Drama starts with Kobe this summer

At this stage of the summer, no one cares much about the NBA lockout. But the league is not absent of drama. With next season threatened, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers is the biggest star among several considering playing overseas.

Bryant is thinking about taking his talents to China or Turkey.

According to Ben Maller of Thepostgame.com, Bryant wants $1 million per month from the Turkish team Besiktas, which reportedly made an initial offer of $500,000 a month.

Seref Yalcin, Besiktas' head of basketball operations, was quoted as saying, "At the moment there's a 50 percent chance that Kobe may come to Turkey. Kobe wants some time to think about it. We believe his response is going to be positive. Money will not be a problem. Turkish Airlines, M-Oil and Milan Petrol will sponsor the deal."

Not to be upstaged, the Miami Heat's LeBron James is planning "The Decision: Part II."

In an exclusive interview with Whoopi Goldberg and Barbara Walters on "The View," James is expected to announce: "I'm taking my talents to Thailand."

■ TEBOW THE 'SHOW PONY' -- The end of the NFL lockout is creating a whirlwind of free-agent moves and trade talks. The Denver Broncos wasted no time in putting quarterback Kyle Orton on the trading block.

Mike Klis of the Denver Post wrote: "Orton has made it clear that after posting the two best seasons of his pro career, throwing 41 touchdown passes against 21 interceptions for the Broncos, he doesn't want to serve as backup to the unproven Tim Tebow. Orton's days as the Broncos' starting QB may be down to hours."

Arizona, Cincinnati, Miami, Minnesota, Seattle, Tennessee and Washington are teams in need of a proven quarterback.

If Orton is shipped out, Broncos coach John Fox is insisting Tebow must beat out Brady Quinn for the top job. But Yahoo! Sports blogger Matthew J. Darnell isn't buying the role is up for grabs.

"If Orton's gone, it's Tebow's show," Darnell said. "Let's not kid ourselves. He's still Brady Quinn, and Tebow is the show pony."

But starting Tebow is risky. The Broncos can only hope the experiment doesn't turn into a donkey show.

■ CALLING AN AUDIBLE -- Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler recently called off his engagement to actress Kristin Cavallari.

Cutler then resorted to teenager-type antics. According to the Chicago Tribune, he changed his Facebook page relationship status to "Single" and posted this message: "Thank you all for the support, but if you talk bad about Kristin I will delete and block you."

Cutler added: "Football is the least of my worries."

Exactly what his Bears coaches and teammates wanted to hear.

■ BEN'S BIG WEDDING -- The event didn't draw the worldwide fanfare of the Royal Wedding, but Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger married Ashley Harlan on Saturday.

More proof Roethlisberger has changed for the better: The private ceremony and immediate honeymoon celebration were held in a church bathroom.

COMPILED BY MATT YOUMANS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL