Kobe Stays Put!!!

Kobe Bryant officially decided not to opt out of his contract and will reportedly sign a three-year extension on top of his two remaining years. Bryant would make a guaranteed $47.8 million over the next two years and with the extension could stand to make another $86 million to $91 million (dependig on the NBA salary-cap figures which will be decided in 2011). The earliest Kobe could opt out of his contract again would most likely be June 2012 but if he were to do so he would leave over $60 million on the table over the past two years. Bryant, who turns 31 in August, has spent his entire 13-year career with the Lakers and may retire when this contract is up.

According to an source unauthorized to speak publicly, Kobe said he didn’t become an unrestricted free agent because he wanted to “let Lamar [Odom] and Trevor [Ariza] have their day.” Odom will take a substantial pay cut (he made $14.1 million last season) while Ariza (who turned 24 yesterday) will get a pay raise from the $3.1 million he made last season. No verbal agreements have yet been made and negotiations will continue throughout the week, although both San Antonio and Phoenix have expressed an interest in Odom. Detroit, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Toronto, Portland, Atlanta and possibly Sacramento are among the short-list of teams who have enough salary cap to sign Odom or Ariza. They Lakers may pursue Houston forward Ron Artest if unable to sign Ariza or Odom.

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