Kobe Bryant puts Jim Buss on blast

[ImKobe]

Were these guys coming off injuries? We understand you love Kobe, but damn is it that hard to admit his contract is crippling the Lakers?

He was given the contract, he himself was OK with waiting the season out & seeing where the Lakers land to start discussing about the new contract, there were literally reports about how they wouldn't discuss Kobe's future until later in the season, but they offered him the new contract before he even played a game after the injury, it's not his fault, plain and simple. Had he demanded the money, it would be a different story.

And how do you know if his contract is going to cripple the Lakers in the future? How many FA's are there that are actually worth signing to multi-year deals right now? Melo? Isaiah Thomas? Kyle Lowry? Greg Monroe(restricted)? Bledsoe(restricted)? Luol Deng? Gordon Hayward(restricted)?

Lakers have the space to sign Melo + multiple decent free agents + a top 5 lottery pick, I don't see how Kobe's money made that much of a difference.

Nick Young will probably stay with his player option(dirt cheap), then we have guys like Bazemore, Brooks, Farmar, who will be cheap signings. We have the space to put together a solid starting 5 and a decent bench. It's up to the FO to make the right moves & put together a good enough coaching staff to make the Lakers a good Playoff team, you can't blame Kobe because he doesn't run the Lakers, he's just a player, who was given 48.5 million guaranteed money for 2 more years of service, you have to blame the guys that are running the franchise for whatever happens in the future, it's their call. Stop blaming someone who was hired to do a job.

[r15mohd]

with Phil in nYk...Melo isn't leaving

Lebron, Wade and Bosh are resigning with Miami

Deng and Stephenson are the only real viable FA's left...good luck LAL, it's gonna be a long couple of years!

[ImKobe]

with Phil in nYk...Melo isn't leaving

Lebron, Wade and Bosh are resigning with Miami

Deng and Stephenson are the only real viable FA's left...good luck LAL, it's gonna be a long couple of years!

Thomas & Lowry are decent PGs that would provide a lot of scoring for us & go for cheap with about 5-7 mil a year, could get Thabo for cheap, re-sign the current youngins for minimum, get a star/superstar from the draft, healthy Kobe

ideal line-up with what's out there

Lowry
Kobe
Wiggins or Parker
Marion
Hawes

This roster would be fun to watch & all the guys have quick legs to play at least average defense with the right coach, Hawes is very underrated with his 3pt shooting ability, he's not much of an anchor but the guys on the perimeter would make up for it.

Ideally, we get Wiggins & this team is so potent on offense that on most nights we simply outscore everyone, Wiggins, Lowry, Kobe on the perimeter under the right system is hard to score on, then you have Marion playing great help defense inside & Hawes making it hard to score under the basket with his size. I like the make-up of this team.

Of course the FO is so damn sure that they're getting Kevin Love & will possibly do nothing in the off-season, I'd rather put a winning team together right now & even if we're average we could still get Love at the trade deadline or S&T in the off-season.

[longtime lurker]

with Phil in nYk...Melo isn't leaving

Lebron, Wade and Bosh are resigning with Miami

Deng and Stephenson are the only real viable FA's left...good luck LAL, it's gonna be a long couple of years!

If this is the case then why all the bitching about kobes contract? Its obvious if him taking a paycut wouldn't help the Lakers sign any of the above superstars as you've mentioned. Seems like a lot of posters want to talk out of both sides of their mouth.

[longtime lurker]

Thomas & Lowry are decent PGs that would provide a lot of scoring for us & go for cheap with about 5-7 mil a year, could get Thabo for cheap, re-sign the current youngins for minimum, get a star/superstar from the draft, healthy Kobe

ideal line-up with what's out there

Lowry
Kobe
Wiggins or Parker
Marion
Hawes

This roster would be fun to watch & all the guys have quick legs to play at least average defense with the right coach, Hawes is very underrated with his 3pt shooting ability, he's not much of an anchor but the guys on the perimeter would make up for it.

Ideally, we get Wiggins & this team is so potent on offense that on most nights we simply outscore everyone, Wiggins, Lowry, Kobe on the perimeter under the right system is hard to score on, then you have Marion playing great help defense inside & Hawes making it hard to score under the basket with his size. I like the make-up of this team.

