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Originally Posted by LRB
I'd say that the whole team including Stack feeds off of Dirk more, but Stack provides a very important and key piece to this team as well. But if you want to see a preview of Stack with Kobe, just look at Stack with MJ in Washinton. Dirk is the foundation of this team. He sets the example. Stack provides a fiery and passionate emotional boost. Both have made great strides in developing a well balanced and team focused game. Both are inspirations, and both are made better by the other.
I just don't see this same level of feeding off each other with a cancerous egomaniac like Kobe. And I don't think that Avery has the skills of a Phil Jackson to handle outlandish personalities. Avery doesn't have the skins on the wall to command Kobe's respect the way Phil does.
The Lakers won because of having 2 of the best players in the league, in spite of Kobe's and Shaq's ego battles, not because of them. Kobe has yet to learn how to channel his ego for the team game the way Jordan did during the Bulls title run.
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I agree with most everything you said here. I still think, though, that Stack is mature enough at this stage of his career to accept the role given him and thrive in it. To wit, I can't imagine him being traded to LA next year (or signing as a free agent or whatever) and causing some problem with Kobe. These days Stack is like a mercenary, a paid gun. And he's proving to be very, very good at that role.
In short, I believe that Dirk needs Stack a whole hell of a lot more than Stack needs Dirk (if either needs each other at all).