Kobe & Lakers Agree To Extension

[OutlawImmortal]

If Dr Buss was coming off of a season like last year and didn't have Kobe, you better believe he would have signed Shaq, don't get it too twisted now.

 

[Jims_Doors]

A 35yr old Shaq coming off a major injury? No chance Doc would have done that.

He's a smart man who would have chose business over someone's feelings. Building a contender was ALWAYS the main concern. He didn't get the Lakers where they are by being dumb.

You clear all that cap space and fucked it up by by throwing 48.5 mil at a 35yr old injury riddled player.

No way to spin that.


Also...with the best draft prospects in the last 15yrs this coming draft is another reason he either would have waited or not re-signed Kobe at all.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

I had read a post referring to the time when Shaq wanted 30 mil, I'm saying that if Buss didn't have Kobe he probably would have done it. He told Shaq to screw himself because he had a young Kobe in the wings waiting to win a couple more titles.

The Lakers have plenty of money, remind me how much the franchise is worth? They can afford to pay Kobe his due in my opinion.

 

[LAKERSUSCBAM]

Yup they're a bunch of morons running the team....they have jr. accountants finagling their finances.....don't rake in any $ in concessions during games(their streak of 300+ sellouts ended last week)....have a hefty cache of dough from TWC contract....and get about $60M from the league for just opening their doors at Staples through ad revenues league negotiates.....giving Kobe an aging/injured baller $48M is a high risk/reward....whether they do or don't land multiple superstars I'm betting they have a plan and are prepared to eat up this contract if Kobe is done for good, retires earlier than two years, etc.

I can't imagine they'd be as clueless as some of you posters are making the family/Mitch out to be....between now and next season ANYTHING can happen including this years' team surprising the league, players resigning due to their performances, possibly letting BOTH Nash($8M) and Pau($19M) walk.

All of it is speculation so let's wait and see what unfolds before casting stones....

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

It is not a horrible deal.

That is about the going rate for an All NBA player.

If Kobe makes 1st or 2nd team all NBA, that is a fairly reasonable price.

It is only 2 years.

I can see Kobe playing at elite level for 2 more years.

if this was a 5 or 6 year deal.......

 

[LAKERSUSCBAM]

My only issue with Kobe taking that money is that it hand cuffs the Lakers. I guess he gave up on that other ring or maybe is that arrogant.

How do you know that the Lakers didn't offer him that $ and he said "where do I sign"?

Nope, he's not coming back for the points record but only to win another title. Arrogant? If he can back up his play, help team to playoffs and beyond, got no problem whatsoever with the contract.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Regardless who the player was, I highly doubt Doc would have paid 48.5mil over 2yrs for a 35yr old coming off major injury that "he hasn't even seen play yet since the injury"


under the new CBA you keep going over the cap yearly and the penalty gets doubled, then tripled etc.......LA has no problem continuing to pay 100mil + penalty's for going over the cap?

 

[LAKERSUSCBAM]

I just cant stop laughing at these moves. With this, the Nash move, and the Howard bungle they have completely loss control of a plan. 8 draft picks given away, a payroll of vets over 35 who cost them over $40M next few years.......just those two, not including Gasol.

this is exactly why Howard left. There is no logic in that org

cause we all know the Celtics "logic" is to rebuild through the draft which has resulted in what exactly since '86?? 1 friggin title Logic....for all the SportsHoopla about the "Big 3" racking them up all they got to show was 1 title....and for good measures, the storied franchise has won 4 in 33 years. Some of you Celtics fans weren't even born until the '90's so all you got to see is one banner hoisted, period.

I'll take the Lakers blueprint over the Celtics any day of the week or over last 30 years, ha.

 

[Kold]

I had read a post referring to the time when Shaq wanted 30 mil, I'm saying that if Buss didn't have Kobe he probably would have done it. He told Shaq to screw himself because he had a young Kobe in the wings waiting to win a couple more titles.

The Lakers have plenty of money, remind me how much the franchise is worth? They can afford to pay Kobe his due in my opinion.

Just to clarify, i'm in agreeance with everyone when we say that Buss would of KEPT Kobe in this situation, I just do not think it would of been for 48 mil over 2 years. As for the money, sure they can pay Kobe, and it'd be all good if this were under the old salary cap...but unless you're Prokolov, you gotta watch what kind of contracts you hand out in this new cba.

