Kobe agrees to contact extension with Lakers

[MisterWestside]

These are eople who are so far removed from basketball operations that they sit at a computer and have lengthy discussion on the drastic impact of a player's signing on a team's flexibility without having any first hand knowledge of internal discussion or goals.

And you are part of the group of people who continue to make these absurd appeals to authority. This has ZERO to do with GM "know-how"; it's just understanding the facts that more resources = more roster flexibility and that those resources are being used on someone who performance-wise isn't worth that kind of money. That's it. It's ridiculous how some people continue to dance around these facts in order to justify this contract.

[MisterWestside]

They would be a "meh" team if Kobe hadn't signed this contract, what's your point?

Is that an honest question? Do you not read mopper8's posts?

[MaliBrah]

I asked earlier in this thread WHO the lakers can't get because of Kobe's contract, and still no answer. i even posted the 2014 FA list. The reality is that LA wasn't giving out 2 max contracts because.......they aren't 2 players worth it in 2014.

Seriously, if you can't actually tell me a 2014 plan to turn LA into contenders, then you're just blowing smoke. Lebron WAS the 2014 plan, but then Ray Ray had to hit that shot. So now its about Love in 2015, and other guys like KD & Westbrook. The Lakers have no interest in taking a bunch of mid-level FAs in 2014 because THAT would screw up any chance to get those 3. Locking Kobe up keeps a Top 7 player, and they have young talent developing on that roster.

thats's not the point though. The point being made is LA has no flexibility now. 13 months ago houston's best player was kevin martin but Morey priortized cap flexibility so he could pounce on situations while the lakers are prioritizing an expensive farewell tour for kobe as a fringe playoff contender.

saying "who would they have got" is an intellectually dishonest answer

(just using houston as an example of cap flexibility not saying they're going to win or anything.)

[CharlieMurphy]

These are eople who are so far removed from basketball operations that they sit at a computer and have lengthy discussion on the drastic impact of a player's signing on a team's flexibility without having any first hand knowledge of internal discussion or goals.

And you are part of the group of people who continue to make these absurd appeals to authority. This has ZERO to do with GM "know-how"; it's just understanding the facts that more resources = more roster flexibility and that those resources are being used on someone who performance-wise isn't worth that kind of money. That's it. It's ridiculous how some people continue to dance around these facts in order to justify this contract.

Yeah I'm most certainly included in that group. I'm just not saying that the lakers are doomed because they chose to give Kobe 25 million. There are several people out there who performance-wise aren't worth their contracts, since when has that been the worst thing in the world?

Yeah having mroe resources = more flexibility. That is a fact. Here are some other resources the lakers have: they don't have to resign pau; they can stretch out nash's contract; they can choose to not resign any of the guys from this year. All of that = tremendous resources.

This argument that somehow it's kobe's contract is the be all end all of the lakers making any moves is ridiculous and short sided. But take my word as a grain of salt because I will do the same with yours since we're both people with no direct knowledge of what's really in the minds of Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss.

[CharlieMurphy]

I asked earlier in this thread WHO the lakers can't get because of Kobe's contract, and still no answer. i even posted the 2014 FA list. The reality is that LA wasn't giving out 2 max contracts because.......they aren't 2 players worth it in 2014.

Seriously, if you can't actually tell me a 2014 plan to turn LA into contenders, then you're just blowing smoke. Lebron WAS the 2014 plan, but then Ray Ray had to hit that shot. So now its about Love in 2015, and other guys like KD & Westbrook. The Lakers have no interest in taking a bunch of mid-level FAs in 2014 because THAT would screw up any chance to get those 3. Locking Kobe up keeps a Top 7 player, and they have young talent developing on that roster.

thats's not the point though. The point being made is LA has no flexibility now. 13 months ago houston's best player was kevin martin but Morey priortized cap flexibility so he could pounce on situations while the lakers are prioritizing an expensive farewell tour for kobe as a fringe playoff contender.

saying "who would they have got" is an intellectually dishonest answer

(just using houston as an example of cap flexibility not saying they're going to win or anything.)

