Was Kobe’s contract worth more than the state of the Lakers roster?
Kobe Bryant is set to make $48 million over the next two seasons. With Jeremy Lin under contract this season for a cool $15 million, the team is set to receive salary cap relief from the imminent retirement announcement from Steve Nash. The Buss family and Mitch Kupchak have received an overwhelming negative response from critics for allowing Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol leave the team in consecutive seasons and not being able to convey talents to sign with the team. The organization sealed their fate with the hiring of Mike D’Antoni in comparison to bringing back free agent attraction Phil Jackson in 2013. While the team has showed improvements in youth heading forward, the team is still a few years away from being a legitimate contender.
Some will even cite Kobe’s contract a factor why they’re in limbo, but due to contrary belief, they have more than enough to land two maximum free agents. If you’re trying to figure out why free agents and superstars wouldn’t want to play for the NBA’s most prized franchise, it may be due to playing with the Mamba and the team’s unbalanced power of control in the hierarchy. Jeanie Buss held an interview last week saying she has final say in all team decisions, but has given her brother 3 years to make them into a legitimate NBA championship contender. With the lack of free agency players unwilling to commit to their hallway of Hollywood, the team could see that grace period extend past the Kobe Bryant-era.