Kobe agrees to contact extension with Lakers

[john248]

Kobe takes 2x as many shots per game. duh.







based on tenure.

[MaxRider]

0-6 years experience - your max is 25% of the salary cap
7-9 years is 30%
10+ is 35%
and new cba rule
used to be 10.5% yearly raise for team with bird right
now i think is 7%

Direct from wikipedia

There is an exception to this rule, a player is able to sign a contract for 105% of his previous contract, even if the new contract is higher than the league limit.[11] For example, in the 2013-14 season Kobe Bryant is contracted for $30,453,000[12] (the contract which was signed prior to the 2011 CBA rule changes), Bryant could (in theory) sign a contract starting at $31,975,650 (105% of his previous contract), for the 2014-2015 season and rising thereafter (in practice this contract is very unlikely to be offered, as it would severely impede the team's ability to sign further players due to the salary cap).

yup

[Free Rider]

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

Yeah it's limited, but not to the degree that people are claiming. For someone to claim that their flexibility is drastically limited they need to show how. They need to point to FAs the Lakers could have signed that they can't now. No one in this thread has done so. Instead they argue that posters asking for this information are deflecting, which itself is a deflection.

If you want to argue that their flexibility is limited, I'm gonna agree with you. All contracts limit a team's flexibility. If you want to argue that Kobe's contract has now made the Lakers incapabale of making substantial moves or signing a max player, I'm going to disagree with you because the facts say otherwise.

The most immediate impact is that it severely limits their ability to retain current players. The FO have now given themselves less flexibilty to resign Jordan HIll and Gasol, who've both been playing well lately. Also, there are some good starting caliber players that the Lakers might want to pursue. Lance Stephenson is someone they might want to set their sights on if he continues to improve the way he has this season. Danny Granger is looking like the odd man out on a burgeoning Pacers team. Kirlenko has a player option that he might not want to exercise on a floundering Nets team.

And I'm perplexed by the logic that since there no great free agents available it's still somehow ok to overpay Kobe by a ridiculous sum. Why would you ever want to restrict yourself in that way. Even if the Lakers make no major free agent acquisitions next year it still doesn't make sense to give Kobe a contract that potentially limits any future moves. Carmelo Anthony might be a pipe dream, but wouldn't you rather have the option of making the pitch when free agency arrives. Why hamstring yourself in a way that leaves you with few options?

[Next Coming]

Folks out here acting like the money is coming from their account. Why are you so offended lol?

[Mr MoJo Risin]

From Sam Amick of USA Today:

But as [Carmelo Anthony] chatted briefly with USA TODAY Sports about Kobe Bryant’s two-year, $48.5 million extension, he may as well have been speaking for the entire free agency class of 2014 when he made this not-so-surprising statement: Bryant’s health and performance, rather than the size of his deal, likely will determine whether anyone of equal stature joins him this summer. When asked if free agents like himself would see Bryant as a star who is still worthy of joining in order to contend for a title, Anthony said, “I mean you’ll have to see. It’s hard to gauge at this point, not until he comes back (from his April Achilles tendon tear) and figures some things out. So I don’t know. They might have some plans up their sleeve.”

[kingkirk]

I don't get why Laker fans are vehemently denying that this doesn't hamper future move for the 2 next seasons and how it makes it extremely hard to win a title in the next 2 seasons.

Essentially, you're cool with the Lakers being mediocre for the next 2 seasons.

[microfib4thewin]

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.

If people really wanted to defend Kobe then this extension is meaningless to them. They can simply say Kobe 'conceded' by taking a 24 mil/year extension and not the 34 mil/year that he could have gotten, so the onus is not on Kobe but the management to put up a good team around him. If management cannot create a contender then it's management's fault, if they can it would translate to Kobe being a winner. For some, the narrative of Kobe remains unchanged.

To me, it really doesn't matter if people continue to defend Kobe, all it matters is that realistically speaking the Lakers are in a very bad place where they can't rebuild because they kept Kobe and they can't contend because Kobe is taking up too much capspace. I don't see why a Laker fan should be happy about the extension if they wanted to see the team compete.

