Kobe Go to Italy for 50 Million Dollars a year?

king a · Post #1 » by **king a** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 4:26 pm

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketb..._to_italy.html

Kobe to Italy?
Email|Link|Comments (1) Posted by Marc J. Spears, Globe Staff August 8, 2008 12:37 AM
By Marc J. Spears
Globe Staff

BEIJING – If Italy comes knocking with big money next summer, the NBA could lose its biggest star in Kobe Bryant.
In lieu of a report that Cleveland star LeBron James would strongly consider playing in Europe for $50 million for one season when he becomes a free agent in two years, when asked by The Boston Globe about the report Bryant said he would take a similar deal by a pro team in Italy if offered when he becomes a free agent next summer. Such would be a devestating loss for the NBA since the Los Angeles Lakers star is the NBA’s Most Valuable Player last season and considered its most popular player. The Associated Press originally reported that Bryant could have interest in playing professionally in Europe.
“I’d go. I’d probably go,” said Bryant, during a USA Basketball press conference on Friday morning. “Like Milan or something like that, where I grew up or something like that… Peace out.”
Bryant continued: “Do you know any reasonable person that would turn down 50 (million dollars)?”
Bryant spent a large part of his childhood growing up in Italy while his father, Joe, played professional basketball there and speaks fluent Italian. In 1999, the 10-time NBA All-Star also acquired a 50 percent ownership of the Olimpia Milano of the Italian Professional Basketball League.
“Because I grew up in Italy it has more significance to me because I’m more familiar with it, I’ve been there and I still have friends there,” said Bryant, a three-time NBA champion. “I’m thinking about buying a house out there. It would be nothing to me to be able to do that.”
ESPN.com reported that a person close to James said Tuesday that the Cavaliers' superstar would strongly consider playing overseas if he was offered a salary of "around $50 million a year." ESPN also reported that Russia CSKA Moscow and Greece Olympiacos have already contacted James, but nothing has been discussed monetarily. Considering the Euro versus the American dollar and that European teams have no salary cap, a contract paying $50 million American wouldn’t be out the realm of possibility.

Post #2 » by **kingofthecourt67** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 5:32 pm

Didn't Earl Boykins just become the highest paid basketball player in Italy at 3.5 million? I don't see 50 million happening.

Cevap · Post #3 » by **Cevap** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 5:35 pm

Italian teams don't have that kinda money.

10scott10 · Post #4 » by **10scott10** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 5:37 pm

kobe has always planned to play in italy after he retired.

he grew up in italy, when his dad played there.

this isn't really news to many lakers fans.

Lakers_4_Life · Post #5 » by **Lakers_4_Life** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 5:50 pm

Kobe is being an idiot here. Kobe it's the Russian and Greek teams that have that kind of money. No Italian team would offer anything remotely like that amount. The Italian League is one of the lower paying big leagues in Europe.

Storm Surge · Post #6 » by **Storm Surge** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 6:26 pm

Kobe would average 50 PPG if he played in the Italian league next year.

The Main Event · Post #7 » by **The Main Event** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 6:53 pm

Storm Surge wrote:Kobe would average 50 PPG if he played in the Italian league next year.

Totally different pace of play.

Parasight · Post #8 » by **Parasight** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 7:23 pm

Kobe should just play in China with the reaction he gets there. He's like Jesus to them.

noxe · Post #9 » by **noxe** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 8:06 pm

Parasight wrote:Kobe should just play in China with the reaction he gets there. He's like Jesus to them.

Chinese government would probably want a big cut of that 50 mil contract

Post #10 » by **MagicMadness** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 8:15 pm

10scott10 wrote:kobe has always planned to play in italy after he retired.

he grew up in italy, when his dad played there.

this isn't really news to many lakers fans.

Was he planning on retiring after this upcoming season...?

Harry10 · Post #11 » by **Harry10** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 9:11 pm

Cevap wrote:Italian teams don't have that kinda money.

don't worry, if Kobe actually goes to Italy, the team will be able to make it up in tickets, tv rights and sponsorships.

Lakers_4_Life · Post #12 » by **Lakers_4_Life** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 9:16 pm

The Main Event wrote:
Storm Surge wrote:Kobe would average 50 PPG if he played in the Italian league next year.

Totally different pace of play.

No matter how many times this is explained here, people can't grasp it.

Lakers_4_Life · Post #13 » by **Lakers_4_Life** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 9:18 pm

Harry10 wrote:
Cevap wrote:Italian teams don't have that kinda money.

don't worry, if Kobe actually goes to Italy, the team will be able to make it up in tickets, tv rights and sponsorships.

Italian basketball clubs cannot pay that amount. Kobe needs to get his facts right on this.

Harry10 · Post #14 » by **Harry10** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 9:21 pm

who cares about points. since companies own teams in Italy, think of the marketing both domestic and international these teams can get out of Kobe.

Lakers_4_Life · Post #15 » by **Lakers_4_Life** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 9:24 pm

Harry10 wrote:who cares about points. since companies own teams in Italy, think of the marketing both domestic and international these teams can get out of Kobe.

This a pure fantasy by Kobe. Now if he said a team like CSKA Moscow or Olympiacos or Panathinaikos in Athens - that's a whole different story.

Heat3 · Post #16 » by **Heat3** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 9:39 pm

...and why couldn't Kobe change the pace? At least on the offensive end. Seems rather pointless to bring over a player of his caliber and tell him to play like a slug.

Texas Longhorns · Post #17 » by **Texas Longhorns** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 10:31 pm

Kobe says he wants to retire as a Laker. No reason for him to go to Italy and abandon the NBA. LeBron won't go to Europe either.

Lakers_4_Life · Post #18 » by **Lakers_4_Life** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 10:46 pm

Heat3 wrote:...and why couldn't Kobe change the pace? At least on the offensive end. Seems rather pointless to bring over a player of his caliber and tell him to play like a slug.

To even suggest he would average 50 in Italy is absurd. I'm a Kobe fan but I also know the game in Europe. That's just laughable.

UNLVNugsFan · Post #19 » by **UNLVNugsFan** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 10:56 pm

For the first time ever, I am going to agree with Lakers 4 Life entirely. Kobe can't average 50 a game in Europe, the game is 8 minutes shorter and a different pace. Also, Kobe will be unable to sign for 50 million in Italy, since there are only a handful of teams in all of Europe that could offer him Childress type money, let alone 50 million per. There is a reason why Boykins is the highest paid player in the Italian league, its because they don't have the budgets of some of the Russian, Greek or even Spanish super clubs.

GonzoLays · Post #20 » by **GonzoLays** » Fri Aug 8, 2008 11:27 pm

Could a league like the MLS afford to sign David Beckham for 50 million a year ( completel compensation including outside factors)? Nope, but they did it anyway.

If a league like the MLS can pay a guy that much money when the rest of the players earn around 20 grand a year, then certainly a team in Europe can do the same.

Stern wanted globalization and he got it. He just never figured the Europeans with their no salary-cap structure would eventually become league's new nemesis.

History proves that players will flock to the league that pays the most payola. It happened in the USFL with NFL and the ABA with NBA.

What can the NBA do if Euros start throwing massive money at players like the USFL and ABA did back in the day? In reality, nothing.