Say Melo were to join the Heat, how does that make Kobe look?

[oh the horror]

An interesting point of view was brought up the other day on espn talk radio.


If Melo takes a massive paycut along with the Heat players to join up together how does that look in terms of the contract Kobe just took?


A few things to clarify, the people talking didn't fault Kobe for taking the money as most people would. But (which is a good point) how do you go out and then talk about constructing a championship roster when you see players around the league taking less in order to make that happen?


Let's be real. The contract he took considering his age, and recent injuries is ridiculous. If Melo does in fact do that then that makes
Kobe look even worse. Especially if he starts really barking about a shit roster around him.


I've always said this is merely the "Kobe farewell tour"


Lakers are rebuilding. Go out there, play, wave at the fans and be done with it. You aren't competing taking up a chunk of the cap. Period.

[Rose'sACL]

i have no problem with kobe taking that money. I would do the same because i wouldn't care about rings at all if i win a couple and kobe has 5. I also get why he says that he wants that 6th ring even though he signed a big contract. He has to do that to make more money by selling shoes and other endorsements. Lebron does the same by giving cliched answers now to improve his image.
carmelo should take a little pay-cut to join a contender so he can make more money off the court via endorsements even after he retires. Wade would have also made more money if he wasn't injured so much.

[Akrazotile]

Well kobe fans care more about him than they care about basketball and/or the lakers. So they don't care. They're glad he got that contract because it's more than Lebron makes and that's what they care more about than the Lakers actually winning anything next year or the year after.

When Kobe got the contract all the stans insisted it's kobe that puts people in the seats, not the lakers. They insisted it's kobe that got the time warner deal, not the lakers.

Apparently once Kobe's gone, the people in los angeles won't care about the Lakers anymore. This is what they all SAID when kobe got the contract. "kobe puts em in the seats, kobe gets the ratings."

So if that's true, how can you blame the Lakers? They need kobe just to be able to sell a ticket. Otherwise the arena will be empty, according to the stans.

[NumberSix]

No impact.

[stalkerforlife]

Makes Kobe look even better because he's alpha and still believes he can win without stacking a team full of all-stars.

Kobe's too alpha to take a backseat to anyone. You see what happened to Shaq once he questioned Kobe, Kobe shipped his ass out.

[AirFederer]

Statpadding his wallet, making the Lakers unable to compete, disgusting!

[9erempiree]

I have mentioned this before and mention it again. Who the hell gives up millions of dollars to join another superstar.

I think Kobe is man enough to win a ring at maximum contract than taking a paycut and go join people.

Do you think guys like MJ and Magic would give up millions of dollars because they need help? That help is expensive. They would be like "F this, I'm keeping my millions and winning too."

I have the cake and I eat it.

[moe94]

Statpadding his wallet, making the Lakers unable to compete, disgusting!

[Akrazotile]

I have mentioned this before and mention it again. Who the hell gives up millions of dollars to join another superstar.

I think Kobe is man enough to win a ring at maximum contract than taking a paycut and go join people.

Do you think guys like MJ and Magic would give up millions of dollars because they need help? That help is expensive. They would be like "F this, I'm keeping my millions and winning too."

I have the cake and I eat it.

Except Kobe can't win even a playoff series without tremendous help, and this has been a proven fact.

Yet he's somehow "all about winning" while taking a 24M contract at 36 with busted legs?


The Kobe propaganda continues.... "warrior" "competitive" "superhero" "anything to win" "killer instinct"

[Brokenbeat]

Kobe already looks bad because LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker all took pay cuts in order to field a competitive team. Now look where they are.

He had a choice between #6 and getting paid. He obviously took the latter, and the rest is just lip-service to make people think he still cares about winning.

Most Lakers fans are well aware of this, but unfortunately you'd never know that based on what you see here. Go to a Lakers forum and you'll see what the real fans are saying his contract. I've been posting trade scenarios since the day he signed it, lol.

[coin24]

Look at all the self righteous w@nkers in this thread I'm sure you all take the lower paying jobs don't you?

Fu*k that. The lakers OFFERED Kobe that contract, of he course he's going to sign it. You really think the team is going to be so much better if he was paid less? Who else are they going to magically sign this offseason??
Whether it was a career thank you gesture or they know he's what the fans pay to see what does it matter?? It's a business

If melo wants to be a beta loser and leave what, $30m? on the table to play with bran then so be it, but I see him staying in NY and taking max over teaming up with those no heart losers in miami..

[coin24]

Kobe already looks bad because LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker all took pay cuts in order to field a competitive team. Now look where they are.

He had a choice between #6 and getting paid. He obviously took the latter, and the rest is just lip-service to make people think he still cares about winning.

Most Lakers fans are well aware of this, but unfortunately you'd never know that based on what you see here. Go to a Lakers forum and you'll see what the real fans are saying his contract. I've been posting trade scenarios since the day he signed it, lol.

You spend your time well then,,, no trade clause

[Collie]

What more has Kobe left to prove anyway that he should take a paycut for it?

[Brokenbeat]

You spend your time well then,,, no trade clause

Kobe would go to the Knicks in heartbeat, don't think he wouldn't (he's not as loyal as we'd like to think). Besides, he's already been paid handsomely for his "loyalty", so I'm not sure what this contract was for to begin with. He's certainly not worth it now.

[Soundwave]

Kobe needs that money. He has a wife that's threatened to divorce him twice, if she actually went through with it, she'd get half of his net worth easily and he already lost a ton of money from dropped sponsors.

And the Kobe shoe line ain't no Air Jordan, kids are not going to be lining up to buy Kobes ten years from now.

This contract is his insurance against a divorce settlement if it ever happens say 5-15 years from now.