Paus contract extention + Kobe

[TDMVPDPOY]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lakers-fyi19-2009dec19,0,663348.story


Gasol, 29, made the Lakers instant championship contenders when he was acquired in February 2008 from the Memphis Grizzlies, but his current contract expires after next season. He is making $16.5 million this season and $17.8 million next season, though a three-year extension would net him an additional sum of up to $64.7 million, depending on NBA salary-cap figures to be determined in 2011.

Bryant, 31, is also having positive talks with the franchise with which he began his career in 1996. He is making $23 million this season and will make $24.8 million next season in the last year of his contract, but he can tack on a three-year extension worth up to $91 million, depending on future salary-cap figures.

gasol earning big in his offered extention wtf...

kobe 30m a seaosn when his current deal ends? eerrrr

[iggypop123]

buss is willing to spend. best owner in sports

[KSeal]

Lakers can afford it. I think they'd rather pay Pau more money then he's probably worth for shorter years then wait and have to give him a long term deal that would pay a 35, 36 year old Pau 17 or 18 million a year when they're trying to rebuild.

[21_Blessings]

kobe 30m a seaosn when his current deal ends? eerrrr

More like Mike every day.

[ChrisRichards]

buss is willing to spend. best owner in sports
cuban and paul allen and boolmberg are also willing spenders. mitch deserves the props for putting together a tight team

[Allanon]

As long as Kobe keeps winning those championships, he's earned his $30mil.

I think MJ was the last player to get $30 mil...must chap the haters raw :lol

[ChrisRichards]

As long as Kobe keeps winning those championships, he's earned his $30mil.

I think MJ was the last player to get $30 mil...must chap the haters raw :lol
30 mil is overkill. he should max out at 27 mil per season

[mystargtr34]

Didnt Shaq make close to $30M one season or so? I remember KG had a ridiculously high contract too..

[Smooth Criminal]

Don't know about Shaq, but KG never neared 30Mil. I don't think he got to 25 Mil

[duncan228]

Garnett high: $28 mil in '03-'04.

Shaq high: $27,696,430 in '04-'05.

[iggypop123]

Didnt Shaq make close to $30M one season or so? I remember KG had a ridiculously high contract too..

shaq asked for something about 33 million in his extension. lakers said no. shaq in a preseason game after a dunk screamed to buss "PAY ME!" . of course its no suprise why he was traded

[MiamiHeat]

shaq asked for something about 33 million in his extension. lakers said no. shaq in a preseason game after a dunk screamed to buss "PAY ME!" . of course its no suprise why he was traded

Bryant told Jackson that O'Neal's presence on the team would affect his decision to stay with the Lakers, adding, "I'm tired of being a sidekick," Jackson wrote.

[Allanon]

30 mil is overkill. he should max out at 27 mil per season

It's true, $30 million is a crazy amount of money.

But you can't really put a price on Championships. If Kobe can bring another 5 rings to Buss, he won't complain about the price...at least not too much.

Buss said something about the Lakers having to beat the Celtics 17; I think that's his biggest goal still left.

[Allanon]

shaq asked for something about 33 million in his extension. lakers said no. shaq in a preseason game after a dunk screamed to buss "PAY ME!" . of course its no suprise why he was traded

Alot of people thought it was a mistake trading Shaq back then. I was un-decided on the trade back then.

In retrospect, it was a genius move sacrificing the present for the future. Gotta give Buss props for gambling and coming out like a bandit.

[Greg Oden]

Garnett high: $28 mil in '03-'04.


That's crazy for a glorified role player.

[21_Blessings]

Gotta give Buss props for gambling and coming out like a bandit.

Wasn't much of a gamble. It was a no-brainer.

[Allanon]

Wasn't much of a gamble. It was a no-brainer.

I confess, I was a doubter, I wanted them to keep both. I didn't care much for Kobe back then.

[21_Blessings]

Whether you liked him or not it was clear Kobe was the better player and about 7 years younger. Easy choice.

[Allanon]

Whether you liked him or not it was clear Kobe was the better player and about 7 years younger. Easy choice.

Yeah, I was stupid. :lol

[monosylab1k]

As long as Kobe keeps winning those championships, he's earned his $30mil.

According to 2003 figures, that's enough dough for 30 white girls a year. Just not in Colorado.

[Allanon]

According to 2003 figures, that's enough dough for 30 white girls a year. Just not in Colorado.

Black man's kryptonite.

[James David Manning]

Whether you liked him or not it was clear Kobe was the better player and about 7 years younger. Easy choice.


Right you stupid crack baby, after the 2004 finals bricklaying performance Kobe displayed, it was clear Kobe was better. It's understandable for a stupid honkie trailer trash cum dumpster like yourself, but you should do a better job hiding the fact you're bandwagon.

[MiamiHeat]

The ONLY significant reason Buss sided with Kobe is because Kobe was only like 26 years old in 2004, while Shaq was 32 years old

If Kobe was also 32 yrs old, Buss would have sided with Shaq. He would have traded Kobe like Phil Jackson had been asking him to, kept Shaq + Phil, and gotten some good players in return for Kobe and still win rings with Shaq.

Lakers would have still been able to win maybe 2 more rings in 05-07 with Shaq + Phil and another teammate to replace kobe

100% guaranteed.

[TheManFromAcme]

The ONLY significant reason Buss sided with Kobe is because Kobe was only like 26 years old in 2004, while Shaq was 32 years old

If Kobe was also 32 yrs old, Buss would have sided with Shaq. He would have traded Kobe like Phil Jackson had been asking him to, kept Shaq + Phil, and gotten some good players in return for Kobe and still win rings with Shaq.

Lakers would have still been able to win maybe 2 more rings in 05-07 with Shaq + Phil and another teammate to replace kobe

100% guaranteed.

Not with Shaq's worth ethic at that time. No way.
Not picking sides. In fact, when that fiasco went down I really wanted Shaq to stay at the time but looking back in hindsight it became clear that Shaq's motivation and his infamous "on company time" lines along with his other ass-clown comments shined light on what his substance was all about.....laziness.
I am going to have to disagree here with you Miami. In order for L.A. to continue winning LOB's it was going to have to involve the tandem of Shaq AND Kobe. Regardless of their differences nobody can deny that when those 2 were on, there was no other chemical bond as cohesive as these 2.

[MiamiHeat]

Shaq was traded to Miami and suddenly Shaq + Wade became the league's best duo.

immediately in his first season, Miami became contenders and were a Dwyane Wade freak rib injury away from going to the NBA Finals.

the season after that, Miami wins a ring.


Shaq might not be the same player nowadays, but in 05-07, he was still the anchor to take your teams to NBA Finals.


I find it hard to believe Shaq would not have been able to take the Lakers, coached by Phil Jackson, to the Finals again.

[TheManFromAcme]

Shaq was traded to Miami and suddenly Shaq + Wade became the league's best duo.

immediately in his first season, Miami became contenders and were a Dwyane Wade freak rib injury away from going to the NBA Finals.

the season after that, Miami wins a ring.


Shaq might not be the same player nowadays, but in 05-07, he was still the anchor to take your teams to NBA Finals.


I find it hard to believe Shaq would not have been able to take the Lakers, coached by Phil Jackson, to the Finals again.

Wouldn't you agree then just based on our dialogue that when it's all said and done your Jordan's, D-Wade's and Kobe's of the world ALL need ANOTHER player to complete them and not just ONE guy is the one and only?

All superstars, I emphasize ALL need somebody to "complete" them.