Soundbytes from the Los Angeles Lakers' Season (that hasn't even started) On the Brink

Jerry Buss, Los Angeles Lakers owner on the possibility of trading Kobe Bryant:
"I would certainly listen. At any time, I think you have to do that with anybody. It's just part of the game, to listen to somebody who has a dissatisfied player that you think is going to fit. You can't keep too many loyalties. You've got to look at it as a business. He looks at it the same way I look at it."

Shaquille O'Neal upon learning of LA Lakers owner Jerry Buss' statement about trading Kobe Bryant
"I guess it's business before loyalty. But, wow. He said that?"

Kevin Garnett on comparing the Lakers' situation to that of his former team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, who weren't able to provide him with sufficient help.
"I knew I didn't want to deal with that. I didn't want to duplicate that. I didn't want to mimic that."

LA Lakers coach Phil Jackson on the whole mess:
"If we don't win and we don't play well, everything's not going to get better and it won't be if people can't get their hearts to what they have to do here."