Kobe "home discount is crap"

[True Lakers Fan]

You know how I feel about James, but despite all of his (my perception) shortcomings, he has always been charitable.

I still believe part if his motivation was to help the kids and bring awareness to their cause.

Would he have done it for free to JUST help them? No way.

BIG FREAKIN DEAL - SO HAS EVERY OTHER PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. They don't give to the charities in their local communities because they give a rats ass about the homeless and poor. They do it for the public relations and tax write offs and because it's expected of them. What do you expect? You honestly think they are going to stand up and admit they don't care about anyone else but themselves? They don't but they won't ever admit it my friend

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Trojan can you please explain to me how Kobes contract made it so we couldnt go after Carmelo (like we ever had a chance at Lebron), or any other free agents this offseason? Cause some guys still believe that and im just like where are they getting this from? I honestly dont get it. Do they know something i dont?

It's not that Kobe's contract stopped the Lakers from going after Carmelo or Lebron by himself. It's the fact that both Carmelo and Lebron knew damned well that once they signed with the Lakers, there wouldn't be enough money under the cap to get other players to finish that championship team and it would be atleast several years before that would happen and neither player wanted to wait. Had Kobe waited to sign in the summer or taken less money, it would have been easily seen that the Lakers had money to sign some good players like Miami did four years ago, so what I'm saying is this

Kobe took the money knowing their would be issues so I really am not interested in his excuses.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

BIG FREAKIN DEAL - SO HAS EVERY OTHER PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. They don't give to the charities in their local communities because they give a rats ass about the homeless and poor. They do it for the public relations and tax write offs and because it's expected of them. What do you expect? You honestly think they are going to stand up and admit they don't care about anyone else but themselves? They don't but they won't ever admit it my friend

Sorry. As much as I'd like a reason to bash James, I've seen him do a few very decent things to raise extra money for Heat charities for no reason other then just being able to.

No cameras around. No reporters around. Never a word of it leaked out or reported by anyone.

 

[Inimical]

It's not that Kobe's contract stopped the Lakers from going after Carmelo or Lebron by himself. It's the fact that both Carmelo and Lebron knew damned well that once they signed with the Lakers, there wouldn't be enough money under the cap to get other players to finish that championship team and it would be atleast several years before that would happen and neither player wanted to wait. Had Kobe waited to sign in the summer or taken less money, it would have been easily seen that the Lakers had money to sign some good players like Miami did four years ago, so what I'm saying is this

Kobe took the money knowing their would be issues so I really am not interested in his excuses.

Doesnt make any sense. We can dismiss Lebron completely he was never going to sign with the Lakers. And according to your argument Carmelo wanted to sign with that invaluable Knick squad as they are smashing the League this year. If we are looking to next year, i already outlined it, so i really dont get what you are arguing.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Sorry. As much as I'd like a reason to bash James, I've seen him do a few very decent things to raise extra money for Heat charities for no reason other then just being able to.

No cameras around. No reporters around. Never a word of it leaked out or reported by anyone.

I acknowledge that and what I am saying is SO WHAT. So do the others. Point of clarification though: I have not been bashing the guy for leaving Miami. That was his mistake to make and trust me, I think he made a huge one. I was just discussing this with other hardcore Lakers fans in my church and we all believe he flat out was stupid to leave. Again, however that was his choice and there are things in life more important than money or championships. I also want to clarify that I never bashed Lebron for leaving Cleveland to begin with although I did point out that I thought he left the wrong way. Again, however that too was his choice.

But seriously dude, they all do charity work when the cameras aren't around and leaving Miami is no reason to bash Lebron either. People in here are bashing Lebron because it's fun and they see that it gets the Lebron Lovers excited and worked up. If no responded to them - all of those threads would quickly disappear

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Doesnt make any sense. We can dismiss Lebron completely he was never going to sign with the Lakers. And according to your argument Carmelo wanted to sign with that invaluable Knick squad as they are smashing the League this year. If we are looking to next year, i already outlined it, so i really dont get what you are arguing.

