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The Gasol trade is the reason why the Lakers have a championship and get to keep Kobe. If they hadn't made that trade it could have gotten really ugly for LA.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4298227
It wasn't long ago that Kobe Bryant reportedly wanted out of Los Angeles. He's not going anywhere now.
Bryant
Fresh off winning the championship, the Lakers guard decided not to exercise an early termination option in his contract and will return for the 2009-10 season, a league source told ESPN.com's Chad Ford.
Bryant is scheduled to make $23 million next season by not opting out. He also has a player option to opt out of his contract in the 2010-11 season. The Lakers will work with Bryant over the summer and fall to hammer out a new, long-term extension, according to the source.
After two straight first-round exits from the playoffs, Bryant requested a trade in the spring of 2007, saying that he didn't like the direction the team's rebuilding was going.
The Lakers then went out and traded for big man Pau Gasol. Los Angeles increased its win total from 42 games to 57 and went to the NBA Finals, eventually losing to the Boston Celtics. The Lakers bounced back with a 65-win season in 2008-09, made it back to the Finals and beat the Orlando Magic for the le. Bryant distinguished himself by winning his first championship without Shaquille O'Neal. The duo won three from 2000-02.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.
The Gasol trade is the reason why the Lakers have a championship and get to keep Kobe. If they hadn't made that trade it could have gotten really ugly for LA.
^Thankyou Captain Obvious.
Who didnt see this coming.
Damn. I was sure Kobe was going to opt out and take the Spurs MLE. I guess some guys would just rather take the money instead of playing for a ring.
That ranks right up there with your HOR comment.
Do you want a trophy for that deep analysis?
good reporting
i thought laker fans wanted him to opt out, then sign a new contract for less money this year
This is a shocking development.
Thanks.
That ranks right up there with your HOR comment.
Funniest part is that if the Gasol trade never happened, someone would have said this and been serious about it.
Yeah.....what a surprise!!
There are some things that shouldn't be reported!!!!
It is a surprise.
I thought he would opt out and he and the Lakers would come to a new agreement with a restructured contract to accomodate Ariza and Odom.
Laker fans should ALL suck Jerry West's prune for the Gasol trade
Why, he had nothing to do with it. That's just in the heads of Spur fans cause they can't accept the Lakers FO made a great trade, just like the Spurs did with Jefferson.
Just kidding
Still, they should all suck his prune anyway
*breaking news*
Yeah, they were the 1st seed at one point pre-Gasol trade. Really ugly dude.
Kobe staying on the Lakers, how original, never seen that one before.
They were the 1st seed.
But the Gasol trade helped them to get to that championship level.
Do you seriously think they would have gotten there without Pau ?
You don't pay attention much. What he's saying was that Kobe wanted out, and when Gasol came in, that kept him there...if Kobe had left, it would have been ugly in LA..period.
when gasol came in and they started winning games i dont think anyone was serious about trading him at that point. they probably just pushed that trade that kobe eventually vetoed to show that if kobe demands a trade he'll get it
the real trick will be coping with kobe when phil aint around
I really thought he was going to opt out. I mean, he's never won a championship without Phil Jackson. People will never respect him for that!
Why are you still here? The Lakers won and you said you would never post here again if they did. Are you a welcher? Are you not a man of your word?
No surprise here; this team is young, deep and are odds on favorites to repeat as nba champs.
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