[EB2]

It's ok if they don't spend $ on free agents this year, but next year they might miss out on some really good free agents because of Kobe's contract.

[Michael Lucky]

I don't get why Laker fans are vehemently denying that this doesn't hamper future move for the 2 next seasons and how it makes it extremely hard to win a title in the next 2 seasons.

Essentially, you're cool with the Lakers being mediocre for the next 2 seasons.

please make sure to differentiate between kobetards and lakers fans here. There's been a huge backlash from lakers fans towards Kobe these last two days locally. You can just tune in to 710 on espn radio and just hear them calling in one after another to voice their displeasure at kobe's selfishness. There's been more hate towards kobe than there has ever been in the last decade.

[TheBargnaniRule]

I don't get why Laker fans are vehemently denying that this doesn't hamper future move for the 2 next seasons and how it makes it extremely hard to win a title in the next 2 seasons.

Essentially, you're cool with the Lakers being mediocre for the next 2 seasons.

Maybe it's just me but Kobe seems to have this weird cult status thing among a lot of Lakers fans. They can pretty much justify anything when it comes to him. Kinda reminds me of religion actually.

I think it was Hot Rocks who mentioned it earlier, but the real loser in this deal are Laker-first fans.

[An Unbiased Fan]

What can't they do? I still see no specifics. What moves is Kobe's contract preventing?

More loaded questions? The argument is about roster flexibility, which mopper8 kindly took the time to demonstrate in his lengthy posts to you.

How is that a loaded question? I can give you specific players the Lakers CAN pursue like Melo, Love, KD, Westbrook, Irving. You haven't offered up anyone prevented from coming here do to Kobe's contract.

I've pointed out that his contract is only 2 years and expires the year KD is available. And that LA can stretch Nash's contract, or that Pau is an expiring. What flexibility are they missing? the ability to sign Henry to a 8 mil contract? To keep all 3 of their PGs, lol? To waste money on a mid-level guy who screws up capspace for 3+ years??

If you want to attack the contract, you need to specify reasons why other than "flexibility" considering that LA still has tons of that.

He's stuck on Free Agency because it seems like he's determined to defend this deal (Is Kobe UBF?) He's ignoring trade flexibility completely. Having cap space makes you an attractive target for teams unloading salary. Or teams trying to make a multi team trade work.

He puts all of their eggsin the FA bucket but to me that's a very dangerous and limited option.

LA still has tons of trade flexibility. Mitch knows what you can do and what you can't do under the CBA better than any GM. BUT LA isn't getting a star from a trade because...they don't have the assets. So the route they will take is through FA in the form of Melo, Love, KD, Westbrook.

i find it strange you think their FA options are limited, but their trade options are good, its the opposite.

I don't get why Laker fans are vehemently denying that this doesn't hamper future move for the 2 next seasons and how it makes it extremely hard to win a title in the next 2 seasons.

Essentially, you're cool with the Lakers being mediocre for the next 2 seasons.

1) What future moves does this contract hamper?

2) It was already hard for LA to win in the next 2 seasons. Most said they won't make the playoffs, so what exactly has Kobe's deal changed? Were they goign to get Lebron?

It's hilarious how people are making it seem like Kobe turned the Lakers into an average team by signing this contract. As if there was some big move about to happen to turn LA into contenders.

[Bruh Man]

Folks out here acting like the money is coming from their account. Why are you so offended lol?

These guys clearly know how to run an organization, Mitch should take notes because there is some incredible knowledge being dropped here. Something tells me if Kobe had signed for 10 million less no one was going to claim Lakers had a great shot at a title, remember all the talk about how great Lakers could be in the offseason? Me neither all I recall is how the Lakers are finished and how Brooklyn and even Houston would be title contenders.

[Michael Lucky]

so happy to see kobe get to play 06 ball at age 36-37 now............

[Roscoe Sheed]

I don't get why Laker fans are vehemently denying that this doesn't hamper future move for the 2 next seasons and how it makes it extremely hard to win a title in the next 2 seasons.

Essentially, you're cool with the Lakers being mediocre for the next 2 seasons.

please make sure to differentiate between kobetards and lakers fans here. There's been a huge backlash from lakers fans towards Kobe these last two days locally. You can just tune in to 710 on espn radio and just hear them calling in one after another to voice their displeasure at kobe's selfishness. There's been more hate towards kobe than there has ever been in the last decade.