 

[LAKERSUSCBAM]

Regardless who the player was, I highly doubt Doc would have paid 48.5mil over 2yrs for a 35yr old coming off major injury that "he hasn't even seen play yet since the injury"

and you know this how?? were you in Doc's will? Did you know him intimately? How the fuck would you know what he would have done? It's your pure dislike/hate towards Kobe/Lakers that drives you to make that hollow insinuation.

under the new CBA you keep going over the cap yearly and the penalty gets doubled, then tripled etc.......LA has no problem continuing to pay 100mil + penalty's for going over the cap?

and they'll STILL be in much better shape than your sorry azz Knicks

 

[Kold]

I think my disconnect(right or wrong), is seeing this bigger deal for 2 years and knowing that our chance to rebuild was coming in those exact free agent classes. NOW, there is still the possibilty of getting ONE of those free agents so this is yet to be determined...but I really liked our chances when we had the cash to chase TWO of these guys, whether it be Melo and Love or whoever. Again I will say that this is yet to be determined

 

[Jims_Doors]

Bam.....I know it's normal for fans to want to cling onto their favorite player, but you're refusing or simply do not want to look at the big picture.

If you're a true Laker fan like you say (not doubting this) then you would see that this deal was pretty ludicrous for a team who cleared cap space and then sign a deal like this.

If there was no injury involved, then I wouldn't be nearly as critical.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Are FA really going to be attracted to sign knowing that Kobe wants to do nothing more than add to his historic stats over the next 2yrs....(barring any setback)

 

[LAKERSUSCBAM]

JD: as said earlier, the Buss clan starting with Doc have been and are gamblers. They're going to ensure Kobe is a Laker for life regardless.

Do they know something we don't about their plans for FA's in '14 and '15? Do they think they can possibly draw 1 superstar even if Kobe is still on the team? Are they hamstrung with the CBA/luxury tax in play?

Some of these questions can be answered with either a Y and a N. Surely, they're well aware of $ available after signing him and what they have to work with. Are they willing to get hammered with luxury taxes if they can land a couple of key FA's, let Nash walk, maybe resign Pau on the cheap, retain some of the current players on team? Maybe yes and maybe no.

Bottom line we have no clue as to their strategy. If it's gloom and doom as I've read here because they "overpaid", then ya'll be laughing next couple of years and say "I told you so". If the story has a happy ending for Lakers Nation, then we'll let you hear it. Only time will tell.

 

[tshirt]

Great move by the Lakers. Now they just need to sign Shaq, Magic Johnson and James Worthy. It will be the dream team.

 

[Kold]

Are FA really going to be attracted to sign knowing that Kobe wants to do nothing more than add to his historic stats over the next 2yrs....(barring any setback)

I don't think it's a fact of playing with Kobe, it's imo a fact of how much they think he has left in the tank. The reason why I say I loved chasing 2 instead of 1, is this new mindset that has PLAGUED the NBA....which is, who can I team up with? As for other options, Kobe and Melo have a STRONG friendship and I could see that factoring in SOME, but then again there's the Dantoni factor as well. You also can't throw out Love as well. I'd say the biggest thing we got going for us in these situations is that the Lakers situation is better than NY's and Minny's.

 

[bksballer89]

I can't see Melo and Kobe working for 1 reason. They both need the ball in their hands at all time. Melo may go there but I don't think it will be a successful

 

[Kold]

I can't see Melo and Kobe working for 1 reason. They both need the ball in their hands at all time. Melo may go there but I don't think it will be a successful

At this point, IF getting Melo(still a longshot) can attract Kevin Love, then I'd take it no matter the result of next year.

 

[Kold]

Take back that entire post.....I'm still thinking we can go after 2 guys(situation does present itself if we get Melo or Love and go after Durant in 2016). Even trying to get Melo is a longshot, and the chemistry would indeed be a tough thing to figure out. I'll just sit back and watch. It's either Melo, Love, or Durant in 2016. I'm not betting my house on it...but we'll see...

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

Everyone is acting like the Lakers signed a complete bum.

Kobe Bryant was the first team all NBA starting shooting guard in 2013.

Here is what the all-NBA team players make:

1. F Kevin Durant 19.9 - 21.2 mm until 2016 on a deal signed 2 years ago
2. F Lebron James 20 mm until 2014 on a 4 year old deal
3. C Tim Duncan 10.3 mm until 2015 on a 4 year old deal
4. G Kobe Bryant 25 mm until 2016
5. G Chris Paul 20-24 mm until 2018


Kobe's deal is quite normal looking.
The cheaper deals were signed years ago.

Deals that were signed for 21 mm in 2011 are equivalent to 25 mm deals in 2013.
If Lebron were to sign a deal today, it would likely be 5 years 30 mm type money.


The LAKERS paid exactly what a player of his talent is worth on the open market.