Monday, November 25, 2013
Money > Rings
So the Lakers just signed Kobe to a $48M contract extension, $23.5M next year and $25M the following year. From my perspective, he essentially chose money over rings. I just can't wrap my head around Kobe's mindset. I don't know if he is worried about his post-injury production and decided to preemptively get paid. I don't know if his ego will not let him be anything but the highest paid player. I don't know if he is worried about the impending divorce on the horizon. I don't know why MJ, Tim Duncan, KG, Dirk, etc. were willing to take pay cuts for rings but Kobe isn't. I don't know how he thinks he can win another ring without having the cap room to get the help. I don't know if it's Obama's fault and Kobe hates only taking home $10.6M of his $24.4M salary. And I really don't know if Kobe will be productive enough to pay for this outrageously expensive farewell tour.
What I do know is that the Lakers dug themselves a pretty big hole today. As a buddy said to me today, "The Lakers are now destined to be the worst thing you can be in the NBA -- Mediocre." On the bright side, Kobe will now for certain be a Laker for life. I know Paul Pierce wishes he got this kind of treatment in Boston. As Deadspin pointed out - Kobe is overtaking Joe Johnson & Amar'e Stoudamire on the highest-paid list, so maybe he really does deserve it.
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