Of course the FO is so damn sure that they're getting Kevin Love & will possibly do nothing in the off-season, I'd rather put a winning team together right now & even if we're average we could still get Love at the trade deadline or S&T in the off-season.

I'd pass on Marion and Hawes. Lowry is great but its no coincidence he's healthy in a contract year. I'd rather make a hard push for Greg Monroe who Detroit seems determined not to keep. I'd keep Farmar and marshall and pray to land a top 6 prospect in the draft otherwise trade the pick along with Nash's contract for Kevin Love.

[r15mohd]

If this is the case then why all the bitching about kobes contract? Its obvious if him taking a paycut wouldn't help the Lakers sign any of the above superstars as you've mentioned. Seems like a lot of posters want to talk out of both sides of their mouth.

look beyond fanboy-ism...it's about the overall love for the game. a stupid contract is a stupid contract, regardless if you love/hate the team.

i don't like Kobe all that much, i think he's a leech (for the lack of a better term) but he is a great player nonetheless...I would have rathered him sacrifice (for the 1st time really) to build another good LAL squad to compete for the next couple years.

[ImKobe]

I'd pass on Marion and Hawes. Lowry is great but its no coincidence he's healthy in a contract year. I'd rather make a hard push for Greg Monroe who Detroit seems determined not to keep. I'd keep Farmar and marshall and pray to land a top 6 prospect in the draft otherwise trade the pick along with Nash's contract for Kevin Love.

Lakers are .5 games behind 4th worst record in the league, we will get a top 5 pick.

Lowry is not just healthy, but he's putting up good numbers on great efficiency, much like Dragic. He's been healthy all his career, except for his rookie season & is entering his prime, he'd be a bargain for about 7 a year.

Marion & Hawes would be solid signings, Marion, considering his age & his down year will not get that much money, so I'd take him in a heartbeat with what he's bringing on defense, Hawes is very potent on offense but we could sign a defensive big instead & spend the money on a decent 6th man.

Either way, the cap space we have for the off-season is enough to put together a Playoff team, and a good one if everything pans out. About 25 mil in space would net us 2-3 all-star caliber players + a lotto pick + re-signing our current bench guys for minimum deals, with a healthy Kobe & the right coaching staff, it would be a good enough team

[longtime lurker]

look beyond fanboy-ism...it's about the overall love for the game. a stupid contract is a stupid contract, regardless if you love/hate the team.

i don't like Kobe all that much, i think he's a leech (for the lack of a better term) but he is a great player nonetheless...I would have rathered him sacrifice (for the 1st time really) to build another good LAL squad to compete for the next couple years.

There's very few players that love the game more than Kobe Bryant, but he's not stupid. He knows he makes the Lakers at least 3 times his salary. If he takes a paycut the Lakers could still decide to suck next year. Management has themselves to blame, they could have waited till he at least played a game to negotiate a new contract. Its easy to criticize someone else when its not your money. Lakers have room for a max contract, Kobe is just reminding them of that especially when they told him they'd go after a max free agent. As usual people twist Kobes words to suit their own agenda, I don't believe he wants to contend for a championship next season but the Lakers can definitely take steps to not be the worst team in the west. Kobe's contract is not stopping them from fielding a competitive team. And if he had taken a pay cut which superstar could they sign with the extra money?

[MMM]

Lakers are .5 games behind 4th worst record in the league, we will get a top 5 pick.

Lowry is not just healthy, but he's putting up good numbers on great efficiency, much like Dragic. He's been healthy all his career, except for his rookie season & is entering his prime, he'd be a bargain for about 7 a year.

Marion & Hawes would be solid signings, Marion, considering his age & his down year will not get that much money, so I'd take him in a heartbeat with what he's bringing on defense, Hawes is very potent on offense but we could sign a defensive big instead & spend the money on a decent 6th man.

Either way, the cap space we have for the off-season is enough to put together a Playoff team, and a good one if everything pans out. About 25 mil in space would net us 2-3 all-star caliber players + a lotto pick + re-signing our current bench guys for minimum deals, with a healthy Kobe & the right coaching staff, it would be a good enough team

Yeah but the Lakers are also .5 out of 7th, also its not unheard of for teams in the top 5 to drop a few spots after the lotto.

