Kobe and his extension- why he hasn't signed

Hey guys-

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.

Looks like the Cs are rolling again. This current road trip (something I'm unfamiliar with this year as a Laker fan) will be interesting, as all four are reasonably challenging games. (CHA playing well, Spurs are the Spurs and OKC on the 2nd night of back-2-back will be interesting- they've got some serious athletes.)

Below is something that I popped onto my Lakers' board. Thought you guys might find it interesting.




I have been wondering since camp, when it became apparent that Kobe wasn't going to sign the extension that had been talked about over the summer, why Kobe wouldn't go ahead and sign something now ?

It seemed that he'd be better off signing an extension so as to lock in his new deal before his current one expires in the summer of 2011, which is when a new CBA will be negotiated that will most likely result in less money going to the players. Kobe certainly doesn't want to be negotiating a new deal that summer.

But now it looks like if he signed an extension, it would not lock in his future earnings b/c of the new CBA in 2011. But if he opts out and re-signs with the Lakers this summer, it will lock in his deal so that he would be unaffected by the new CBA. (see link below)

So it all makes sense now as to why he's not signing an extension.

Especially when you add in the following factors:

Opting out this summer would allow him to to be courted by other teams, which he might enjoy. Although I don't see him leaving the Lakers, as they can pay him the most money and put the best team around him of any of the teams that could offer him max money, Kobe seemed to enjoy being a FA the last time around, so I would think he might enjoy it again.

More importantly, by opting out this summer, Kobe could give himself, in effect, approval over what FAs the FO goes after and how much the Lakers are willing to spend to pursue those FAs to ensure that he will be surrounded by talent he is comfortable with for the duration of his contract.

In other words, he could force Buss to spend the full MLE going after a PG (or whoever) as a condition of re-signing. So if Kobe wanted, for example, Nate on the team, but the FO preferred to sign Blake at half the cost, KObe could ensure he got his guy, and that his core teammates for the rest of his career would be Pau (whom the Lakers will obviously re-sign when his deal is up), LO, Bynum, Artest and Nate.

He could also put his stamp of approval on whoever Phil's successor will be. Although I'm not sure if it's a violation of the CBA to have approval over the coach in a player's contract, he could certainly get a verbal agreement from Buss that when Phil steps down, the new coach will be, say, Brian Shaw (or Byron Scott), but not Rambis (if he was available when PJ retires). Clearly, the FO isn't going to hire someone that Kobe is unhappy with anyway, but by opting out, Kobe could get a more tangible level of approval over a new coach.

I'm not saying any of this is a bad thing, as I'm assuming KB will remain a Laker when all is said and done, and his bringing pressure to bear may result in a slightly better team than would have otherwise been constructed for financial reasons. I would probably do exactly the same thing myself.

And given the frustrations that Kobe aired two summers ago about Buss not being committed to putting a winner around him, and his willingness to leave the Lakers, or at least use the threat of doing so as leverage to get Shaq moved back in '04, I would be surprised if Kobe didn't use the leverage he will have as a FA this summer to not only lock in his financial future, but to have significant input over the moves the team makes this summer, which will pretty much lock in their core players for the duration of Kobe's career.



http://offthedribble.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/30/will-bryant-enter-the-free-agent-market-in-2010/






By LARRY COON

Many N.B.A. teams are preparing to go on a spending spree next summer, some with the objective of landing two or even three blockbuster free agents. The list of potentially available players reads like an All-Star roster, and includes LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amar’e Stoudemire, Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Carlos Boozer.

One member of this free agent class comes with a pretty nice résumé — four rings, regular-season and Finals M.V.P. trophies, and two scoring titles. Even better, he’s still in his prime. Yet he has mostly flown under the radar, drawing little speculation about becoming a free agent at all, let alone moving to a new team.

A little over two years ago Kobe Bryant was pining for a trade to Pluto rather than face another season with the Lakers. What a difference two years makes — bolstered by the 2008 trade for Pau Gasol, the Lakers are now the defending champs, and Bryant is now considered among the least likely to seek employment elsewhere.

Since last summer Bryant has been rumored to be close to signing a contract extension with the Lakers rather than enter the lucrative 2010 free-agent market. Such an extension would add an additional three seasons to his current contract, with the over-36 rule removing any financial incentive to add more.

If signing an extension is a foregone conclusion, then one is left to wonder why it’s not already done. Is Bryant having second thoughts about locking in with the Lakers again? Is the allure of being wooed by half the league next summer too strong? Does he want to explore all his options before making a final decision?

