Did Kobe hinder his chances of more rings?

[NLZ]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highes...yers_by_season

By far the highest paid player most of his prime years. This tells me this player "cared more about money" than "winning" and we all know how much he cared about winning.

EDIT: Also this

Chris Bosh $19,067,500 Miami Heat
LeBron James $19,067,500 Miami Heat
Dwyane Wade $18,673,000 Miami Heat

x2.

The first 2? Not one of the 3 made the top 10. Incredible pay-cut they took to "win" those rings.

When LeBron was "earning" those rings

Kobe Bryant $25,244,493 Los Angeles Lakers
Kevin Garnett $21,247,044 Boston Celtics
Tim Duncan $21,164,619 San Antonio Spurs
Rashard Lewis $21,136,631 Washington Wizards
Dirk Nowitzki $19,092,873 Dallas Mavericks
Pau Gasol $18,714,150 Los Angeles Lakers
Carmelo Anthony $18,518,574 New York Knicks
Amar'e Stoudemire $18,217,705 New York Knicks
Elton Brand $18,160,355 Philadelphia 76ers
Dwight Howard $18,091,770 Orlando Magic

[Bankaii]

Even before that, Kobe ruined 1-2 more rings when he shipped out Shaq, who was basically handing him rings.

[jstern]

Even before that, Kobe ruined 1-2 more rings when he shipped out Shaq, who was basically handing him rings.

Yeah, I thought the thread was going to be about this. Also trying to win FMVP vs the Pistons.

Also, I remember it not being such a big deal that Lebron was earning less than Kobe, Garnette, etc. Since they had been in the league more years than him. Now the last couple of years...

[SamuraiSWISH]

Kobe wanted to prove himself without the "Shaq won you rings" argument. That's respectable competitive drive and spirit.

As for his salary the past several seasons that limited the Lakers ability to get free agents? Oh well, he earned his salary. They weren't playing for rings by that point anyway.

2013 was his last true shot at a championship and that team was either injured or beefing. Then he dragged them into the playoffs, tearing his Achilles.

[Mr Feeny]

Kobe wanted to prove himself without the "Shaq won you rings" argument. That's respectable competitive drive and spirit.

As for his salary the past several seasons that limited the Lakers ability to get free agents? Oh well, he earned his salary. They weren't playing for rings by that point anyway.

2013 was his last true shot at a championship and that team was either injured or beefing. Then he dragged them into the playoffs, tearing his Achilles.

So he wrecked a franchise and ruined chances for more glory because of his individual "competitive drive"?

And no he didn't earn the percentage of the cap space he was taking. I wonder if you have any idea as to what you're talking about. In an uncapped league, he could legitimately say he deserves whatever they pay him because he brings them lots of revenues. In a league with a hard cap, he single handedly wrecks his teams chances of winning anything.

And that's exactly what he did. He set the franchise back 20 years. In 2013 he managed to muck up with a team consisting of Nash, Dwight, Gasol and Artest by not letting any of them touch the ball. Play should have gone through Pau and Nash was supposed to be allowed to be Nash and handle the ball. Instead, a selfish ballhog derailed a team that was easily projected to finish top 2 in the west and whose players were predicting they'd win 73 wins themselves

Go read a book. You're utterly clueless.

[NZStreetBaller]

Kobe earned 5 rings a legendary career and made a tone of money in the process. That is winning....

U have to remember that 20 years is only a third or quarter of his life that we obsess over. Its his entire life and his family that he has to worry about so money DOES matter... hes now gonna be set luxuriously for the remainder of his days.

#winning

[Quickening]

He hindered Lakers chances of more rings definitely, if he leaves when Shaq did, a franchise as big as la still wins at least 2 rings in the last 12 years. Outside of 3-4 years, the franchise has been a shambles in that period, and thanks to kobe will be for another 3-4 years.

[NZStreetBaller]

Yes lakers have a hard road ahead of them. Nobody will want to come here untill they see signs of potentoal improvement possibly in the form of an unexpected extraordinary risenin a rookie or something....

But losing miserably and having alot of money wont draw nobody.

[Mr Feeny]

He hindered Lakers chances of more rings definitely, if he leaves when Shaq did, a franchise as big as la still wins at least 2 rings in the last 12 years. Outside of 3-4 years, the franchise has been a shambles in that period, and thanks to kobe will be for another 3-4 years.

Exactly right. There's no shame in preferring money to winning. But Kobe was all about Kobe and all about money. The Lakers sunk deeper into the mire with every passing season the past few years. I know many laker fans who were angry beyond comprehension and punctuated the difference between a laker fan and a Kobe fanboy.

A significant number of true laker fans were disgusted by what he did. On the other than, from his perspective, he got what he wanted - more money. Credit to him, that's his focus. He's a rich man. His legacy though, isn't what it could have been.

[SexSymbol]

When you play for an organization for 20 years it's practically a given that you contract will become bigger and bigger.
You have to remember that he once had a 7 year contract, and the money shaving to bring in some players is a very recent thing.

[Mr Feeny]

When you play for an organization for 20 years it's practically a given that you contract will become bigger and bigger.
You have to remember that he once had a 7 year contract, and the money shaving to bring in some players is a very recent thing.

not at all. You don't seem to know your history. Duncan took payouts a LONG time before that to sign Parker and ginobli to newer deals. Shaq took payouts. Lebron took paycuts.
Dirk took paycuts.
Lebron took paycuts.
Your idol is a greedy selfish chucker who ruined the franchise. The distinction between proper laker fans and Kobe fanboys such as yourself is that laker fans got angry at one player ruining their franchise through greed while his fanboys celebrated it

[SexSymbol]

not at all. You don't seem to know your history. Duncan took payouts a LONG time before that to sign Parker and ginobli to newer deals. Shaq took payouts. Lebron took paycuts.
Dirk took paycuts.
Lebron took paycuts.
Your idol is a greedy selfish chucker who ruined the franchise. The distinction between proper laker fans and Kobe fanboys such as yourself is that laker fans got angry at one player ruining their franchise through greed while his fanboys celebrated it

Lebron took so many paycuts you have to mention it twice huh
I know that you hate Kobe with a passion even though he's retired, but paycuts during the and1 era was not a common thing.
Kobe's contract only "hindered" lakers in his last two years in both of which they had no chance of landing any big free agents, so in reality it never hindered them at all.

[FireDavidKahn]

He and Shaq could have potentially 6 peated if not for Kobe.

Kobe literally gave away his only shot at Jordan because he didn't like Shaq.

[SexSymbol]

He and Shaq could have potentially 6 peated if not for Kobe.

Kobe literally gave away his only shot at Jordan because he didn't like Shaq.

Not really true, read up on the story more.

[FireDavidKahn]

Not really true, read up on the story more.

LOL. Kobetard blaming Shaq for the breakup


Kobe was the main villain in that story and is the reason why Shaq left.