Kobe decides to stay with Lakers
Caroncollector
Posts: 207
in Sports Talk
Kobe Bryant's journey through free agency ended Thursday where it began - with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant chose the Lakers over the Clippers, remaining with the team he joined in 1996 at age 18 and later helped win three NBA championships.
"Kobe has informed us he's going to stay with the Lakers and sign a new contract," Lakers spokesman John Black said Thursday afternoon. The team planned a news conference for later in the day.
The decision came a day after the Lakers traded fellow superstar Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat. Now, it will be Bryant - along with incoming coach Rudy Tomjanovich and Heat imports Lamar Odom, caron Butler and Brian Grant - who will be leading them into the future.
Bryant, who said repeatedly this past season he wanted to be a "Laker for life," is poised to fulfill that declaration. His contract will be worth more than $136.4 million over seven years.
One significant obstacle remains for Bryant before next season. He has pleaded not guilty to felony sexual assault and faces an Aug. 27 trial in Eagle, Colo. He claims he had consensual sex with an employee, now 20, at the Vail-area resort where she worked.
If convicted, Bryant faces four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation, and a fine of up to $750,000.
Bryant, who turns 26 next month, has averaged 21.8 points in 561 regular-season games over eight seasons. He averaged 24.0 points this past season despite his legal problems and a career-high 30.0 points in the 2002-2003 campaign.
The Lakers had an advantage over the Clippers financially, able to offer a seven-year contract worth $30 million than the Clippers could pay him.
Bryant became an unrestricted free agent when, as expected, he opted out of his contract June 17 - the same day O'Neal demanded a trade and Phil Jackson was informed he wouldn't return as coach next season.
Bryant also spoke with representatives of the Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks before narrowing the field to the two Los Angeles teams
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But i'll tell you this, give him another versatile all-around player like Jordan had Pippen and surround him with solid role players and you might be surprised what he'll do
<< <i>I think Kobe realizes whats ahead of him
But i'll tell you this, give him another versatile all-around player like Jordan had Pippen and surround him with solid role players and you might be surprised what he'll do >>
LOL
Give Iverson, Carter or even Francis a versatile all-around player like Pippen and surround them with solid role players and everyone would be surprised what they'd do.
Seriously, first round exit or lottery here we come.
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<<Seriously, first round exit or lottery here we come.>>
Perhaps this year but my point was i don't feel they need a dominant Big guy ala Snaq to win some more rings. They just need to build up the talent around Kobe now that Shaq's gone and i think that might take a little time
<< <i>I don't feel they need a dominant Big guy ala Snaq to win some more rings. >>
Funny, the rest of the world does.
Like IrishMike said, nobody wants to play with him. Shaq left -> Malone started talking to the Spurs & Fisher signed with the Warriors. MAN what a superstar he is. I've never heard anyone saying they didn't wanna play with Jordan or Shaq.
The only one who did stay was Payton and we all know how he contributed last season: nothing but nagging and complaining. He should complete Bryant.
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Kobe has never had his own team so what players have said in the past dosen't mean crap to me. Lets see how he plays from here on in. The guy is still 3 years younger than the age Jordan won his 1st ring.
Did you see the contract Fisher got from G.S ? Don't you think that might have had something to do with him leaving ?
And you might be too young to remember Jordans early years but he was looked at back then just as Kobe is looked at now. He learned to make the guys around him better and i think it's only fair we give KB the same chance
<< <i>Would you consider Ben Wallace a dominant Center in the league ? I don't and they were able to win this year. Ben Wallace is a very good defender/rebounder , far from dominant
Kobe has never had his own team so what players have said in the past dosen't mean crap to me. Lets see how he plays from here on in. The guy is still 3 years younger than the age Jordan won his 1st ring.
Did you see the contract Fisher got from G.S ? Don't you think that might have had something to do with him leaving ?
And you might be too young to remember Jordans early years but he was looked at back then just as Kobe is looked at now. He learned to make the guys around him better and i think it's only fair we give KB the same chance >>
1) No, Wallace isn't a dominant Center. In fact, the Pistons didn't even have a dominant guy but they played as a team and ALWAYS gave the hot man the ball. Shaq was shooting over 70% in one game STILL had stretches of 5-6 minutes in which he didn't get the ball. During those stretches, Kobe was hoisting up low percentage fade-aways from 3 PT range or passing the ball ONLY when he was being trapped by Rip & Prince. What does that tell you about the guy and his ability to be a teamplayer?
2) Yes, Jordan won his first ring when he was 28, but he never had the most dominant center in the league (and best player at the time) on his side before that. Kobe did.
3) Did Fisher ever complain about the money? Did he ever complain about his benchrole? About backing up GP? No, Fish is a teamplayer and would do anything for the team. He REALISES he can't win anything with Kobe out there by himself and Lamar Odom. He REALISES they need Shaq to win and he KNOWS Kobe. There isn't anyone who EVER signed on that team because they wanted to play with Kobe, they all wanted to play with Shaq.
Ain't it funny that Fisher anounced his decision just hours after Kobe told the world he would resign with the Lakers?