The real reason might be that signing an extension isn’t his best course of action. Bryant can guarantee himself more money by first becoming a free agent, and then re-signing with the Lakers. The reason for this is pretty obscure — the salary in the first year of an extension cannot exceed the player’s maximum salary (105% of the player’s previous salary, or the league-wide maximum salary by years of service, whichever is greater), and it is amended downward if necessary to conform to this rule. The start of Bryant’s extension would coincide with the start of the next collective bargaining agreement, which could change the way maximum salaries are calculated. If it does, the salary in Bryant’s extension would be subject to the new rules. Depending on how negotiations go, it is possible he could face a significant pay cut.

However, by becoming a free agent in 2010 and signing a new contract instead, Bryant would lock in his salary entirely under the terms of the current agreement. His salary would not be subject to amendment in 2011, as it would be with an extension.

It would also give Bryant the opportunity to play the 2010 free-agent market — the first time he’s been able to do so since 2004 when he nearly signed with the Los Angeles Clippers before ultimately re-signing with the Lakers. Should Bryant become a free agent in 2010, he would be certain to draw serious interest from every N.B.A. team. Even teams without cap room would likely contact the Lakers in order to explore sign-and-trade opportunities.

But how likely would it be for Bryant to actually change teams in 2010? When asked recently, Bryant shut-down any discussion.

“I won’t even speak hypothetically about that,” he said. “I won’t touch that one.”

Sky:

Out of my high, high respect for you as a member in good standing at Sam's Club, I tried wading thru your post and found myself wanting to poke my eyes out with a ball point pen instead of studying your thoughts about Kobe's status and the implications for signing/not signing an extension with the Lakers.

I am ashamed to say that I have a intense visceral dislike for KB to the point that I could not seriously consider what you or Mr. Coon had to say.

Maybe others can do better than I did and can/will give your thoughts some serious reflection. I hope so.

I apologize for being such a small minded person. I simply cannot do your post justice. Sorry...

GC

BSK

I really don't care much either.
Kobe and what he wants is not high on my concern list.

Personally most of your posts are very readable when you discuss the lakers as a team and don't focus on a single player esp kobe

nothing personal at all

beat

Sky,

I agree with you that, when all is said and done, Kobe will remain with the Lakers. I think a lot of us have difficulties wrestling with the complexities of the collective bargaining agreement, and you deserve much credit (as usual) for the thoroughness of your research.

Sam

I would find a thread on FAQ-Collective Bargaining Agreement 101 GFS (Geared For Simpletons) to be quite interesting. It certainly rears its ugly head all too often every time we turn around and might induce me to put away my ball point pen.

Is there a 2nd out there?

Volunteers?

GC

GC

As long as it dont upset the bunion. We on a roll.

GC,

There''s a link for it in the "Links" thread.

Sam

Sam wrote:GC,

There''s a link for it in the "Links" thread.

Sam

I may have to get an MBA to understand but the link is certainly chock full of info. I am sure that somewhere they explain exactly why we can't sign Chris Bosh as gyso has so stated.

GC

GC

Perk might break him in practice.

burst out laughing at Jeb's humor - break him ! crack me up !

Michael in Denver

bigpyg

Not that big a bosh fan

gacracker wrote:I would find a thread on FAQ-Collective Bargaining Agreement 101 GFS (Geared For Simpletons) to be quite interesting. It certainly rears its ugly head all too often every time we turn around and might induce me to put away my ball point pen.

Is there a 2nd out there?

Volunteers?

GC

GC,

You've got me to thinking that this may be a good idea. Whenever someone suggests a trade or a free agent signing that just doesn't pass muster with the CBA, I find it hard to explain the why not's in a single post. Plus, then I do make the effort to try to explain, the thread eventually gets buried from lack of current posts. Then when someone else offers up the very same player transaction, I really don't want to go through the exercise all over again. Signing Bosh as a free agent is a good example of this phenomenon.

I will start out with a a couple of links and maybe define Salary Cap and Luxury Tax for my first run around the track.

Stay tuned...

gyso

gyso wrote:

gacracker wrote:I would find a thread on FAQ-Collective Bargaining Agreement 101 GFS (Geared For Simpletons) to be quite interesting. It certainly rears its ugly head all too often every time we turn around and might induce me to put away my ball point pen.

Is there a 2nd out there?

Volunteers?

GC

GC,

You've got me to thinking that this may be a good idea. Whenever someone suggests a trade or a free agent signing that just doesn't pass muster with the CBA, I find it hard to explain the why not's in a single post. Plus, then I do make the effort to try to explain, the thread eventually gets buried from lack of current posts. Then when someone else offers up the very same player transaction, I really don't want to go through the exercise all over again. Signing Bosh as a free agent is a good example of this phenomenon.

I will start out with a a couple of links and maybe define Salary Cap and Luxury Tax for my first run around the track.

