Kobe's salary: $30.45 Million Tim Duncan's Salary: $9.64 Million

[Embedded]

Look at Tim Duncan's contribution to his team this season vs. Kobe's. Does Tim Duncan deserve another title? Isn't this what teamwork is all about?

[BillMc]

Why Jimmy and the gang gave Kobe that salary is beyond me. Apparently, they didn't even negotiate. They'll be lucky if he's ever even a top 30 player again, much less worth being paid the most in the league. Yes, the Lakers have a ton of money from their TV deal, and yes it proves they take care of their own, but it also tells you that Kobe is still going to be the man - for better or worse (and I'm guessing worse) - the next 3 years.

Dwight's exit is all you need to know about how marquee players think life is like living in Kobe's shadow.

[DapDaGenius]

Deserve? You have to earn that ring.

[exstatic]

I read someplace that if you add up everything KG has made so far, and everything Kobe has, plus his new extension, he will make $1M more than KG, most of all time in the NBA. Pretty petty and egotistic.

[superbigtime]

TDs salary has gotta be one of the best bargains in the league.

[dallasmaverickslose]

Kirby: :cry "But I am the greatest competitor in league history." :cry

[Russ]

But Koby gives the team's management an added bonus that Tim does not -- he criticizes them publicly.

[Kidd K]

TDs salary has gotta be one of the best bargains in the league.

Timmy and Tony both tbh.

[Man In Black]

They did attempt a negotiation, it's just that Kobe wasn't going to do what Tim did. His ego dictated the terms so while he took a pay cut, it stopped at him still 500k higher than anyone else, making him the highest paid player in the league...still. Achilles reconstruction and all.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/feb/15/heisler-how-lakers-actually-gave-kobe-all-that/?print=1

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

The Laker's front office people are probably punching themselves in the face right now

[Thebesteva]

Thread, what's your famous line again? Something about 5 rings

[Sean Cagney]

AND an LA fan tried to tell me earlier this year it was justified he got that even off his torn Achillies but honestly he said Tim had an off year when he got his contract and so on. Their fans at times are funny when it comes to that with Kobe :lol.

[Baseline]

Bryant has always been the consummate "Me" player. This ridiculous extension further proves that he's also a "Me" person.

That said, the Lakers were stupid enough to pay him. And the Lakers will suffer for two more years because of that decision.

[tenbeersbold]

Tiimehh aint payin state tax in TX,they sop up their $$$ from the poor folks via sales tax

Jobe is paying at least 13% to Cali in state tax plus lump in all of the other Cali state taxes and thats probably at least 20% to Cali outta Jobes welfare check so its no so black and white but still LOL at a trashbin team which no other marquee player will want to touch cause of Achilles great reputation ;)

[PÒÓCH]

And I make 50 thousand Pesos a month.

[TheyCallMePro]

It's not even about Kobe's latest 2 year/48 million contract. It's the fact that in the previous 3 years he's taken 30 million per year, and before that at least 20 million per year.

I'm always baffled at how star players whine about their team not being good when they hog all the money. Not only that, but how can you expect to have good team chemistry when a star player is making 30 million and a quality role player is making just 3 million...the disparity between the salaries is ridiculous, and there's just no way there can't be animosity between the players.

Kobe has proven that he's not only not a team player on the court, but off of it as well.

The only player thats hoarded money and screwed his team more over the years is KG. I can't remember one year after his rookie deal where he didn't take the max. There's a reason he only has 1 championship and Duncan has 4.

[Bambililos]

The Lakers executives still earn more than Spurs executive. The NBA isn't just about sports, it's an entertainment. The Lakers made the choice not to win the next couple of seasons but instead run an entertainment machine with Kobe being the main attraction. Yeah he's old and injured but with his career, he stills sells jerseys and glamour to this "franchise". I always hated the Lakers, thay're just making it easier for me at the moment.

[still.focused]

I read someplace that if you add up everything KG has made so far, and everything Kobe has, plus his new extension, he will make $1M more than KG, most of all time in the NBA. Pretty petty and egotistic.
Baaaaad example Kobe is easily worth more than a million over KG.
What on Earth has KG done to warrant being aid the amount he is.
His last contract in MIN he demanded being the highest paid and the
Wovles still havent recovered completely from. Hes never made a player better and should be remembered for his plentiful 1st round exits & underachieving seasons as he should for his "heart" which is supremely overrated.

The Lakers executives still earn more than Spurs executive. The NBA isn't just about sports, it's an entertainment. The Lakers made the choice not to win the next couple of seasons but instead run an entertainment machine with Kobe being the main attraction. Yeah he's old and injured but with his career, he stills sells jerseys and glamour to this "franchise". I always hated the Lakers, thay're just making it easier for me at the moment.

This...
Its not all about the court
Hes a marquee name in the league even when hes not playing
Lakers generate so much revenue by having him as the face of the franchise that its kinda justified
Also in life you dont get what u deserve, you get what you can negotiate
When he negotiates they have to factor in his stature league wide, the teams ability w/o him(evidenced by this seasons play) and the worth of his star power to the franchise
He goes into contract negotiation with a quite a bit of leverage

[therealtruth]

It's not even about Kobe's latest 2 year/48 million contract. It's the fact that in the previous 3 years he's taken 30 million per year, and before that at least 20 million per year.

I'm always baffled at how star players whine about their team not being good when they hog all the money. Not only that, but how can you expect to have good team chemistry when a star player is making 30 million and a quality role player is making just 3 million...the disparity between the salaries is ridiculous, and there's just no way there can't be animosity between the players.

Kobe has proven that he's not only not a team player on the court, but off of it as well.

The only player thats hoarded money and screwed his team more over the years is KG. I can't remember one year after his rookie deal where he didn't take the max. There's a reason he only has 1 championship and Duncan has 4.

Kobe made a good point. The Lakers make billions of dollars. Why shouldn't he try to get as much of that money as possible?

[Sean Cagney]

The Lakers executives still earn more than Spurs executive. The NBA isn't just about sports, it's an entertainment. The Lakers made the choice not to win the next couple of seasons but instead run an entertainment machine with Kobe being the main attraction. Yeah he's old and injured but with his career, he stills sells jerseys and glamour to this "franchise". I always hated the Lakers, thay're just making it easier for me at the moment.

That about sums it up, whether he earns the contract or not he brings money in there and thats what it is.