Bryant signs ext w/LA, $48 million over two years

[YoungOne87]

no more titles for kobe   

[manl_lui]

no more titles for kobe   

I'm fine with that anyday

[Moranis]

Talk about bidding against yourself.

Yeah.  What other team would have made an offer within 30% of that?

I think a good number of teams would pay him that, but most of them wouldn't have the cap space to do it.

Minnesota and Cleveland, for example, would be teams that would make sense to pay Kobe that kind of money.  He would draw huge interest in the team from the fan base, media, etc. (thus leading to tons of dollars for the owner) and they are close enough to title contention that Kobe might actually put them over the top (both of them could also use a pure scorer). 

[Mencius]

...
Also didn't know they had room for another max player this summer.  Wonder who it will be.

My guess is it'll be Carmelo, if the Knicks continue to stink.  Still between Kobe's absurd new contract and a maxed out Carmelo, they'd be filling out their roster with near minimum guys.  Safe to say no more titles for Kobe.

What a horrible move by the Lakers giving that much money to a guy coming off of a busted achilles, at his age, and with that many miles of NBA wear and tear on him.  Instantly becomes worst contract in the league.

[LooseCannon]

I can imagine Bryant giving the Lakers an ultimatum that they must keep him as the highest-paid player in the league or he will take a massive pay cut out of spite and leave money on the table to sign with whatever team hurts the Lakers the most. (the Clippers or Celtics?)

[Moranis]

The Lakers should have about 21-22 million in cap space next summer.  They've got Kobe at 23.5, Nash at 9.7, and Sacre at .92 for 34.12 from those 3 guys.  Nick Young has a player option at 1.23.  Say he takes that up to 35.35 million from 4 players.  The Lakers will also have their first round pick.  Let's just say it accounts for 2 million (late lottery type dollars).  Now they are up to 37.35 million with 5 players.  Assuming the Lakers relinquish everyone else and add no other draft picks or rookies, they have to have 7 cap holds, which is around 3.5 million more.  That takes them to 40.85 million.  The cap is projected at 62.1 million so that would leave L.A. about 21-22 million in space.  Of course that means they have to let Gasol, Kaman, etc. walk as they have to renounce them to get room.  If they could move Nash this year for an expiring deal that would open up even more room for them.

[Kane3387]

The Lakers should have about 21-22 million in cap space next summer.  They've got Kobe at 23.5, Nash at 9.7, and Sacre at .92 for 34.12 from those 3 guys.  Nick Young has a player option at 1.23.  Say he takes that up to 35.35 million from 4 players.  The Lakers will also have their first round pick.  Let's just say it accounts for 2 million (late lottery type dollars).  Now they are up to 37.35 million with 5 players.  Assuming the Lakers relinquish everyone else and add no other draft picks or rookies, they have to have 7 cap holds, which is around 3.5 million more.  That takes them to 40.85 million.  The cap is projected at 62.1 million so that would leave L.A. about 21-22 million in space.  Of course that means they have to let Gasol, Kaman, etc. walk as they have to renounce them to get room.  If they could move Nash this year for an expiring deal that would open up even more room for them.

I would do humphries for Nash and their 2014 unprotected pick.

[LooseCannon]

The Lakers should have about 21-22 million in cap space next summer.  They've got Kobe at 23.5, Nash at 9.7, and Sacre at .92 for 34.12 from those 3 guys.  Nick Young has a player option at 1.23.  Say he takes that up to 35.35 million from 4 players.  The Lakers will also have their first round pick.  Let's just say it accounts for 2 million (late lottery type dollars).  Now they are up to 37.35 million with 5 players.  Assuming the Lakers relinquish everyone else and add no other draft picks or rookies, they have to have 7 cap holds, which is around 3.5 million more.  That takes them to 40.85 million.  The cap is projected at 62.1 million so that would leave L.A. about 21-22 million in space.  Of course that means they have to let Gasol, Kaman, etc. walk as they have to renounce them to get room.  If they could move Nash this year for an expiring deal that would open up even more room for them.

I would do humphries for Nash and their 2014 unprotected pick.

They can't trade their 2014 pick because they traded their 2015 pick to Phoenix.  The best you can do is include the right to swap picks.

[BballTim]

Talk about bidding against yourself.

Yeah.  What other team would have made an offer within 30% of that?

I think a good number of teams would pay him that, but most of them wouldn't have the cap space to do it.

Minnesota and Cleveland, for example, would be teams that would make sense to pay Kobe that kind of money.  He would draw huge interest in the team from the fan base, media, etc. (thus leading to tons of dollars for the owner) and they are close enough to title contention that Kobe might actually put them over the top (both of them could also use a pure scorer).

  Cleveland's close enough to title contention? Really?

[Fafnir]

Talk about bidding against yourself.

Yeah.  What other team would have made an offer within 30% of that?

I think a good number of teams would pay him that, but most of them wouldn't have the cap space to do it.

Minnesota and Cleveland, for example, would be teams that would make sense to pay Kobe that kind of money.  He would draw huge interest in the team from the fan base, media, etc. (thus leading to tons of dollars for the owner) and they are close enough to title contention that Kobe might actually put them over the top (both of them could also use a pure scorer).

