Kobe/NY Snippet

[thegrahamcrackr]

Now I know it won't happen, but I found this interesting. (Keep in mind its from Vecsey)....

What if Kobe should defect to the Knicks? Nike, say sources, is prepared to double his $45 million contact should he be declared not guilty and winds up playing in New York. What if he splits for San Antonio or Phoenix or remains in L.A. with the Clippers? What if Buss actually lets him walk away without compensation?

Wasn't his nike deal for 5 years (9 million a year?). So they would pay him an additional 9 million if he moved to NY...


That would equal his 16 million contract he is looking for. For some reason, I would think that there has to be some conflict of interest rules here. Basically a team is trying to circumvent the cap by using it's market size to push around sponsers.........

 

[devilalum]

Now I know it won't happen, but I found this interesting. (Keep in mind its from Vecsey)....




Wasn't his nike deal for 5 years (9 million a year?). So they would pay him an additional 9 million if he moved to NY...


That would equal his 16 million contract he is looking for. For some reason, I would think that there has to be some conflict of interest rules here. Basically a team is trying to circumvent the cap by using it's market size to push around sponsers.........

The team isn't circumventing the cap. The Knicks have no control over what Nike chooses to pay Kobe. This would set a totally screwed precedent though.

 

[slinslin]

I don't think the NBA would allow the Knicks to sign Kobe for that much less than market value.

If they do the league is screwed.

 

[elindholm]

Bryant, Marbury, and Hardaway in the same back court?

 

[devilalum]

I don't think the NBA would allow the Knicks to sign Kobe for that much less than market value.

If they do the league is screwed.

The Suns signed Danny Manning in his prime for $1 million.

Karl Malone turned down a large contract from the Jazz to sign with the Lakers for $1 million.

Stern would fall all over himself to get Kobe in NY. Have you already forgotten how they placed Ewing there?

 

[Dan H]

The Suns signed Danny Manning in his prime for $1 million.

Karl Malone turned down a large contract from the Jazz to sign with the Lakers for $1 million.

Stern would fall all over himself to get Kobe in NY. Have you already forgotten how they placed Ewing there?

Don't forget, though, the league vetoed a contract that the Suns came to with AC Green because it would have circumvented the salary cap. Then there's the Joe Smith situation. I think the league would have to strongly look at keeping it realistic - if Kobe wanted to play in New York the league might "suggest" to Kupchak that he accept a sign-and-trade.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

The team isn't circumventing the cap. The Knicks have no control over what Nike chooses to pay Kobe. This would set a totally screwed precedent though.

Don't you think James Dolan and Isiah Thomas would try and push that through??

I think it is different than the Malone and Manning situation. Those players made a choice to take LESS money to go to a team where they wanted to play.

In this scenario, Bryant would recieve the same amount of net money he would if he signed a max contract with say Phx.

 

[George O'Brien]

I know there was a period when it was legal to sign a player to a minimal one year deal and the jump to much bigger contract the second year. It was my understanding that the latest league contract severly limits that which is what happened to the Wolves. But the value of a max MLE is high enough that it would not be considered out of line.

A deal with an early opt out might give Kobe some flexibility, but I'm not sure he can ever match what a straight FA offer would give.

BTW, is it really likely that Kobe will get a major sponsorship deal with all the character issues coming out?

 

[Joe Mama]

I'm not sure how it would work legally, but I think the NBA would stop a deal like that. They would probably love to have Kobe Bryant in New York, but the other owners would be raising hell.

Joe Mama

 

[Yuma]

Besides that Joe, then LA would be a void and that is supposedly the second best market for the NBA. They like having a West coast/East coast rivalry type thing going. They want a Superstar in NY, but I think they'd like Kobe to stay in LA, too. If they could convince Shaq to go to NY, think of the storylines!