Kobe Bryant will play against the team who he wants to join tonight, when the Bulls meet the Lakers at the Staples Center.

However, according to Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Times, General Manager John Paxson is now reportedly focusing on lower-key players like Memphis' Pau Gasol in deals that won't make headlines for a week.

Paxson did talk to the Lakers about Bryant, but, according o Heisler, those talks were just exploratory and quickly spiraled out of control.

Happy with his uncomplicated, up-and-coming young team, Paxson just wanted to know if the Lakers were holding a fire sale like Minnesota's for Kevin Garnett.