OT: Kobe deal

[NBKLee]

In what universe Is the '13-'14 Kobe Bryant worth $40 mil , then $50 mil the following year?

He has incriminating pictures of Jeannie Buss and Phil Jackson around his crib locked up?


Is there any current player worth that much a year? Lebron would be the easy answer, but the bigger issue is with the CBA currently setup the way it is, the Lakers won't be able to sign agents to big money deals unless they want to live in luxury tax hell. Doesn't seem to be working well in the Bronx.


I just don't understand.

 

[ChuckDurn]

In what universe Is the '13-'14 Kobe Bryant worth $40 mil , then $50 mil the following year?

He has incriminating pictures of Jeannie Buss and Phil Jackson around his crib locked up?


Is there any current player worth that much a year? Lebron would be the easy answer, but the bigger issue is with the CBA currently setup the way it is, the Lakers won't be able to sign agents to big money deals unless they want to live in luxury tax hell. Doesn't seem to be working well in the Bronx.


I just don't understand.

Kobe will make $23.5M in 2014-15, and $25M in 2015-16. The "$50M extension" was actually $48.5M over 2 years.

As a Warriors fan, that delights me. By paying so much to Kobe, the Lakers won't be able to sign a number of good free agents, they will be limited by what the salary cap allows. (Teams can't go over the salary cap to sign free agents, except for using low $ exceptions on mid-level talents.) They've taken themselves completely out of contention until the summer of 2016, unless somehow Kobe goes through a time machine back to 2006.

 

[_so_money_]

Kobe will make $23.5M in 2014-15, and $25M in 2015-16. The "$50M extension" was actually $48.5M over 2 years.

As a Warriors fan, that delights me. By paying so much to Kobe, the Lakers won't be able to sign a number of good free agents, they will be limited by what the salary cap allows. (Teams can't go over the salary cap to sign free agents, except for using low $ exceptions on mid-level talents.) They've taken themselves completely out of contention until the summer of 2016, unless somehow Kobe goes through a time machine back to 2006.

I'm not seeing how they're out of it until 2016. They have Gasol's massive contract coming off the books after this year, plus just about everyone else on the team. And even Kobe's $23M next year is a $7M cut from what they're paying him this year. So they will only have about $35M committed next year, and could maybe even move Nash's $10M as an expiring, or maybe he will pull some kind of medical retirement that frees up that salary. So while they won't be able to sign every big free agent out there, they easily have room for one max-ish contract plus perhaps a bunch left over (if Nash stays on the books it gets more difficult, but he comes off after next year anyway).

 

[NBKLee]

Thanks for the clarification, this is what happens when you get your sports info from the Kid at the corner store

 

[ChuckDurn]

I'm not seeing how they're out of it until 2016. They have Gasol's massive contract coming off the books after this year, plus just about everyone else on the team. And even Kobe's $23M next year is a $7M cut from what they're paying him this year. So they will only have about $35M committed next year, and could maybe even move Nash's $10M as an expiring, or maybe he will pull some kind of medical retirement that frees up that salary. So while they won't be able to sign every big free agent out there, they easily have room for one max-ish contract plus perhaps a bunch left over (if Nash stays on the books it gets more difficult, but he comes off after next year anyway).

so_money, you're right, to some extent. They can afford another max level guy. But a couple of problems with that:
1) Can you name a max-level guy who's going to want to go to LA to play with Kobe? (Granted, that's independent of money, but still......) It's clear that Kobe is going to need to be "the man" from an ego perspective as long as he's in LA.
2) Even if they do convince a max-level guy to go to LA to pair with Kobe, they're going to have very little money to spend on the rest of the team. Between Kobe and a max guy, they're going to be over $40M already in salary (not counting Nash), so they're going to be filling out the roster with "average" players. Keep in mind that when Miami assembled the "Big 3", all of them took sub-max deals starting at around $15M/year. Kobe's making 50% more than that on his own.

