Kobe to Europe?

[Desiderium]

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... _the_wire/

sounds like hes gonna srsly consider it and for 30 million no taxes, id do the same. but in seriousness, i think it all depends on the laker success this season. if they win it, kobe will stay, if they have a bad loss, look for him to possibly jet to italy or greece. also he should consider his family and his childrens education. would u really wanna change their lifestyle at such an early age.

[milesfides]

Kobe's first and foremost a competitor. He has always wanted to win at the highest level, which is why it's highly unlikely that he'll spend his prime collecting a paycheck.

[Dr Aki]

its a ploy to get the 135mil extension

[CX44]

If he decides to go after everything the Lakers have done for him then good bye!

[iamworthy]

If he decides to go after everything the Lakers have done for him then good bye!

I never understood comments like this. Buss needs Kobe more than Kobe needs Buss. It was in Dr. Buss best interest to keep Kobe even after all the drama with Kobe. Kobe can get the max from anyteam he goes to. Kobe feels seats. Dr. Buss has made a boat load of cash because of his star player and will continue to clean house for the next 5-6 years because of his mega star.

[Desiderium]

you bring up a good point miles. i hope competition alone is enough to keep kobe here. doesnt mean its not a possibility tho. josh childress paved the road for players to play in europe and i wouldnt be shocked if more nba players leave for bigger contracts.

[SashAlex]

Oh, man ! Give me a break ! That's useless press talk, absolutely unreal !

He's not gonna leave it like that ! Kobe's got a lot of money and a team to win the title !
D'you think he'll leave ?! No way !

How can you believe those (Please Use More Appropriate Word) press rumours ?!

Oh, man ...

[lakersfanatic]

The press will continue to feed the public because people will always read these typed of stuff or junk if you want to call it but in seriousness... it's a possibility. Imagine a european team getting Kobe to play for them. That's mad money for thier franchise... as well as advertisement.

It'll be a tough choice if it is placed on the table for him. I too think that if we win, he'll most likely stay.. but if we lost then there's always that possibility...

Down to the wire... i hate the suspense.

[J Rob]

I kinda think its a little more serious than most Laker fans believe. But ultimately I gotta agree with Miles, Kobe wants to have the best legacy and play against the best.

If he's smart (and he is) he should play out another 6 years with the Lakers and try to collect a few more championships (hopefully get to 6) and maybe another mvp. Then leave the NBA still relatively at the top of his game and be the first real superstar to ever play in Europe (still at only 36 or 37).

That would cover his legacy as one of the top 3 NBA players of all time and yet distinguish himself from Jordan by doing something he never did. One could argue that by playing for European crowds Kobe would become the first truly global superstar and put him in another stratosphere. The entire world would be following him (even us in the states).

Ultimately, that could be the only thing that cements his legacy as the greatest of all time. However, if he were to leave after this season, championship or not, his NBA legacy would be incomplete and he'll be lost somewhere in the midst of our top ten lists.

[Kreuk]

Kobe will probably play in Europe, but not for a few more years. Even if he went there in his mid-30s he would still be at a higher level than most everyone in their 20s.

There is no way he would go to Europe now, when the Lakers are kicking major ass after he persevered through those three crap seasons.

I feel he is "entertaining" this possibility because he has ulterior motives. He could be posturing for a bigger contract in much the same way he "entertained" playing for the clippers and the bulls.

If he is posturing for this bigger contract he could latently be telling management not to re-sign Odom and/ or trade some of our crap players so that he is able to get a bigger contract.

Let's not forget that Kobe is not just a player, he is also a brand. And if he wants to be marketable worldwide he has to say things like he could play in Europe. He has to keep the positive press rolling in from everywhere. He has to be wanted by everyone.

I think this all says a lot about where Kobe is in his life right now. We as fans have seen the process. From rookie to Godlike to the fall from grace to back to the playoffs and then the finals. And now we see him once again as the media darling he once was. Winning cures all.

Controversy has followed Kobe since his initial days as a Laker. As Laker fans we should be use to this controversy by now. The Shaq trade, his trade demands, etc. Now this idea that he may play in Europe. Honestly, I'll worry about it when it happens.

[hermes]

i've had enough of this going to Europe stuff, i don't care how serious it is
he's not leaving in the middle of the season, so i'm not going to worry about it now

Dont' ruin this great season for me!

[CX44]

If he decides to go after everything the Lakers have done for him then good bye!

I never understood comments like this. Buss needs Kobe more than Kobe needs Buss. It was in Dr. Buss best interest to keep Kobe even after all the drama with Kobe. Kobe can get the max from anyteam he goes to. Kobe feels seats. Dr. Buss has made a boat load of cash because of his star player and will continue to clean house for the next 5-6 years because of his mega star.

When the Lakers stood by Kobe after the issue in Colorado and all of his disrespect toward the Lakers front office, I believe he owes them the curosity of telling them long before the end of the season he is going to play in Europe. I do not believe for one minute that he will leave for Europe but if he does good luck and good bye.

[LBJVirus218]

This is the type of article Cleveland sees every week about Lebron leaving. Now you guys know how it feels (sadly)....you just want them to stfu and let them play. I mean for god sakes it's November.

[CX44]

They have to write about something in November because the basketball is not the best. Besides they want to creat some drama since the Lakers are beating everyone.