In fairness to Kobe, he didn't demand that the Lakers offer him this deal. I can't really fault him for accepting it. I think the Lakers front office made a mistake, but it isn't Kobe's fault for accepting it. Now if he complains that they can't put a talented roster around him, then I think he would be in the wrong

[Michael Lucky]

I don't get why Laker fans are vehemently denying that this doesn't hamper future move for the 2 next seasons and how it makes it extremely hard to win a title in the next 2 seasons.

Essentially, you're cool with the Lakers being mediocre for the next 2 seasons.

please make sure to differentiate between kobetards and lakers fans here. There's been a huge backlash from lakers fans towards Kobe these last two days locally. You can just tune in to 710 on espn radio and just hear them calling in one after another to voice their displeasure at kobe's selfishness. There's been more hate towards kobe than there has ever been in the last decade.

In fairness to Kobe, he didn't demand that the Lakers offer him this deal. I can't really fault him for accepting it. I think the Lakers front office made a mistake, but it isn't Kobe's fault for accepting it. Now if he complains that they can't put a talented roster around him, then I think he would be in the wrong

i do fault him though. If he's all about winning titles like he claims to be he should have taken less money.

[LLcoleJ]

I don't get why Laker fans are vehemently denying that this doesn't hamper future move for the 2 next seasons and how it makes it extremely hard to win a title in the next 2 seasons.

Essentially, you're cool with the Lakers being mediocre for the next 2 seasons.

This Laker fan is vehemently supporting the Lakers org. to retool and a build a team. Will it be harder? Sure. And what should I do? get mad they offered Kobe a contract? Or get mad at Kobe for taking it?

Some people think that my POV is about what's best for Kobe. I don't care that much about Kobe. If the headline today read the Lakers will not resign Kobe this summer, I would be in full support of that as well.

This Laker org has spoiled me with putting together winning teams, when their backs were against it ...over and over...and nobody thought they could pull off moves they have made. So given that aspect of it, I as a fan of this org. feel it's in my best interest to be patient and see what the team does from here.

They are not going to tank, that was never going to be an option. So they are left to construct the roster with what they have available. Even if they have limited some of those options knowingly.


If you or anyone else don't think they can put something together and or don't know what they are doing. That's fine.

It is a gamble and they know it. They choose this route and I support them for it. What else can I say?

[theokie]

please make sure to differentiate between kobetards and lakers fans here. There's been a huge backlash from lakers fans towards Kobe these last two days locally. You can just tune in to 710 on espn radio and just hear them calling in one after another to voice their displeasure at kobe's selfishness. There's been more hate towards kobe than there has ever been in the last decade.

In fairness to Kobe, he didn't demand that the Lakers offer him this deal. I can't really fault him for accepting it. I think the Lakers front office made a mistake, but it isn't Kobe's fault for accepting it. Now if he complains that they can't put a talented roster around him, then I think he would be in the wrong

i do fault him though. If he's all about winning titles like he claims to be he should have taken less money.

Kobe's not all about winning titles though. We've known that since the Shaq-Kobe days.

[Michael Lucky]

Just sounds to me like Jerry's kids just want to make a profit and that winning isn't the top priority anymore.

[Next Coming]

Folks out here acting like the money is coming from their account. Why are you so offended lol?

These guys clearly know how to run an organization, Mitch should take notes because there is some incredible knowledge being dropped here. Something tells me if Kobe had signed for 10 million less no one was going to claim Lakers had a great shot at a title, remember all the talk about how great Lakers could be in the offseason? Me neither all I recall is how the Lakers are finished and how Brooklyn and even Houston would be title contenders.

It's a business at the end of the day. Kobe is underpaid. He makes them wayyyyyyy more money than they pay him.

[Next Coming]

Just sounds to me like Jerry's kids just want to make a profit and that winning isn't the top priority anymore.

You make it seem like they haven't won anything. The Lakers have been to 7 Finals in 13 years. 7! SEVEN! They've won 5 in 13. That's ridiculous.