Ed Condron

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said he was shocked after his longtime teammate Derek Fisher was shipped to the Houston Rockets before the trade deadline, the basketball superstar reported.

Bryant, who won five NBA championships with Fisher over 13 seasons, was a bit dismayed when asked about the trade deadline deal that sent his backcourt buddy and the Lakers first-round pick to the Rockets in exchange for forward Jordan Hill.

"Very difficult," Bryant told ESPN. "I'm not used to it because I've been with him my entire career, aside from that little stint that he had away from us. So, it's very different for me. It's pretty weird."

Notoriously known for berating the Lakers management when things get awry on the court, the 33-year-old All-Star seemed more composed in answering question related to the trade.

The Lakers star admitted he reached out with Fisher several times since Thursday's trade deadline, reminiscing about the struggles and success they have shared together with the Lakers.

However, Bryant got a little irritated when asked if the Lakers management consulted about the trade.

"Don't start no (expletive)" Bryant said Thursday. "I'm not even going to answer it. Everybody would be too shocked."

Still, the former NBA MVP believed the Lakers have improved significantly with the addition of Ramon Sessions, who was acquired along with Christian Eyenga for a protected first round pick in 2012 NBA Draft, Jason Kapono and Luke Walton.

"Extremely fast, extremely crafty and just in the conversations that I had with him out on the floor about execution and things like that, he seems to have a really high basketball IQ," Bryant told ESPN.

Sessions made an impressive debut with the Lakers, scoring 7 points and dishing out five dimes in a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

 

Kobe Shocked After Fisher Trade