Just a few days after yawning our way through the NBA Finals and another San Antonio Spurs championship, the offseason’s biggest story has resurfaced. One again, Laker superstar Kobe Bryant has demanded a trade. And this time, it appears to be a decision he’s committed to. Bryant posted his wishes to play elsewhere on his website, KB24.com.

When you love something as much as I love the Lakers its hard to even imagine thinking about being elsewhere. But, the ONE THING I will never sacrifice when it comes to basketball is WINNING.

The more I thought about the future, the more I became convinced that the Lakers and me just have two different visions for the future. The Lakers are pursuing a longer-term plan that is different from what Dr. Buss shared with me at the time I re-signed as a free agent. I have seen that plan unfold for the last three years and watched great trade opportunities come and go, and have seen free agents passed on.

So…now what? Just a couple weeks ago, Bryant made a similar statement that expressed his desire to play for another team but rescinded those demands just hours later. Will this time be any different? We’ve expressed our opinion about Kobe’s gripes: They’re legitimate. What’s changed since May 28? How about failed negotiations with the Indiana Pacers over acquiring Jermaine O’Neal?

One thing that’s a certainty: We’re going to be hearing about this drama for quite a while. What play do the Lakers have left? One minute, they express how much they want Bryant to remain a Laker for life. The next minute, they’re balking at trade offers to acquire proven stars. The Lakers’ failure to commit to anything since trading Shaq has come back to haunt them.