It was only two summers ago that Kobe Bryant threw the Lakers into chaos when he said he'd rather play on Pluto than endure another season of mediocrity in Los Angeles.
On Tuesday, Bryant's first chance to leave since that infamous tirade came and went without incident.
Bryant had until the end of Tuesday to inform the Lakers he was terminating the final two years of his contract and becoming an unrestricted free agent, but the team hadn't received any notification as of late Tuesday night from the NBA Finals MVP.
Instead, Bryant is expected to sign a three-year extension worth an estimated $85 million on top of his existing two-year contract later this month, according to the Los Angeles Times. Bryant's agent, Rob Pelinka, did not return a voice message seeking confirmation.
$85 million - nice extension.