Stay tuned...

gyso

Maybe doing it as a sticky or in a special place so that the thread does not get buried might help. With a bit of continuity and timely adult supervision on your part working thru a number of examples and staying with it to and thru the end and then in retrospect, maybe the inscrutable might become semi-scrutable.

BTW... it was the Captain who rocked Bosh's package with a knee. He might be the one to break CB in two, not Perk.

I for one really like Bosh. Let's go ahead anyway and sign him!!!! Worry about luxury tax or whatever later.

GC

Speaking of contracts..

Do most players have wording about that they have to start X number of games to get paid the full amount? Howabout if they get injured?

Are they allowed to have those kind of restrictions?

I of course am used to the no salary cap euro sports where it just gets silly with how much players cost and what they get paid. There are also all kind of paragraphs in contracts such that the contract is void if the club gets relegated (obviously not an issue in a closed league like the nba).

SkyHook,

I was thinking about this one and agree that Kobe is staying put.

What I'm not sure of, with all the complexities of the CBA, is just how creative a team can be in signing a player. It doesn't appear to leave much wiggle room, but certainly Kobe is smart enough to know that the team needs to be able to surround him with decent players so I can't imagine him going too crazy in terms of what he will accept.

I don't think he would watch the team destroy its chance to contend just to pay him. He's got too many other revenue sources and wants to win and build a legacy.

Regards

swedeinestonia wrote:Speaking of contracts..

Do most players have wording about that they have to start X number of games to get paid the full amount? Howabout if they get injured?

Are they allowed to have those kind of restrictions?.

Except for 10 day contracts, and min deals during the first half of the season (when they're not guaranteed), the vast majority (like 99%) of NBA deals are fully guaranteed, no matter how many games a player plays in or how well said player performs.

If a player misses a large number of games due to injury, I think it's 41, then the club starts collecting insurance payments that cover most of that player's salary for every game he misses thereafter. (See TMac not being allowed to play in Houston at the moment. He is the perfect example of all of this.) The contract still counts against the cap and lux tax though.

I think as part of the new CBA, the owners are going to demand that contract lengths be shortened, and they will probably press hard (although the union will fight tooth and nail against it) to get some way to reduce payments (or terminate a contract) if a player is frequently injured for extended periods.

gyso wrote:

gacracker wrote:I would find a thread on FAQ-Collective Bargaining Agreement 101 GFS (Geared For Simpletons) to be quite interesting. It certainly rears its ugly head all too often every time we turn around and might induce me to put away my ball point pen.

Is there a 2nd out there?

Volunteers?

GC

GC,

You've got me to thinking that this may be a good idea. Whenever someone suggests a trade or a free agent signing that just doesn't pass muster with the CBA, I find it hard to explain the why not's in a single post. Plus, then I do make the effort to try to explain, the thread eventually gets buried from lack of current posts. Then when someone else offers up the very same player transaction, I really don't want to go through the exercise all over again. Signing Bosh as a free agent is a good example of this phenomenon.

I will start out with a a couple of links and maybe define Salary Cap and Luxury Tax for my first run around the track.

Stay tuned...

gyso

gyso-

I'll keep an eye out for it and help chip on on this stuff as much as I can so you're not carrying the whole load, as I find the business side of things very interesting.

beat wrote:BSK

I really don't care much either.
Kobe and what he wants is not high on my concern list.

Personally most of your posts are very readable when you discuss the lakers as a team and don't focus on a single player esp kobe

nothing personal at all

beat

beat- no worries. I am always looking at things not only as a fan but also from the perspective of an owner or GM. I thought the business aspect of this (the CBA rules, the leverage that will be involved if he opts out, and how that leverage could be applied to other aspects of the team) to be interesting so thought I would cut and paste it over here to see if any of you guys were interested on that basis.

All good. Nothing personal taken.

Also one thing that came up in my head, what do they do to regulate "side deals" to contracts.

Eg. Marquis Daniels, lets say he signs with the Celtics for whatever he got now but he also gets hooked up with an endorsement deal with Modells (or whatever). Modells in return gets advertising space with the Celtics at a discount price.

Just an example of how it could be done and obviously one could be a whole lot more creative with "hiding it" than that.

Sorry for going off topic

NYCelt wrote:SkyHook,

I was thinking about this one and agree that Kobe is staying put.

What I'm not sure of, with all the complexities of the CBA, is just how creative a team can be in signing a player. It doesn't appear to leave much wiggle room, but certainly Kobe is smart enough to know that the team needs to be able to surround him with decent players so I can't imagine him going to crazy in terms of what he will accept.

I don't think he would watch the team destroy its chance to contend just to pay him. He's got too many other revenue sources and wants to win and build a legacy.