I don't think any team would pay him that except the Nets. Too much money for an older injured player, especially given the luxury tax and salary cap implications of such a huge deal.

[Moranis]

Talk about bidding against yourself.

Yeah.  What other team would have made an offer within 30% of that?

I think a good number of teams would pay him that, but most of them wouldn't have the cap space to do it.

Minnesota and Cleveland, for example, would be teams that would make sense to pay Kobe that kind of money.  He would draw huge interest in the team from the fan base, media, etc. (thus leading to tons of dollars for the owner) and they are close enough to title contention that Kobe might actually put them over the top (both of them could also use a pure scorer).

  Cleveland's close enough to title contention? Really?

I think if they had a guy like Kobe it would really alter their entire team.  They need a go to scorer.  It is apparent watching them play that they just don't have that guy they can go to with the game on the line and who can take the pressure off of Kyrie.  You add Kobe to Kyrie, Thompson, Varejao, Bynum, etc. and I think that whole team just looks and feels different.  It is why Cleveland has left a ton of cap room this summer to try and bring Lebron back to town.  Add Lebron to that team and they are the clear favorites in the east.  Kobe is not Lebron obviously, but adding him to that squad would easily take them to the contender level.

[Moranis]

Talk about bidding against yourself.

Yeah.  What other team would have made an offer within 30% of that?

I think a good number of teams would pay him that, but most of them wouldn't have the cap space to do it.

Minnesota and Cleveland, for example, would be teams that would make sense to pay Kobe that kind of money.  He would draw huge interest in the team from the fan base, media, etc. (thus leading to tons of dollars for the owner) and they are close enough to title contention that Kobe might actually put them over the top (both of them could also use a pure scorer).

I don't think any team would pay him that except the Nets. Too much money for an older injured player, especially given the luxury tax and salary cap implications of such a huge deal.

The thing is, Kobe would mean so many dollars to the owner from merchandise, ticket sales, etc. that he would be worth it, especially for a team like Cleveland which will be well below the cap entering next summer (and thus might not even go into tax range to sign him).  Kobe is also the type of player Cleveland needs.  Now obviously Cleveland wouldn't be 24 million under the cap to pay Kobe that kind of money, but they could have tried to work out a trade as they have a lot of young guys under contract they could have sent to L.A. (you know something like Varejao, Jack, and Bennett for Kobe).

[Fafnir]

I don't see Kobe altering Cleveland to contender status at all. Their problems go beyond just lack of a lead scorer, too little defensive talent and effort. Their big men rotation has been bad except for AV (and even he hasn't be great) and they have a gapping hole at SF.

[Fafnir]

Talk about bidding against yourself.

Yeah.  What other team would have made an offer within 30% of that?

I think a good number of teams would pay him that, but most of them wouldn't have the cap space to do it.

Minnesota and Cleveland, for example, would be teams that would make sense to pay Kobe that kind of money.  He would draw huge interest in the team from the fan base, media, etc. (thus leading to tons of dollars for the owner) and they are close enough to title contention that Kobe might actually put them over the top (both of them could also use a pure scorer).

I don't think any team would pay him that except the Nets. Too much money for an older injured player, especially given the luxury tax and salary cap implications of such a huge deal.

The thing is, Kobe would mean so many dollars to the owner from merchandise, ticket sales, etc. that he would be worth it, especially for a team like Cleveland which will be well below the cap entering next summer (and thus might not even go into tax range to sign him).  Kobe is also the type of player Cleveland needs.  Now obviously Cleveland wouldn't be 24 million under the cap to pay Kobe that kind of money, but they could have tried to work out a trade as they have a lot of young guys under contract they could have sent to L.A. (you know something like Varejao, Jack, and Bennett for Kobe).

So it'd be Kryie + Kobe and a bunch of replacement level guys?

I'm sure that lottery squad would make Gilbert a ton of money.

[manl_lui]

Talk about bidding against yourself.

Yeah.  What other team would have made an offer within 30% of that?

I think a good number of teams would pay him that, but most of them wouldn't have the cap space to do it.

Minnesota and Cleveland, for example, would be teams that would make sense to pay Kobe that kind of money.  He would draw huge interest in the team from the fan base, media, etc. (thus leading to tons of dollars for the owner) and they are close enough to title contention that Kobe might actually put them over the top (both of them could also use a pure scorer).

  Cleveland's close enough to title contention? Really?

I think if they had a guy like Kobe it would really alter their entire team.  They need a go to scorer.  It is apparent watching them play that they just don't have that guy they can go to with the game on the line and who can take the pressure off of Kyrie.  You add Kobe to Kyrie, Thompson, Varejao, Bynum, etc. and I think that whole team just looks and feels different.  It is why Cleveland has left a ton of cap room this summer to try and bring Lebron back to town.  Add Lebron to that team and they are the clear favorites in the east.  Kobe is not Lebron obviously, but adding him to that squad would easily take them to the contender level.

Kobe coming back from injury, and as of right now, Cleveland is a Kyrie injury from destroying their team. With Kobe's age and Kyrie's health, would that be worth a gamble? O and add in Bynum's health