A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out. C : ESPN the Magazine . Henry Abbott presents the argument that Kobe Bryant — his contract, his demeanor, his relationship to other top stars, etc. — is the primary reason the Los Angeles Lakers have become awful, are likely to be awful again this season and might continue to be awful until after he's retired. My general, broad-strokes takeaways: • The efficiency/effectiveness/demeanor claims aren't necessarily anything new, and we're certainly no closer to folks on either side of those debates capitulating today than we were yesterday; • There are other points that can be raised as, if not mitigating factors, then at least factors worth considering in the Lakers' decline; • There sure seem to be a lot of Lakers-related folks and agents willing to slam Kobe under cover of anonymity! PF : NBA.com . In addition to the standard dynamite grab-bag of news and notes, David Aldridge's Monday Morning Tip features something I thought about quite a bit...