Kobe extended for 3 years

[snaquille oatmeal]

so what are the Vegas odds that Shaq will have something stupid to say about Buss "paying Kobe the f-ing money" that he was asking for?

[Mamba Venom]

Lock up a good PG and we are set for 4 years

[H00PDREAMS]

Come on lets get KIRK!!!!

[NBAWestFan]

Kobe is past his prime.

Like Shaq of the past the Lakers will see 26, 28 and 31 on one player is not
wise with the way the cap is. One player can't make near half the money
20 mil a year is good enough for any player especially Kobe is on the down.

I rather have sign wade to go with Odom, Pau, & Artest. No dis respect to Kobe
but he is Past the prime and looking older. 20 mill is more than enough a year.
This will prove to be a mistake one day. The salary cap will have to get higher or
the max a player can make should be lower.

Most people won't make 2 million in a lifetime but if these guys can't live off 15 to 20 mill
a year then they are just greeedy and foolish. With 15 mill a year that would allow the Lakers
to get another player of allstar caliper to go to the lakers

[lakErfrOmManiLa]

I want Kobe to be a Laker for life but not for 90 mil.... IMO he should just get like a TD type of money or higher by 2m per season but definitely not 30 mil per year..... It's just overpaying our star player....

[H00PDREAMS]

Honestly, I think Kobe is valuable as a mentor to any new young star they land,(Paul?) They have to get someone to play with Bynum if he has not been traded by then.

I was going to ask this question in a new thread but why waste the internet space....

Do you all think Kobe will continue to play the same position or will he switch to another position as he gets older? If so what position?

[dockingsched]

http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA

Per internal league memo, here are terms on Kobe Bryant's extension: '11-12: $25.24 million; '12-'13: $27.84 million; '13-14: $30.45 mill.

The 3-year extension for Kobe Bryant reaches approximately $83.5 million, and includes a no trade clause, league memo says.

[Tdot24]

Honestly, I think Kobe is valuable as a mentor to any new young star they land,(Paul?) They have to get someone to play with Bynum if he has not been traded by then.

I was going to ask this question in a new thread but why waste the internet space....

Do you all think Kobe will continue to play the same position or will he switch to another position as he gets older? If so what position?

Agreed. Keeping Kobe is not only good for the next three years, but also better for the long-term plans of the team. Also acquiring a young prospect (2 guard) within a year or two would be an ideal plan for the Lakers to better utilize Kobe as his mentor for the up coming years.

To answer your question, I think he'll still play the same position, since his defense will most likely still be there. He might not get the same lift to his offensive game, but he'll definitely still be there as a defender.

[rhp1990]

Kobe is past his prime.

Like Shaq of the past the Lakers will see 26, 28 and 31 on one player is not
wise with the way the cap is. One player can't make near half the money
20 mil a year is good enough for any player especially Kobe is on the down.

I rather have sign wade to go with Odom, Pau, & Artest. No dis respect to Kobe
but he is Past the prime and looking older. 20 mill is more than enough a year.
This will prove to be a mistake one day. The salary cap will have to get higher or
the max a player can make should be lower.

Most people won't make 2 million in a lifetime but if these guys can't live off 15 to 20 mill
a year then they are just greeedy and foolish. With 15 mill a year that would allow the Lakers
to get another player of allstar caliper to go to the lakers

What the hell are you talking about? How the hell were the lakers going to sign wade even if KOBE opts out we are still over or almost over the cap space. You have to be well below cap to sign wade or do a sign and trade which would never happen. What difference does it make if he makes 20mill or 30mill? Lakers are still OVER the cap either way. He's earned his pay check. People like Gilbert are making 20+mill. Bynum makes almost 15 mill why the hell would kobe want to take a 15 mill pay check. The Lakers franchise is still making money even being over the cap space.

[rhp1990]

If it is indeed 30 Mil per, that makes him clearly the highest paid athlete doesn't it?

heck no!

and... highest paid in what sense? plus endorsements?

Highest paid NBA player? i dunno about that one either. You sure LeBron wont make equal or more after his extentions?

That does make him the highest paid athlete in the NBA. I think even with endorsements he makes a little more than lebron. Unless lebron bails and goes to NY then he'll make more than kobe with endorsements. Tiger woods is the highest paid athlete.

[H00PDREAMS]

Honestly, I think Kobe is valuable as a mentor to any new young star they land,(Paul?) They have to get someone to play with Bynum if he has not been traded by then.

I was going to ask this question in a new thread but why waste the internet space....