The third problem is that (in my opinion) Kobe isn't going to be a max-level performer, or even close, for the next 2 years. He hasn't been particularly efficient offensively, and defensively he's been pretty horrible. That was before he tore his Achilles, and we don't know if or how he'll get back to that level. So if you ask me, the Lakers just paid a non-All-Star performer about $24M/year. Doesn't seem smart to me. Of course, I could end up being very wrong, and maybe Kobe actually improves at age 35 coming off a major lower-body injury, but that seems unlikely.

I'll simply say that I'll be stunned if the Lakers finish in the top-6 in the West prior to the summer of 2016. We'll see.

 

[TobyTyler]

Bryant has always been known as an extremely selfish player so I'm not sure why anyone is surprised by this move.

 

[_so_money_]

Oh yeah, the ego clashing could definitely be a problem. In fact I'm counting on it, it'll be fun to watch. But I still think they will have some wiggle room to bring in players. It's L.A., anyone in the league is going to at the very least think it over if asked. But while bundling superstars into champions has proven harder to pull off than many expected, the temptation will be there to try it.

 

[NBKLee]

Here's the other side of the coin, if you are a FA, or even a current player on the Lakers (Gasol) , would you rather resign there knowing Kobe is getting older and the window is closing, or would you rather go elsewhere where

1) You get paid more

2) Have a better chance of winning


In my opinion, the Lakers are just 1 max contract short of becoming the Knicks West, and that's not a good thing.

 

[NBKLee]

Kobe is injured again, the comedy train rolls on.

How long before Gasol demands a trade?

D.Lee + filler gets it done right?

 

[CitySushi]

Kobe is injured again, the comedy train rolls on.

How long before Gasol demands a trade?

D.Lee + filler gets it done right?

Pretty sure he's been subtly doing this all year. If the Lakers are trading him, they're looking for young talent. DLee, value-wise, would be comparable but if the Lakers part with Gasol its going to be centered around young up and coming talent.

 

[CohanHater]

The problem is, Brooklyn fell on their face. If they managed to be a top teir team this year, they could snag some aging vets and make a push, but that experiment failed in LA once before (Payton Malone) and now again in Brooklyn. They're essentially paying Kobe now, so they won't have to in 2 years when all of the salary is off the books. They can go after Love and Westbrook then and have Kobe be the #3 guy if they bring him back

 

[_so_money_]

Supposedly, the Lakers have pulled Gasol off the trade block. That doesn't mean he can never be traded of course, but they might not be fielding offers.

 

[ChuckDurn]

Supposedly, the Lakers have pulled Gasol off the trade block. That doesn't mean he can never be traded of course, but they might not be fielding offers.

It's subtle, but I think they took him off the block today, before the extent of Kobe's injury was known/announced. My guess is that it's going to be a fire sale now, i.e. he's going to be back up on the block. We'll see.....

 

[NBKLee]

Pretty sure he's been subtly doing this all year. If the Lakers are trading him, they're looking for young talent. DLee, value-wise, would be comparable but if the Lakers part with Gasol its going to be centered around young up and coming talent.

Summer 2013, they lose D12 for nothing,

Do they want a repeat of with Gasol?

$20 mil every year tied into Kobe into 2016 is going to hold this team back. Why would Gasol want to return there? To see Nash play out his career riding the pine? To watch Henry Develop?

 

[koblix]

Kobe will make $23.5M in 2014-15, and $25M in 2015-16. The "$50M extension" was actually $48.5M over 2 years.

As a Warriors fan, that delights me. By paying so much to Kobe, the Lakers won't be able to sign a number of good free agents, they will be limited by what the salary cap allows. (Teams can't go over the salary cap to sign free agents, except for using low $ exceptions on mid-level talents.) They've taken themselves completely out of contention until the summer of 2016, unless somehow Kobe goes through a time machine back to 2006.

Sometime you have to do what need to do, loyalty and respect. Players like MJ, Kobe, LB don't fall on tree. If I have a player who can deliver me 5 rings, I would do a same. If the dumba$$ in Chicago didn't have that ego and hold on MJ and Pippen, they would get another ring, imo.