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

[Who]

This should answer the question

Ramona Shelburne ‏@ramonashelburne 2m
Kobe Bryants contract will make him the highest paid player in the league the next two seasons

 

Oh wow. That means $24 million or more to get above Amar'e.

Edit: And then $25 million to get above Joe Johnson in the second year.

I was thinking a two year $50 million deal was worst case.

[moiso]

Wow, me too.  My guess is that if he signed it this early, it is going to be at a significant pay cut to clear room for help.

I dunno.  A couple months ago Bryant said that he wouldn't be taking any kind of hometown discount.

That was taken out of context.  He said that he always wants to try to get what he is worth, because he is competitive about everything.  But he did go on to suggest that he would work with the team when it came time to actually negotiate. 

Wow, me too.  My guess is that if he signed it this early, it is going to be at a significant pay cut to clear room for help.

I was thinking the opposite. That if Kobe signed this early, he must have gotten a big contract.

I look at this as bad news for LAL.

I think this might be the case with a lot of free agents, but I just don't think Kobe has much interest in leaving LA at this point in his career.  I think he is thinking about his legacy now, and is looking to add a couple more championships to it, and he knows the best way to do that is in LA, by helping them lure some elite players to play with him.

So much for working with the team.

[Drucci]

Source: Kobe deal worth $48 million over 2 years. Still will be highest paid player in league next 2 yrs

https://twitter.com/Chris_Broussard

So much for taking a paycut!

[Fafnir]

2 years 48 million lol.

[manl_lui]

I am guessing $20 million per year.

Yep.  That's my guess too.

I hope not for LA's sake.

$12-15mill max I'm guessing. Mid-30's coming off a torn acl? $20mill would be awful.

That's why I hope it's true.

I hope it's true too, why would you want LA to do well...let Kobe hog the ball and hog most of the salary so they can't anyone

[Chris]

Source: Kobe deal worth $48 million over 2 years. Still will be highest paid player in league next 2 yrs

https://twitter.com/Chris_Broussard

So much for taking a paycut!

That's a pretty massive paycut.  He is making $30 million this year. 

[Drucci]

I think it's quite obvious Kobe is gunning for the all-time scoring list's #1 spot now, and the Lakers agree to overpay him only to cement his place in history.

If he retires at the end of his deal he will be the longest-tenured player with the same team (20 years to Stockton's 19, the current record).

[manl_lui]

Source: Kobe deal worth $48 million over 2 years. Still will be highest paid player in league next 2 yrs

https://twitter.com/Chris_Broussard

So much for taking a paycut!

That's a pretty massive paycut.  He is making $30 million this year.

I wouldn't say massive

[PhoSita]

Talk about bidding against yourself.

[Snakehead]

Perfect number.

[Chris]

Source: Kobe deal worth $48 million over 2 years. Still will be highest paid player in league next 2 yrs

https://twitter.com/Chris_Broussard

So much for taking a paycut!

That's a pretty massive paycut.  He is making $30 million this year.

I wouldn't say massive

Compared to what he could get, it is massive.  Had he simply been given an extension he could have gotten a 2 year $67 million contract.

[SCeltic34]

I don't get it.  I haven't looked up the specifics of their payroll over the next 3 years, but if he truly wants that 6th ring, why not take a pay cut so that the Lakers can put better pieces around him?  It's not like he actually needs more money.  Shoulda went the Tom Brady route.

[Chris]

I don't get it.  I haven't looked up the specifics of their payroll over the next 3 years, but if he truly wants that 6th ring, why not take a pay cut so that the Lakers can put better pieces around him?  It's not like he actually needs more money.  Shoulda went the Tom Brady route.

But he DID take a pay cut.  And now the Lakers have plenty of room for another max player this summer, even if they can't get Nash off the books. 

[Roy H.]

Talk about bidding against yourself.

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

[SCeltic34]

I don't get it.  I haven't looked up the specifics of their payroll over the next 3 years, but if he truly wants that 6th ring, why not take a pay cut so that the Lakers can put better pieces around him?  It's not like he actually needs more money.  Shoulda went the Tom Brady route.

But he DID take a pay cut.  And now the Lakers have plenty of room for another max player this summer, even if they can't get Nash off the books.

True he did take a pay cut, but that's still an enormous amount of money for an aging star returning from a serious injury.  I meant why not take a salary in the range of 12-15 mil per year?

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