Lakers sign Kobe to 3 year extension

[Muser]

NBA.com Breaking News.

[Muser]

EL SEGUNDO – The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Kobe Bryant to a three-year contract extension, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
"We are extremely pleased that we were able to reach an agreement and come to terms on the extension at this time," said Kupchak. "Kobe has been a cornerstone of the Lakers for well over a decade, helping to lead us to four NBA Championships and in the process developing into one of the greatest players in basketball history."
"Two of our main goals heading into this season were to sign Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol to contract extensions," continued Kupchak. "With the signing of Pau earlier this season (http://www.spurstalk.com/lakers/news/091223paugasol_pressrelease.html) and the signing of Kobe today, we were able to accomplish those goals, helping to keep the core of this team intact for the foreseeable future and in turn help to ensure the franchise's continued success over the years to come."
Bryant, a four-time NBA Champion, has earned numerous accolades over the span of his 13-year career most recently being named the 2009 NBA Finals MVP. In 2008, the 12-time NBA All-Star earned the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. In that same year Bryant helped lead the United States to a gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Bryant has earned All-NBA honors in each of the last 11 seasons and has been named to the NBA's All-Defensive Team nine times.
In Bryant's 13 seasons with the Lakers they have appeared in postseason play in all but one season (2004-05), and have reached the NBA Finals six times, winning championships in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2009. The 6'6" guard scored a career-high 81 points (55 in the 2nd half) on January 22, 2006, the second highest game and half totals in NBA history.
Originally acquired by the Lakers from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Vlade Divac on July 11, 1996 after being selected by the Hornets with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, Bryant is the youngest player in NBA history to score 25,000 points. Earlier this season Bryant moved past Jerry West to become the Lakers all-time leading scorer and currently ranks 12th on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
In 70 games this season, Bryant is averaging 27.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 38.8 minutes.

http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/100402_kobe_extension.html

[djohn2oo8]

I guess the Kobe thread is just for show

[Muser]

I though news like this deserved its own thread, no?

[PGDynasty24]

Great News. We got our cornerstone of Kobe and Pau locked up

[Xylus]

How much is he getting paid each year?

[Xylus]

I just read that the extension could be worth more than $90 million. (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ys-kobeextension040210)

$30 million a year??

[Muser]

I just read that the extension could be worth more than $90 million. (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ys-kobeextension040210)

$30 million a year??

:wow

[Muser]

Kobe just bent Mitch over.

[Mel_13]

Kobe Bryant just agreed to a three year extension. If he got the maximum possible, as has been reported, then he gets:

2010/11 - $24,806,250
2011/12 - $27,410,906
2012/13 - $30,015,563
2013/14 - $32,620,219

You heard it here first

http://www.shamsports.com/content/pages/

[PGDynasty24]

Kobe just bent Mitch over.

He's worth every penny. I think that will make him first 30million dollar player since MJ

[Mel_13]

He's worth every penny. I think that will make him first 30million dollar player since MJ

With the new CBA coming, he'll probably be the last.

[PGDynasty24]

With the new CBA coming, he'll probably be the last.

That's exactly what I was thinking

[Muser]

Lakers are fucked so badly if the lockout happens.

[mogrovejo]

Lakers are fucked so badly if the lockout happens.

Why?

[mogrovejo]

He's worth every penny.

For sentimental reasons?

[j.dizzle]

God damn we in a recession & they giving out that kind of paper??? Dr. Buss is one generous SOB, especially giving Pau his big ass contract too. Hopefully this means they'll get rid of half the bench & pick up better players for half the price hahaa

[JamStone]

So now he can afford the teenage bitches who don't talk?

[PGDynasty24]

For sentimental reasons?

Will remain a elite player in NBA. He's the most popular NBA player in world and brings in more merchandise than anyone. Safe to say he's worth it

[j.dizzle]

BTW does this mean Lebrons agent gonna be asking for 40 mil a year??? hahaha make it rain on them ho's

[JamStone]

God damn we in a recession & they giving out that kind of paper??? Dr. Buss is one generous SOB, especially giving Pau his big ass contract too. Hopefully this means they'll get rid of half the bench & pick up better players for half the price hahaa

According to your lowly esteemed fellow Laker fans, you guys are getting LeBron James for Sasha, Farmar, and Adam Morrison.