How is it intellectually dishonest when there are no FAs to prioritize max cap space for in 2014? It's even more absurd that you'd call that intellectually dishonest when you realize that the lakers still have cap space to sign a max player. They've still held on to exactly what you're claiming they don't have.

[MaliBrah]

I asked earlier in this thread WHO the lakers can't get because of Kobe's contract, and still no answer. i even posted the 2014 FA list. The reality is that LA wasn't giving out 2 max contracts because.......they aren't 2 players worth it in 2014.

Seriously, if you can't actually tell me a 2014 plan to turn LA into contenders, then you're just blowing smoke. Lebron WAS the 2014 plan, but then Ray Ray had to hit that shot. So now its about Love in 2015, and other guys like KD & Westbrook. The Lakers have no interest in taking a bunch of mid-level FAs in 2014 because THAT would screw up any chance to get those 3. Locking Kobe up keeps a Top 7 player, and they have young talent developing on that roster.

thats's not the point though. The point being made is LA has no flexibility now. 13 months ago houston's best player was kevin martin but Morey priortized cap flexibility so he could pounce on situations while the lakers are prioritizing an expensive farewell tour for kobe as a fringe playoff contender.

saying "who would they have got" is an intellectually dishonest answer

(just using houston as an example of cap flexibility not saying they're going to win or anything.)

How is it intellectually dishonest when there are no FAs to prioritize max cap space for in 2014? It's even more absurd that you'd call that intellectually dishonest when you realize that the lakers still have cap space to sign a max player. They've still held on to exactly what you're claiming they don't have.

sign a max player and then who's going to fill out the rest of the roster? the LA sparks??

[Mirjalovic]

thats's not the point though. The point being made is LA has no flexibility now. 13 months ago houston's best player was kevin martin but Morey priortized cap flexibility so he could pounce on situations while the lakers are prioritizing an expensive farewell tour for kobe as a fringe playoff contender.

saying "who would they have got" is an intellectually dishonest answer

(just using houston as an example of cap flexibility not saying they're going to win or anything.)

in 2 years Lakers would be "flexible" again.

so whats the point ?

Lakers can tinker on Pau contract now, or even when his contract expired. Same goes with Nash expiring contract next year. Flexibility still there. By the time Kobe contract is up, Lakers would have another capspace.

flexibility is overrated, see at Raptors, they once had flexibilty, and they use the most of it on Gay..

the point is, you need wise to spent, and for me Lakers wise enough to patiently play in FA market next year. I prefer Lakers give their money to Kobe (for only 2 freakin years), than sign wrong max guy in FA (for 4 years)

sign a max player and then who's going to fill out the rest of the roster? the LA sparks??

yeah, LA Sparks doing pretty good job there, their record now stand at .500

this season lakers can get decent roleplayers for minimum, why can't they do it again next year ?

[MisterWestside]

I'm just not saying that the lakers are doomed because they chose to give Kobe 25 million.

Did I say that?

There are several people out there who performance-wise aren't worth their contracts, since when has that been the worst thing in the world?

Appeal to common practice.

Yeah having mroe resources = more flexibility. That is a fact. Here are some other resources the lakers have: they don't have to resign pau; they can stretch out nash's contract; they can choose to not resign any of the guys from this year. All of that = tremendous resources.

Here's another fact: not signing Kobe to that contract = more "tremendous resources".

This argument that somehow it's kobe's contract is the be all end all of the lakers making any moves is ridiculous and short sided.

No, the argument is that this contract limits the Lakers' ability to strengthen the roster. Completely different argument.

[MaliBrah]

fair points mirjalovic , I guess the lakers don't want melo and would rather go for love(2015)/kd 2016.

the lakers could get good role players on the minimum again but it's hard

[defhalotones]

I remember this trade rumor back when Dwight was still on the Lakers. I think Jim Buss' pride was too strong not to do it. However, most rumors are just that...... Rumors..

Howard for Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1676 ... -and-trade

[lilroddyb]

What a gold mine of a thread. I probably wasted at least three hours reading this, but it was worth it.

