Kobe being amnestied?

[cotdt]

Kobe is going to be out 1 year. It will cost Lakers $80 million just for a rusty Kobe to come back right before next season's playoffs. So amnesty is looking likely now.

[Y2Gezee]

As a Laker fan, I believe management will do things right : swallow their tears, and amnesty Kobe with his blessing.

No one will claim and injured guy of the waivers, and it would cause uproar if it does happen.

Kobe will still be paid 30m, and he'll just return when he feel he's healthy again

never gonna happen.

Should. Dumb not to amnesty 30 million for a 35 yo on it's last year. But wont.

[b0bab0i]

He just needs to do a "Rose"

I feel bad for Bulls fans.

[Scholar]

Who is going to pick up a player that can't play?

Kobe merchandise would sell for millions. The few million dollars a team would throw Kobe's way would only result in massive profit.

[Nash]

They should do it. It would be good for Kobe because if he intends to return Lakers have the chance to fill the team with quality. Kobe gets his money and returns to a quality team with a smaller salary. And since he will not play next season no team will pick him up, unless they think its fun pay millions to have Kobe Bryant on their inactive roster for a year.

[Y2Gezee]

They should do it. It would be good for Kobe because if he intends to return Lakers have the chance to fill the team with quality. Kobe gets his money and returns to a quality team with a smaller salary. And since he will not play next season no team will pick him up, unless they think its fun pay millions to have Kobe Bryant on their inactive roster for a year.

Why would you be stupid enough to believe Kobe won't play next season?

What's he waiting for, to come back and be stronger than ever at 40?

[DMAVS41]

I don't know what they will do, but it seems crazy, even for the Lakers, to spend 80 million dollars on one player on a team that won't be a top 5 team in the league.

[rhythmic]

Even Jim Buss isn't dumb enough to do that to Kobe.
He is a Laker for life, from a financial point of view; sure it makes sense.
But out of loyalty and appreciation for all he has done for LA, there is no way in hell they would do that.

At least I hope Jim won't...

[Phenith]

You can recover from torn Achilles within 8 months.
Chauncey had a torn Achilles in February and came back around October, but he had to sit because of other nagging injures to the groin & back.

Kobe can be back as soon as December? Any bottom feeder team would pick him up even if its for a couple million. They could earn a lot from Kobe merchandise/jerseys etc.

And that's the problem right there, he came back favoring the Achilles side which throws everything out of whack when you are stressing your body so heavily.
Same reason why Rose is smart about wanting to be ready, if he favors one side, the other side is going to take excess stress and he is going to suffer more injuries.

[b0bab0i]

I don't know what they will do, but it seems crazy, even for the Lakers, to spend 80 million dollars on one player on a team that won't be a top 5 team in the league.

Lakers are raking in so much money. Their TV deal with Time Warner Cable gets them $150 million a year alone. ($3 billion over 20 years)

[DMAVS41]

Lakers are raking in so much money. Their TV deal with Time Warner Cable gets them $150 million a year alone. ($3 billion over 20 years)

I know, but that is still a lot....

Enough to where it is a real decision.

[guy]

[QUOTE=rhythmic

[b0bab0i]

And that's the problem right there, he came back favoring the Achilles side which throws everything out of whack when you are stressing your body so heavily.
Same reason why Rose is smart about wanting to be ready, if he favors one side, the other side is going to take excess stress and he is going to suffer more injuries.

I think its just because hes old as fvck, 36 years old. Although same may happen to Kobe since he's not much younger.

[b0bab0i]

Kobe still gets paid his money. The Lakers aren't denying him his money. It just doesn't go against in the cap, and saves them in the luxury tax as a result.

If Kobe can come back in like 8-9 months, maybe they shouldn't do it. But if he's going to be out at least a year, which seems to be what they are saying is whats most likely, it makes absolutely no sense to not amnesty him. I don't know what keeping him on the books will cost in luxury tax, but I'm assuming its at least the same as his salary. Thats an extra $30 million for nothing. I would think even Kobe would understand that.

And even if a team picks him up on waivers, taking the chance that maybe they can have him for the playoffs, I think Kobe would somehow be able to get away with refusing to play for them.

Then why even go for amnesty? They should just do the career ending injury waiver which takes his salary off the books also, so no team can pick him up off waivers.

[Cone]

all the respect to kobe but this is too funny.. AMNESTY THAT