[Xylus]

The only thing I'd be worried about as a Lakers fan is the fact that Kobe will be making $32 million when he's 35 years old. Otherwise, yes, Kobe is an extremely profitable player to have on your team.

[j.dizzle]

Shit Kobe is playing almost 39 minutes per game.
39 minutes is deceiving if you watch him..True story,I think he said last week that ppl dont gotta worry cuz he only plays hard for like 15 of those 37-40 minutes in most regular season games hahaa.

[mogrovejo]

Will remain a elite player in NBA. He's the most popular NBA player in world and brings in more merchandise than anyone. Safe to say he's worth it

Are you serious? Honest question, can't really say if you're being sarcastic or not. Do you have an idea of how much the Lakers make out of Kobe's merchandise?

[8FOR!3]

lol at paying a 35 year old 32 mil. Lakers fans will be face palming that in 2013/14.

[JamStone]

If he trains properly, which he does and might do it better than any other NBA player, Kobe can still be an elite player at 35. He doesn't have to be the best player in the league to be worth his salary. He has to still be one of the best players in the league, the Lakers still have to be winning, and he still have wide media and fan appeal. He will slow down at some point. It's a certain eventuality. But he could easily still be worth $32 million in salary if he does those things I mentioned.

I know people hate the comparison, but not in terms of greatness but in terms of age, Jordan won his last three titles at the ages of 33, 34, and 35. I know NBA miles are different and he took a couple years off and started in the NBA a couple years later, so Kobe has a lot more NBA mileage on his legs. But, as I suggested, if Kobe continues to train and condition his body like he has basically his entire NBA career, there's a good chance he'll still be in great shape at 35. We know it's not a question about his skills.

[Mel_13]

Why don't the Lakers front load his contract and give him less as he gets older? Or is that not allowed in the NBA?

The most he can get in the first year of an extension is 10.5% more than the salary for the final year on his current deal. If the reports are correct, that's what he will get. The contract could have descended in value after that, but that would mean less for Kobe.

For him to get the max money possible, this was the only way to structure the deal (insofar as salary cap is concerned).

[JamStone]

Why don't the Lakers front load his contract and give him less as he gets older? Or is that not allowed in the NBA?

There are percentage restrictions on how much you can pay a player when you're dealing with maximum contracts. The team can only increase your salary from the previous year by something like 15%. And it can't be more than something like 50% of the entire payroll or revenue. Something like that. Don't quote me on those numbers. But, if they front load the contract, they wouldn't be giving him the maximum amount of money possible under CBA rules.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

He's worth every penny. I think that will make him first 30million dollar player since MJ


I could be wrong but wasn't Shaq getting paid 30+ million at one point?

[Xevious]

With the new CBA coming, he'll probably be the last.
Yeah, nice timing on Kobe's part getting that signed.

That's a ridiculous contract.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

I am wrong, highest was $27,696,430

[poop]

will fall off cliff next year.

[BRHornet45]

LMAO ... $30 million a year for a jump shooting free throw artist. well sons I guess you can't blame the Lakers for doing this. keeping him around has nothing to do with his basketball skills and everything to do with marketing.

[BRHornet45]

sons if Kobe is getting $30-32 million per year imagine what Lebron will get ...

[BRHornet45]

He's worth every penny. I think that will make him first 30million dollar player since MJ

Lebron will get $30 million next year more than likely

[daslicer]

Wow he will be making 30 mil plus when he's 34 and 35. He's very overpaid at that age considering his body is already breaking down he won't be worth that type of money by the time it kicks in. One thing this ensures that the Lakers are in cap hell for the next several years. I think the Lakers window is this year and next and then its completely shut which basically means this extension was stupid.

[ChrisRichards]

lol at paying a 35 year old 32 mil. Lakers fans will be face palming that in 2013/14.
This.