Couple things here:

* There has never been a player in the history of the league, to my knowledge, who averaged 20.0 PPG or more in his 19th season or beyond. Do I think Kobe will break that mold? Yes. Is it a risky bet to take for someone coming off of major surgery and who will be 36 years old next year? Perhaps. And no, Kobe does not need to score 20.0+ PPG to earn his new contract, IMO. But as Kobe is probably most known as a scorer, looking at how other scorers have fared late in their careers might be instructive to determine where things could be headed for Kobe as a player.

* This season, Kobe Bryant will become the perimeter player with the most career minutes in NBA history to ever start an NBA season. Kidd has like 2200 or so more career minutes on his resume than does Kobe, but he started out last season slightly behind where Kobe is now in career minutes.

* If someone approached Tim Duncan before the start of last season and asked him this question:

Tim, would you feel ok about having taken a pay cut if the end result is to put you in a position in The Finals where if one of two of your teammates makes a free throw (if the two players, combined, simply go 1-2 on two FTA) then you win both a ring and FMVP?

...my guess is that Duncan would answer "yes, I'm good with that."

* If you examine this thread to this point in time, in its totality, the general tone of who is playing "defense" and who is playing "offense" seems fairly clear IMO. Usually when a person or group of people plays "defense," there is a reason why they are playing defense. Or at least a reason why they feel they need to play defense. I'm not saying that the "playing offense" side of the argument here is in the right, but I think there might be a reason why the "defense" side is playing defense, at least on first glance at the details of this contract extension.

My feelings on this matter -- who is playing "defense" and who is playing "offense" in this thread regarding the issue of the contract extension -- are similar to when I read the supposed Instagram message Kobe wrote to the person who questioned his motives or priorities, a supposed message which was posted earlier in the thread.

This column also has the feeling, to me, of what might be termed "playing defense" or "damage control:"

http://yhoo.it/1cMobq4



*
*
*

Finally, if you don't like Kobe Bryant or the "myth" that you might feel that has been built up around Kobe Bryant -- and that view has been ably presented in this thread, IMO -- then I would think that you might view this contract extension as something like a "gift from the gods." Because now everything you may have tried to unsuccessfully convince people of in the past regarding Kobe could have become instantaneously easier to get across to those same people going forward.

So, Kobe wins with the big new deal. Kobe Fans win because Kobe remains with the team and he will be (apparently) the highest paid player in the league for the next two years. Kobe Critics win because now they have apparent ammunition with which they can use to try to blast Kobe as a selfish player who really isn't as concerned with winning as he supposedly was made out to be. Lakers Haters win because they feel, it seems, the team will be irrelevant for the next few years. I win because I get to sit back and waste hours reading threads and articles like this one while doing my Michael Jackson impersonation:



The only group of people who apparently may not win with this extension are the Lakers-Not-Kobe-First Fans who may not think this deal is in the best interests of the team.

For this last group of people, you have my sincere sympathies. This contract extension very nearly seemed to be a win-win-win for everyone involved, except for your number.

And though I feel your pain, I'm still going to kick on back, Michael Jackson-style, and chomp on my popcorn while enjoying the festivities as they play themselves out.

I think your enjoying this way too much. An its not even a for sure thing that the Lakers are gonna completely stink in these upcoming seasons. For one they can still sign another Max contract with a bunch of vet deal fill ins.

Also the lakers are a billion dollar franchise, yes I checked. They are worth in the BILLIONS. Therefore any new CBA tax penalties if they were willing to go in that direction would be paid off with no hesitations. Jerry Buss' inheritance is in the billions. An thats not even considering the billions of dollars the Lakers Brand brings in worldwide.

SO as a Celtic fan first I would recommend you to settle down on your parade you and many others are throwing. The Lakers aren't dead in the water yet. An as history repeats itself I'd be damned these bastards gets a couple more bones thrown there way and all of a sudden there back in the Finals fighting someway somehow.

An I noticed your a Rockets fan. LoL! You do realize Kobe has 3 more championships than your entire franchise?
An also has brought in maybe 3 times as much more money to the NBA than your entire franchise as well.