It makes perfect sense, but first I agree that Lebron wasn't coming to Los Angeles and I am not sure Carmelo ever gave it a thought other than listening to the pitch just to get a max contract. The Lakers had enough to sign two players at 15 million each, but then would have had to sign scrubs the rest of the way. Quality players looking for a truck stop capable of winning championships knew the Lakers was not the place this year and moved on. It does no good to sign two or three super-stars and have nothing to go with them

Have you ever heard the expression: being the best from one to twelve? That means you have 12 good players that could help win a championship. The Lakers would have had three at the best if Gasol had stayed.

 

[Inimical]

It makes perfect sense, but first I agree that Lebron wasn't coming to Los Angeles and I am not sure Carmelo ever gave it a thought other than listening to the pitch just to get a max contract. The Lakers had enough to sign two players at 15 million each, but then would have had to sign scrubs the rest of the way. Quality players looking for a truck stop capable of winning championships knew the Lakers was not the place this year and moved on. It does no good to sign two or three super-stars and have nothing to go with them

Have you ever heard the expression: being the best from one to twelve? That means you have 12 good players that could help win a championship. The Lakers would have had three at the best if Gasol had stayed.

Are you taking next year into account at all when you say this? I find it hard to believe that anybody no matter what Kobe was making, or who they signed, would have seen this as a team capable of winning a title from last years pool. I dont see any free agents and what they actually signed for that would have left us much room to be a title contender, let alone taking into account the climate of the west. If we take all these factors and add them all up, including the past debacles, the future increase in salary cap, the hit and misses, the future free agents, the Lakers and Kobe are right where they need to be. This one year of futility really is testing many Laker fans, and that i can agree would make me chuckle at us as well. Outside looking in im sure many people are slyly smiling. And they should be.

 

[trojanfight]

If you guys want to believe that 8 or so mil would have swayed Melo from NY, the place he forced his way to, or LBJ from his home state, then that's your opinion. I will wait and see what the future holds.

maybe not. but if some of these free agents say oh kobe took less so instead of Jeremy lin they have kyle lowry. and trevor ariza.

 

[trojanfight]

marc Cuban said it best...can you still win championships with that kind of salary. his answer : sure if you can convince players to come to LA for minimum. looking at that situation they have dirk making somewhere around 10 million. that allowed room to bring in players like montae ellis, parsons, etc.

 

[ArlingtonCowboys100]

Kobe is only in it for the money.

I agree.

 

[starbigd]

Hey I give credit to Kobe in this instance. NO player should have to give a discount to a billionaire owner.

The OWNERS wanted the cap, so they could get out of paying players......nobody limits or cares what they make, so why do the players give up money?

In the 80s, the players took home about 60% of basketball revenues......now their down to 50% and the owners want even more. They are losing out. Kobe is ABSOLUTELY RIGHT......hire a good GM, don't overpay for talent, hire a quality coach to coach em up.....but the players don't owe the city, team, or owner money. Get what you can get while you can get it.

Ain't NOBODY here volunteering to take a pay cut.....and neither should athletes.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

marc Cuban said it best...can you still win championships with that kind of salary. his answer : sure if you can convince players to come to LA for minimum. looking at that situation they have dirk making somewhere around 10 million. that allowed room to bring in players like montae ellis, parsons, etc.

Dallas had no chance at getting LBJ and Melo so they had to make those deals. Lakers went for them and had to wait for them to take their sweet time. Dirk is also playing about 10 minutes less per game than Kobe, how many guys in their 19th season can consistently put up 35 mins per game? As I said before, the Lakers are worth far more than the Mavs, Dirk taking a paycut is far more significant for the Mavs than Kobe taking a paycut is for the Lakers. That's probably why ownership felt that it didn't matter.

 

[LogicMan]

Athletes on many teams take discounts, for a variety of reasons . There is nothing wrong with that either. It depends what your priorities are. For Dirk and Duncan, they wanted a chance for glory again. Brady did the same thing as did Lebron who he went to Miami.

