How Will the Economy Affect the NBA?

Free agency starts tomorrow (July 1) but it won’t be a free-for-all this year, due to a variety of reasons–the economy being one of them. The Lakers sold two picks on draft-day for $6.2 million and rumor has it that the team will re-sign forwards Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza now that they can afford to. Lakers’ reserve guard Shannon Brown made only $796,000 last season (nearly $5 million below the average salary in the NBA) and will get a raise from somebody tomorrow.

Kobe Bryant has the ability to opt out of his contract but has been making it pretty clear that we will be back next season. A few weeks ago Byrant said, “I’m not going anywhere. I know I ain’t going nowhere. It just wastes our breath just talking about it. Let’s talk about Trevor and Lamar and the importance of bringing them back.” Bryant turns 31 in August and is under contract for two more years and $47.8 million, although he could potentially tear up his contract and sign a new for five years and a whopping $135 million. Both Phil Jackson and Mitch Kupchak have spoken optimistically about keeping Odoma and Ariza.

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