Regards

NYC-

I agree- don't think he's going to go anywhere either. I do think he will us the threat of potentially leaving to make sure he gets the improvements he might want to see in terms of personnel precisely b/c of his legacy. B/c I agree with you that that is what he is focused on- winning more championships. So not only will he not want to see the team stripped down, he will want to make sure that the team's biggest weakness (PG) is addressed.

You're right about the CBA- not much wiggle room at all- some but not much in the big picture. And that will also be interesting. B/c Kobe has always wanted to get paid (understandably so, given how hard he works, the fact that he shows up every night and the quality of his play over the years- not to mention his drawing power). In the past, there was no question of him taking less money b/c that money would go straight into Jerry BUss' pockets, but now, Buss has clearly shown they are getting to the limits of his budget.

I would be shocked, though, if Kobe takes anything less than the max, which won't be that much more than what he's making now (which is also, obviously, the max). I think Kobe will use his leverage as a FA to make sure Buss keeps spending, even if it means the Lakers are breakeven (or slightly profitable/ slightly unprofitable) for a few years.

B/c in Kobe's view (which I agree with), Buss has made hundreds of millions of $$$ off of the Lakers during Kobe's career, so it's time for Buss to give some back to the team in order to win some more rings.

swedeinestonia wrote:Also one thing that came up in my head, what do they do to regulate "side deals" to contracts.

Eg. Marquis Daniels, lets say he signs with the Celtics for whatever he got now but he also gets hooked up with an endorsement deal with Modells (or whatever). Modells in return gets advertising space with the Celtics at a discount price.

Just an example of how it could be done and obviously one could be a whole lot more creative with "hiding it" than that.

Sorry for going off topic

There is probably some of that that goes on at some level, but a player coming to LA or Boston or NY knows they have much more marketing potential than a player in say Memphis, so the teams don't really need to do it so much, and most teams are worried about losing 1st rd draft picks if they are caught.

Google "Minnesota Timberwolves JOe Smith Draft pick". They got hammered over a situation like this.

bobheckler wrote:BSH,

However, the Lakers team salary is already out-of-sight without Kobe's raise. If the salary cap goes down next year, as many expect, then Kobe's additional money (as well deserved as it may be) could really hurt Buss's ability to sign other players.

You talk about spending the whole MLE on a point guard. Well a lower salary cap and a higher team salary won't make things any easier for Buss. Sure, he has some salaries he can, and probably will, dump. But he's way-the-hell-and-gone over the cap already.

You say "So what? He's a bazillionaire and he thinks longterm $ and is focused on passing the Celtics in championships". I say that he has already expressed a certain amount of discomfort at "spending what it takes" based upon his hard-nosed negotiations this past offseason with Ariza and Odom. He probably had little to fear with Odom leaving, because of the size of the contract, but he cut a just-blooming 24-year old greyhound loose over a difference of roughly 2 mill a year. He's gonna spend $5-6M MORE for a point guard? Furthermore, Gasol and Brown will be in their last contract years. He's not going to want to lose either one and Brown is worth more than the $2M he's making now. He'll probably eat up half of the money saved on Morrison and Sasha and Buss'll still be way over the cap. If Gasol gets a raise, there goes most of the rest of that money.

bob

Bob-

I put a detailed response together on the Laker's salary structure and Buss' spending, then thought it was worth having a thread of its own, so you'll find my response in that thread.


somewhat related- do you like CJ Watson's game ? I know you see a lot of Warriors. It seems to me like every time he gets minutes he performs well, and his strengths (great shooter, good size) and weaknesses (not a great distributor) fit perfectly with the triangle. What do you think of him ?

Bob-

Glad you see him that way also- as I said in the other thread, he is my # 1 choice to bring in as a FA this summer for LA.

I think his strengths are a really good fit for the triangle, while his weaknesses would be covered in the triangle, as his not being much of a distributor wouldn't really matter in the that system.

They need someone who can shoot well, play off the ball, defend and not turn it over. He's no Rondo, but his d has looked pretty decent when I've seen him play, although it's tough to evaluate given the "system" he plays in and the coach's lack of desire for D. I tend to think he'd actually be a pretty solid defender in LA- he certainly seems athletic enough. I guess part of the interview/wooing process would be a discussion about his willingness to play tough d.


The fact that he doesn't have traditional PG skills will, I hope, help the Lakers land him. His value to the Lakers, as a potential starter in the triangle, is higher than it would be to the teams (Orl and Philly) that pursued him as a backup pg this past summer, or to any other team running a traditional offense.

Thanks for the feedback buddy.

Have a good weekend.


PS- Kobe in the post much less now that Pau is back. Still posting guys up when the opportunity is there, but he's leaving it to Pau and Bynum if they're both in the game. When one is out, he posts more often, but he's started taking a lot more 3s since Pau got back to spread the floor out.