The key here is whether you go for the money, or go for more titles, don't complain later that you wish you had better players around you or vice versa you wish you could make more money.

If Duncan and Dirk now started saying they wish they could make more money, they would be hypocrites

 

[Malibu]

he talks about how home discount is crap and why should us players give them a break. hey kobe its not about giving the owners a break its about helping your team and city. thats why lakers suck because u dont give a crap about winning any more. players like u and melo will lose because you suck all the money u can. Time to shut up kobe. your sound pathetic.

Rose has been collecting a lot of $$$$$$$ considering the guy doesn't play to often. Just saying.

 

[trojanfan12]

Athletes on many teams take discounts, for a variety of reasons . There is nothing wrong with that either. It depends what your priorities are. For Dirk and Duncan, they wanted a chance for glory again. Brady did the same thing as did Lebron who he went to Miami.

The key here is whether you go for the money, or go for more titles, don't complain later that you wish you had better players around you or vice versa you wish you could make more money.

If Duncan and Dirk now started saying they wish they could make more money, they would be hypocrites

All true, however, the question isn't whether or not players take pay cuts, the question is, why should they be asked/forced to?

It's certainly admirable that Timmy, Dirk and even the big 3 when they were playing together in Miami all took paycuts to make their situations work? But again, why should they have to. It doesn't make any sense from a business perspective.

As starbigd points, no one is putting a cap on what the owners make, so why put a cap on what the players make?

When owners look out for themselves and try to maximize their profits it's called "good business". When players do it, it's called "selfish".

 

[Malibu]

Realistically who was going to L.A. even if Kobe took less $$$$?

 

[DJ Fieri]

Realistically who was going to L.A. even if Kobe took less $$$$?

Isaiah Thomas is on record stating he wanted to go to Los Angeles.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Isaiah Thomas is on record stating he wanted to go to Los Angeles.

It's a mute point because Kobe took the money and never thought about how difficult it would be for the team to attract decent players. He didn't think about it and neither did the Lakers front office because none of them cared about winning.

One thing though - Kobe was also coming off an injury that has ended a few careers and at his age the only ones that believed he could come back just as good are us more intelligent life forms known as hard core Lakers fans. None of the others were smart enough to believe it was even possible. Had they known Kobe would be just as good, that might have been slightly different

 

[starbigd]

All true, however, the question isn't whether or not players take pay cuts, the question is, why should they be asked/forced to?

It's certainly admirable that Timmy, Dirk and even the big 3 when they were playing together in Miami all took paycuts to make their situations work? But again, why should they have to. It doesn't make any sense from a business perspective.

As starbigd points, no one is putting a cap on what the owners make, so why put a cap on what the players make?

When owners look out for themselves and try to maximize their profits it's called "good business". When players do it, it's called "selfish".

Exactly. NO OWNERS are taking pay cuts......its always the players, even though they make the least. Same in corporate america......pay off the executives, who made the bad decisions, then ask the employees or union to take pay cuts, while they still get their multimillion bonuses.

Owners want to build better teams with top end players? Pony up the cash, and get rid of the hard cap. That's on THEM, not the players.

You'll NEVER hear me say a player or employee should take LESS money from anybody

 

[logic]

Exactly. NO OWNERS are taking pay cuts......its always the players, even though they make the least. Same in corporate america......pay off the executives, who made the bad decisions, then ask the employees or union to take pay cuts, while they still get their multimillion bonuses.

Owners want to build better teams with top end players? Pony up the cash, and get rid of the hard cap. That's on THEM, not the players.

You'll NEVER hear me say a player or employee should take LESS money from anybody

Removing the cap would make it so we just got the same few teams who spend the most as the champions every time. There would be even less parity in the league than there is now. Do you really just want playoffs determined by who can afford to spend the most?

Do players deserve a bigger cut. Not sure, it's not like they are really hurting. Owners may make more, but they take more risk; if the team loses money they lose money, the players still get paid. It's up to the players union to negotiate their share in the CBA.