Rockets fans think they have something over the Lakers franchise because they signed that big man who isn't worth max money and can't hit a free throw to save his life. In all reality, that franchise in Houston comparatively speaking is nothing more than a cockroach when put in the same sentence as the Lakers.

Us Lakers fans, laugh and then point at the rafters above the Staples Center court and typically the Rockets fan shuts up.

I think other fanbases laughed aswell

[colts18]

Can someone explain to me how Kobe can make 2x as much as Durant's current max contract? I thought the new CBA limited max contracts. Why can Kobe get a max of $30 million, but LeBron's max is in the low $20 Million? I thought the NBA outlawed $30 Million max after MJ retired. Is it possible for Kobe to have made $35 Million per year in his next contract if he wanted to sign for the max?

[sacbaby]

was initially disappointed in kobe and the fo, but realistically the only guy we can get is melo and we still have the room to sign him. this will limit the addition of imporatnt role players though if we got melo. the big problem here is that our coach and melo don't see eye to eye, to say the least, so melo talk is an exaggeration methinks. FO seems dead set on a 2015 plan with love, durant, etc... becoming available. so after taking a step back and reconsidering, i can't fault management and kobe for this deal.

[Archerbro]

I believe it

Has to do with players like Garnett,Kobe, Etc who signed big contracts in previous cbas and their max is based on their previous contract.

[An Unbiased Fan]

I asked earlier in this thread WHO the lakers can't get because of Kobe's contract, and still no answer. i even posted the 2014 FA list. The reality is that LA wasn't giving out 2 max contracts because.......they aren't 2 players worth it in 2014.

Seriously, if you can't actually tell me a 2014 plan to turn LA into contenders, then you're just blowing smoke. Lebron WAS the 2014 plan, but then Ray Ray had to hit that shot. So now its about Love in 2015, and other guys like KD & Westbrook. The Lakers have no interest in taking a bunch of mid-level FAs in 2014 because THAT would screw up any chance to get those 3. Locking Kobe up keeps a Top 7 player, and they have young talent developing on that roster.

thats's not the point though. The point being made is LA has no flexibility now. 13 months ago houston's best player was kevin martin but Morey priortized cap flexibility so he could pounce on situations while the lakers are prioritizing an expensive farewell tour for kobe as a fringe playoff contender.

saying "who would they have got" is an intellectually dishonest answer

(just using houston as an example of cap flexibility not saying they're going to win or anything.)

How do the Lakers have no flexibility? They can still offer a max contract and have 13 mil left over. They can still stretch Nash's contract, and still have Pau's expiring. They can still get Melo or Love or KD or Westbrook.

And asking who LA is missing out on IS exactly the question to be asked in this thread, because people are acting like Kobe is throwing away a title. The fact is that the 2014 FA class isn't all that great.

[Ettorefm]

Your max is based on the number of years you have in the league
.
Kobe's last max had a limit that is lower than this one. He could get even more, IIRC

[colts18]

Kobe has a 15% trade kicker in his contract. Does that mean if he was traded today, he would get $35 Million this year? Is his next max contract based on the $30 mil or $35 Mil? If its the latter, he could have potentially made $40-45 Million in a max deal.

[An Unbiased Fan]

I remember this trade rumor back when Dwight was still on the Lakers. I think Jim Buss' pride was too strong not to do it. However, most rumors are just that...... Rumors..

Howard for Blake Griffin and Eric Bledsoe.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1676 ... -and-trade

Yep, not moving Dwight was a big gamble. i understand that they hoped to re-sign him, and then go after LBJ in 2014, but still, Blake would be a nice asset. At the end of the day, I'm just happy Bynum was traded and they avoided giving him max dollars.

[cavs4life03]

i want some of kobes money hahahaha

[defhalotones]

Kobe has always been one of my most liked player, ever. That being said, his chances of getting a 6th ring isn't looking very good. Buuuuttttt, this is the Lakers. They seem to have a way of building a stacked roster overnight. I hope he gets that final ring.