We've seen it all before. HOF'er on their last legs getting that last huge payday only to disappoint.



Anyway, giving someone whose going to give you 25 points per game on 22 shots while shooting under 45% is not a smart business move. The Lakers are probably better signing a younger NBA Star for less and spending the rest to get another solid NBA starter.

[BRHornet45]

Wow he will be making 30 mil plus when he's 34 and 35. He's very overpaid at that age considering his body is already breaking down he won't be worth that type of money by the time it kicks in. One thing this ensures that the Lakers are in cap hell for the next several years. I think the Lakers window is this year and next and then its completely shut which basically means this extension was stupid.

and son also if you take away all of the free points from free throws that the NBA awards to him on a nightly basis then he is barely even a 20 point per game player with a poor shooting percentage.

[Mel_13]

Lebron will get $30 million next year more than likely

The maximum that LeBron can get next year is approximately 17.2M

A max contract with Cleveland will pay him about 130M over six years, topping out at 26.2M in the last year.

[noob cake]

Bynum must now feel like shit right now, on that 11/12m per year contract. He coulda milked a bit more.

[JamStone]

Through the life of his contract, Andrew Bynum is making more like $14 million a year. And based on CBA salary restrictions and his market value based on production and potential, he milked the Lakers for about as much as a player in his position could have. I think most people think he and his agent still robbed the Lakers more than anything with the contract they ultimately got.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

NBA already said that if they lockout the current contracts will not stand. So whatever contracts percentage go down so will this contract. He will never see anything close to $30 million a season, more close to $10 million.

[cobbler]

This.

We've seen it all before. HOF'er on their last legs getting that last huge payday only to disappoint.

Anyway, giving someone whose going to give you 25 points per game on 22 shots while shooting under 45% is not a smart business move. The Lakers are probably better signing a younger NBA Star for less and spending the rest to get another solid NBA starter.

Yeah... cause the Lakers have such a terrible history of producing contenders.

OBSESSION

[baseline bum]

So much for the idea of Kobe taking a paycut so that core can be kept together if the owners get their shitty hard cap.

[exstatic]

lol at paying a 35 year old 32 mil. Lakers fans will be face palming that in 2013/14.

Yeah, Kobe bent Mitch over first, then the hard cap will.

The last two years, they'll have to let good players roll off just to be able to sign minimum stiffs to round out the roster to 13.

[21_Blessings]

Through the life of his contract, Andrew Bynum is making more like $14 million a year. And based on CBA salary restrictions and his market value based on production and potential, he milked the Lakers for about as much as a player in his position could have. I think most people think he and his agent still robbed the Lakers more than anything with the contract they ultimately got.

Is this a joke? You do realize the Lakers have a fucking TEAM OPTION on his last year, which is a rare thing and doesn't usually happen in contracts where you were robbed.

Second, Bynum's producing at Pau Gasol's level in less minutes while getting paid less.

Third, Bynum was a 19/11 player when Pau Gasol was out and the frontrunner for an all-star appearance at the time. He's more than earned that money based on his 'market value'.

[ChrisRichards]

Yeah... cause the Lakers have such a terrible history of producing contenders.



They lucked out in Shaq. Lakers got him in his prime. I dont see any player like Shaq in the market anytime soon. Well Lebron is going to be available but not anytime soon.


Thinking about it now, the Lakers have committed a lot of money for an aging core. Artest has what 4 yrs? Odom 3 yrs? Luke Walton still has a few more seasons with his MLE and now Kobe with $90 mil which pretty much will put them in cap hell in a couple of seasons. They better hope they win this year, if not at least next year to at least get their money's worth.

[baseline bum]

The core is already locked up. Odom, Artest, Bynum are in for the next four years, now Kobe too. We're just waiting on the titles.

And if the hard cap comes in, LA will be forced to not pick up the 2012 team options on Bynum and Odom.

[baseline bum]

2012!!! Were going to be in full rebuild mode, son. We'll take our mandatory 2-3 year break and return to winning titles.

So you have two more years of the core, max, unless the PA grows some balls. 2 < 4.