As for the Lakers rebuilding efforts, wasting cap on marginal talent is going to set their franchise back. Yea they will be able to compete for a playoff spot but to contend for rings they are going to regret not being able to go after the real game changers in a few years.

[ImKobe]

Yeah but the Lakers are also .5 out of 7th, also its not unheard of for teams in the top 5 to drop a few spots after the lotto.

As for the Lakers rebuilding efforts, wasting cap on marginal talent is going to set their franchise back. Yea they will be able to compete for a playoff spot but to contend for rings they are going to regret not being able to go after the real game changers in a few years.

Lakers don't have a pick next year, and whichever FA wants to come to LA can come here in a S&T or at the trade deadline. You can sign marginal talent on 2 year deals and still put together a Playoff team. Lakers will finish with a top 5 worst record & win the lotto.

[r15mohd]

There's very few players that love the game more than Kobe Bryant, but he's not stupid. He knows he makes the Lakers at least 3 times his salary. If he takes a paycut the Lakers could still decide to suck next year. Management has themselves to blame, they could have waited till he at least played a game to negotiate a new contract. Its easy to criticize someone else when its not your money. Lakers have room for a max contract, Kobe is just reminding them of that especially when they told him they'd go after a max free agent. As usual people twist Kobes words to suit their own agenda, I don't believe he wants to contend for a championship next season but the Lakers can definitely take steps to not be the worst team in the west. Kobe's contract is not stopping them from fielding a competitive team. And if he had taken a pay cut which superstar could they sign with the extra money?

it was initially mgmts fault for the contract, but Kobe signed knowing fully well that he puts the Lakers at a choke-hold come time to sign valued players. now that Kobe is blaming mgmt for a non-competitive squad, it is nothing but comical because he took that money and ran with it knowing the consequences of his signing.

Kobe wants the points record first, and then a title if it's there...that's my belief. I don't even think he wants any superstar players on the wing with him, as he needs to gun for that record. more bigs to help him is my thoughts on his angle of things and role fillers alongside the perimeter.

[longtime lurker]

it was initially mgmts fault for the contract, but Kobe signed knowing fully well that he puts the Lakers at a choke-hold come time to sign valued players. now that Kobe is blaming mgmt for a non-competitive squad, it is nothing but comical because he took that money and ran with it knowing the consequences of his signing.

Ughh how many times can you be so wrong. Kobe's new contract has zero to do with what the Lakers are doing this season. Management told him that they'd have room to sign a max contract AFTER signing him that's not putting the team in a choke hold, that's putting their own foot in their mouth. Kobe is pissed that the Lakers traded Steve Blake for literally nothing with all due respect to Bazemore and Brooks. In your previous post you said that Lakers won't sign any major free agents, then now you say Kobe's contract will keep them from signing any. This is the contradiction that I was talking about before.

Kobe wants the points record first, and then a title if it's there...that's my belief. I don't even think he wants any superstar players on the wing with him, as he needs to gun for that record. more bigs to help him is my thoughts on his angle of things and role fillers alongside the perimeter.

See this is where you just come off as silly and the hating starts to seep through. If Kobe didn't want to share the scoring load then why would he want the Lakers to get a max free agent and why would he be pushing for Melo of all people?

[YouGotServed]

ˇ
The contract he still is currently on netted the Lakers 2 championships & a multi-billion dollar TV deal with TWC, the following contract is 48.5, not 44 million, and cannot be evaluated right now because we have no idea what the Lakers are going to do this off-season and how good the lottery pick will be, thus it's pointless & childish to talk shit about something that's still far in the future. If Kobe returns healthy & plays at the same level he did in 2013, the contract is justified. There's no FA that could contribute like Kobe did in 2013 except for Lebron, & there's no way he'll come to LA unless the Heat flop badly in the Playoffs with Wade & Bosh looking like they done. Kobe was offered the money & was guaranteed that it would still leave enough space to put together a winning team. Kobe never demanded anything and was coming off injury, it's not his fault if the FO is too incompetent to make the right moves with about 25 million to spend in the off-season(even more if they exercise the stretch provision on Nash).



Trolls used to be creative & full of knowledge, now they can't even get the facts right & dish out whatever comes to their minds. Basically a horrible poster pretending to be a troll.

tl;dr

79M