Do you all think Kobe will continue to play the same position or will he switch to another position as he gets older? If so what position?

Agreed. Keeping Kobe is not only good for the next three years, but also better for the long-term plans of the team. Also acquiring a young prospect (2 guard) within a year or two would be an ideal plan for the Lakers to better utilize Kobe as his mentor for the up coming years.

To answer your question, I think he'll still play the same position, since his defense will most likely still be there. He might not get the same lift to his offensive game, but he'll definitely still be there as a defender.

Well if Bynum is still here and I would guess Gasol may still be here too. But by that time you got to imagine that all things LA would by Bynum-esque. Bynum should be beasting we hope. So Kobe will be playing how many minutes? Also Do you think with the payroll and Phil gone by then Lakers make it to thr playoffs which mean no top draft picks in the line ups just a bunch of role players. Unless they make a killer trade (Bynum?) by offering a decent package of talent for a top pick and rebuild through the draft. Keep in mind most Teams make champs that way. Okay lets say they get a young PG or SG you guys have to say keeping Kobe would be absolutely imperative., to school the new class.

That being said I see 2 more rings for the Kobe Lakers and then a long drought if Drew is shipped out.

[H00PDREAMS]

Honestly, I think Kobe is valuable as a mentor to any new young star they land,(Paul?) They have to get someone to play with Bynum if he has not been traded by then.

I was going to ask this question in a new thread but why waste the internet space....

Do you all think Kobe will continue to play the same position or will he switch to another position as he gets older? If so what position?

Agreed. Keeping Kobe is not only good for the next three years, but also better for the long-term plans of the team. Also acquiring a young prospect (2 guard) within a year or two would be an ideal plan for the Lakers to better utilize Kobe as his mentor for the up coming years.

To answer your question, I think he'll still play the same position, since his defense will most likely still be there. He might not get the same lift to his offensive game, but he'll definitely still be there as a defender.

Well if Bynum is still here and I would guess Gasol may still be here too. But by that time you got to imagine that all things LA would by Bynum-esque. Bynum should be beasting we hope. So Kobe will be playing how many minutes? Also Do you think with the payroll and Phil gone by then Lakers make it to thr playoffs which mean no top draft picks in the line ups just a bunch of role players. Unless they make a killer trade (Bynum?) by offering a decent package of talent for a top pick and rebuild through the draft. Keep in mind most Teams make champs that way. Okay lets say they get a young PG or SG you guys have to say keeping Kobe would be absolutely imperative., to school the new class.

That being said I see 2 more rings for the Kobe Lakers and then a long drought if Drew is shipped out.

[zeroberto]

I love Kobe and he is one of the best players I have ever seen but it just seems like a crazy amount of money for one person to be earning.

[Miller4ever]

Kobe Bryant will be taking up 30 mil when he's 24. Is he even worth that money right now? He's still one of the best in the NBA, but clearly on the back end of his prime.

[shagadelic45]

anyone know if his new deal keeps the no trade clause?

[Kilroy]

I'm just going to go out on a limb with a big homer assumption...

Kobe's extension might mean Bynum is 'available' next season...

Bynum has to be considered (like I think Dcash said) "A nice luxury to our core" but he's a damned expensive one... Maybe the timing of Kobe's extension roughly coinciding with the news that Bynum would be out longer than expected, means someone else has come to the conclusion that for what Bynum brings to the Lakers and his general fit with the team, he might be a little too expensive a luxury...

I just can't imagine paying Kobe that ammount of money, while paying Gasol and Odom what they're getting paid in addition to Bynum... And I don't see us letting go of Artest.

The only one in that group who has been a bit of a let down and a tough fit with our team has been Bynum...

I'm just saying...

If we flip a switch and stomp our way to the finals with Bynum cleary the deciding dominant factor, then maybe something else happens.

[dockingsched]

anyone know if his new deal keeps the no trade clause?

yes it does.

Kobe Bryant will be taking up 30 mil when he's 24. Is he even worth that money right now? He's still one of the best in the NBA, but clearly on the back end of his prime.

i think its obvious he won't be worth that much money on the court. he's rapidly declining and his refusal to defer even a tad is making all that more hard to watch. anywhoo, i don't think its all about what kobe will be worth on the court. he'll stick be one of the handful of megasuperstars in the league that bring so much exposure to the franchise. he'll still be one of the hardest working most well conditioned players in the league. And honestly the lakers couldn't let him walk, and kobe damn sure wasn't going to give up a cent. the lakers weren't trying to play hardball with kobe, not with defending a title hanging delicately in the balance.