not like there was any doubt... http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/100402_kobe_extension.html 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 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.
contract also coincides with three year extension Pau signed and the amount of years left on Ron's contract.
What's the max number of years a player can be extended? I'm surprised that Kobe didn't go for more years as he's most likely going to decline soon.
I'm fairly confused. Isn't that something like 30 mil per? I thought that would be over the maximum amount of what a player can get. I feel dumb
i think he's confident he'll win at least one more ring by then, maybe 2. By then the current core may be dismantled ad i dont think he wants to be part of a rebuilding process at that age. It would allow him to jump to a contender as a last ditch effort to win another ring and surpass MJ if he hasnt already.
http://nbaroundtable.wordpress.com/2010/04/02/kobe-signs-contract-extension/ That puts the first 3 years at $82 mil (81.89). A 4 year extension could be around 30 mil per season. Not sure where all the extra "could be 90 mil" comes from, but 82 mil isnt that far off. *edit* I guess this is the kind of money you can expect Lebron and the 2010 max gang to sign for. Just guessing the dollar amount, would Lebron and someone else take 3 years only $72-75 mil to go to New York ?
Thanks for explaining. That is a lot of money for an aging player, though Kobe remains to be in incredible shape. Lebron will def. command a 30+ mil per year salary then
He's actually younger than Bryant, too. Now he'd settle with just getting 1/30th of Bryant's annual salary.
You were close.... From Woj's twitter... Comparing this to Jordan's Comes close to Jordan for those two 30 mil years..
30 million a year?? jeeez, i know he is good and all but is it really worth it? i mean when you think in terms of salary, thats like signing almost a dwayne wade and yao ming (or pick your combo). the knicks have about that much in free agency money alone.
I dont care which player that is, its a franchise crippling contract with the upcoming CBA. Its like kobe's agent threw some ridiculous number out there to get started and the lakers didn't even try to negotiate it down. I'm sorry but kupchak (sp?) is a terrible gm. There goes pretty much any chance of the lakers ever improving. Everyone on that team (kobe, gasol, odom, artest, fisher) are all on the downside of their career. The only one that has any upside left is bynum and i think its possible he's reached all he is going to be too.