[baseline bum]

Don't worry about us, son. We've been building contenders long before you decided to tank and build one.

You have? I bet it looks good on your resume.

[spurs1990]

As ludicrous as 3 year 90 million sounds, Kobe Bryant may be underpaid.

[djohn2oo8]

You have? I bet it looks good on your resume.

:lol

[SomeCallMeTim]

He's worth every penny.

Agreed. The top stars in the league are underpaid. LeBron, Howard, Kobe definitely are from a business standpoint. NBA is a star-driven league and these are the guys who drive ratings, spin the turnstiles, and move merchandise. All teams get to enjoy the benefits of that since those revenues are (mostly) shared.

We can argue all day long about how, on a production basis, Kobe will be overpaid, but the way the CBA is set up veterans will almost always look bad by that metric. Some of the most productive players in the league are still on their rookie-scale contracts and are artificially underpaid. The PA wanted it that way, where vets "got theirs" while the young'uns all had to pay their dues.

[SomeCallMeTim]

And if the hard cap comes in, LA will be forced to not pick up the 2012 team options on Bynum and Odom.

And if in 2012 the world ends it's all a moot point.

Somehow, I think the Lakers will be fine.

[SomeCallMeTim]

So much for the idea of Kobe taking a paycut so that core can be kept together if the owners get their shitty hard cap.

Wait, so Kobe's supposed to take a paycut just in case the new CBA has a hard cap?

This is a legitimate dilemma in your world?

[SomeCallMeTim]

They lucked out in Shaq. Lakers got him in his prime. I dont see any player like Shaq in the market anytime soon. Well Lebron is going to be available but not anytime soon.

Players with the value of Shaq hit the market all the time, but they don't switch teams like they used to, courtesy of the CBA hammered out more than a decade ago. Have you somehow missed this? Quick, name the last superstar to change teams via free agency and in his prime.


Thinking about it now, the Lakers have committed a lot of money for an aging core. Artest has what 4 yrs? Odom 3 yrs? Luke Walton still has a few more seasons with his MLE and now Kobe with $90 mil which pretty much will put them in cap hell in a couple of seasons. They better hope they win this year, if not at least next year to at least get their money's worth.

Lakers are already in "cap hell" - so freaking what? They have 2 of the top 15 most valuable players in the NBA locked up long term, not to mention 4 of the top 30 or so. They pretty much have the core that won the last title under contract for close to their prime years. The bench is weak but no team is perfect and I expect they'll continue to address that each year with the draft, MLE, LLE, etc.

I love all the false concern over how this somehow puts the Lakers in a difficult position. Yes, all the hand-wringing on behalf of the poor Laker franchise from Heat, Spur, and Rocket fans is genuinely touching.

[baseline bum]

Wait, so Kobe's supposed to take a paycut just in case the new CBA has a hard cap?

This is a legitimate dilemma in your world?

I don't think he owes it to anyone to take a paycut, but the realities are that the Lakers will have to be broken up if there's a hard cap and the players association hasn't shown any aptitude to stop the owners from getting what they want in the negotiations of the last two collective bargaining agreements. The owners wanted max salaries with caps on the years in 1999, and got them. They wanted caps on the yearly raises and got them in 99 and got them reduced even further in 05. They got the players to contribute to an escrow fund. They cut a further year off player contracts in 05. They eliminated players coming straight out of high school. Instead of having 1st round picks locked in to a fixed salary for 3 years with a team option on the 3rd, like the 99 CBA guaranteed, they now have them locked in for 4 years, with years 3 and 4 team options. Going on past history, what Stern wants, Stern gets from the NBAPA, and Stern wants a hard cap badly.

[Pistons < Spurs]

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.

[ChickHearnMic]

http://i41.tinypic.com/t8ov7r.jpg

[jag]

http://i41.tinypic.com/t8ov7r.jpg

Jordan never posed like that.

[ChickHearnMic]

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/5b/fullj.018a90c0e299697816043e7f5d990f6b/018a90c0e299697816043e7f5d990f6b-getty-90044350ab040_jazz_lakers.jpg