot for [trading Amare] to happen.” So he’s not untouchable, basically …

Don’t be shocked if the Suns trade up into the Lottery or even the Top 10. Joakim Noah said he has a workout with Phoenix — picking 24th in the first round right now — scheduled for this week. Then again, Joakim could have just meant he had a workout in Phoenix, which is believed to be the site of a mulit-team workout for some of the Green Room-types. Noah, Corey Brewer and Yi Jianlian were spotted at some of the Suns’ playoff games, if that means anything … Noah to the Philadelphia Daily News about mock drafts: “I heard one of them is like a kid who is 16 years old in his basement.” …

We’ve heard Andrei Kirilenko’s name in a few trade rumors, but the Jazz insist they’re not shopping AK-47. “We’re not trying to trade Andrei,” Utah senior VP Kevin O’Connor told the Deseret Morning News. “I am not trying to trade Andrei Kirilenko, so you can put that in print.” …

Oh yeah, and Troy Hudson wants out of Minnesota …

Nate McMillan to the Oregonian on Kevin Durant’s Portland workout: “This guy can play. I mean he can flat-out play. The game seems to come so easy to him. Sometimes God creates you to do certain things, and he was put here to play basketball.” …

Meanwhile, Greg Oden met with the Sonics but didn’t work out. (Why would he? The Sonics are just going to pick whoever the Blazers don’t pick, so anything beyond a meet-and-greet is unnecessary.) Seattle Times columnist Jerry Brewer wrote, “Oden has the charisma of Shaquille O’Neal, the candor of David Robinson and the practicality of Tim Duncan.” That’s cool for interviews, but if Oden can be a mix of those three on the court, the League has a problem on its hands for the next 15 years …

Love this quote from Oden: “My competitiveness is about winning. All that other stuff doesn’t matter. You can cut me in line, I don’t care. I’m still going to get my food.” …

One of the reasons Texas wasn’t expected to fall off next season without Kevin Durant is incoming freshman forward Gary Johnson, who we’ve come to know and like after covering him at last summer’s Elite 24 showcase and the ‘07 Jordan Brand All-American Classic. Unfortunately, Gary’s career might now be in jeopardy after a routine physical revealed a heart condition, according to FOXSports.com. More tests have to be run, so hopefully everything works out for Gary; the kid leaves it all on the court and is the kind of guy who takes exhibition games as seriously as playoff games. He put up 26 points and 13 boards a night at Aldine H.S. and could start right away for the Longhorns if he’s cleared to play …

The Sonics’ coaching candidates have reportedly come down to P.J. Carlesimo, Scott Brooks and Dwayne Casey, but the team might wait until after the draft to hire a coach, says the Tacoma News-Tribune. That’s a smart move. Depending on who the Sonics get with the No. 2 pick, it will determine where they should go with the coaching hire. If the Blazers take Kevin Durant and Seattle gets Oden, they can build Oden like the next Duncan and hire Spurs assistant Carlesimo to make that happen. If they end up with Kevin Durant, hire a coach who’s going to play more of an up-tempo system that caters to KD’s talent …

We’re out like harmony in L.A.

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