4) Don't compare Jordan to Kobe, please. Jordan is considered to be the greatest EVER, Kobe isn't even considered the best right now.
The stats don't lie either.
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Of course you don't mention that many times Kobe would get the ball with 5 or less seconds on the 24 because guys like Payton didn't want nothing to do with the ball in certain situations. Also what about the games this year when Kobe was double teamed and he didn't force anything but just swung the ball to open players. He had to hear s*%@ about that too.
Nobody assisted on more of Shaq's makes this year than Kobe. Kobe avg'd over 5 assists a gm this year and just about 6 last year. For the type of scorer he is i think those are decent assist #'s
Lets face it , people always want to talk s*%# about Kobe. When he shoots too much he's a ball hog, when he limited his shots in certain games this year and just gets other players involved people have things to say then too.
P.S i wasn't the one who said Kobe has a chance to be better than Jordan, Shaq said it .
On the other hand, there is no question that Shaq is the most dominant player in the league. He may not be as mobile and healthy as he was three years ago, but he is so far ahead of the other centers in the league that even with bad toes and overeating, he is still far and away the best big man out there. Duncan and Garnett do not really fill the middle, Ming is ok at times but disappears most of the time. It will be interesting to see how Shaq and Kobe one fare without one another.
<< <i>Of course you don't mention that many times Kobe would get the ball with 5 or less seconds on the 24 because guys like Payton didn't want nothing to do with the ball in certain situations. Also what about the games this year when Kobe was double teamed and he didn't force anything but just swung the ball to open players. He had to hear s*%@ about that too.
Nobody assisted on more of Shaq's makes this year than Kobe. Kobe avg'd over 5 assists a gm this year and just about 6 last year. For the type of scorer he is i think those are decent assist #'s
Lets face it , people always want to talk s*%# about Kobe. When he shoots too much he's a ball hog, when he limited his shots in certain games this year and just gets other players involved people have things to say then too.
>>
1) Oh really? Many times? Like what, 2 or 3 shots a game? That still doesn't explain going 8-25 in a game when Shaq shot 16-21 from the floor. I'm sorry but that's NOT the way it should've been. If you don't realise that you shouldn't be calling yourself a basketball fan.
2) Well how hard can it be to get an assist when Shaq is on your team? You just dump it down low and let the big man do his thing. Easy 2 points and easy assist. For example: Allen Iverson had close to 7 assists per game last year and he's considered to be the biggest ballhog out there with nobody else capable to score even 20 a game on his team. Kobe had Shaq, Malone AND GP last year and he still averaged only 5.
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<< <i>Many who follow the game do consider Kobe to be the most skillful basketball player today and maybe the best player today. By no means is he the most valuable. Shooting guards and small forwards are a dime a dozen. Kobe may be the best at that position but there are so many that are just one step behind. Kobe is the best two but Pierce, Carter, Lebron, Hamilton, Wade, Tmac, Iverson and a host of other can easily replace him. >>
I couldn't have said it any better. Although I don't agree that Kobe is the best 2. Maybe he'll prove to be next season but I doubt it.
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I just would like to know where the heck you were all these years with s*&% talkin of Kobe
Never did i hear you bad mouth KB before. Why not ? Now because Shaq's gone your gonna talk stuff about Kobe ? Real classy. I would've thought more of you if you'd have said this while he helped win 3 championships. And please don't try to diminish now how much Kobe contributed to those rings. He had huge playoff games during that stretch, as did Shaq
I never said Kobe was the most valuable anything but to now automatically start bashing him to me is ridiculous
<<2) Well how hard can it be to get an assist when Shaq is on your team? You just dump it down low and let the big man do his thing. Easy 2 points and easy assist.>>
Not sure how many games you got to watch but many of Kobe's assists to Shaq came by him penetrating and dropping it off to Shaq. Any LAKER fan knows that.
And please lmk who the best ALL-AROUND 2 guard in the league is. I can't wait to hear this one
He wanted the team to be his, well now he's got it. Let's see what he's capable of doing and LAUGH.
Everybody knows I don't like him, I just don't post that much over here and since you aren't on any other boards you wouldn't know.
Sure he penetrated and passed it, but how many times did he just go up and try to force things himself? And really, how many of assists came of dumping the ball down low and letting Shaq doing his job? Maybe 80%.
And for the record- I don't think there is a "best" 2 guard in the league. It's like Koby said, they're all very close to eachother and it's not like Kobe is way better or much worse than e.g. T-Mac. But I guess both will prove that next season.
BTW, I must say "Whatever dude" is very classy as well.
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<< <i> Lakers are done, destined to become what the bulls have become without Jordan, a laughingstock!
You mean like the Wolves before they got Cassell & Spree?
Also, Malone helped them a LOT. If he didn't have that injury in the Finals it might've been a whole different outcome.
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You root for your boy and i root for mine, no biggie
I was a Laker fan 16 years before Kobe ever became a Laker and i'll be one long after he leaves
I'll always root for the guys in Purple & Gold whether they struggle or win it all
Dave
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