It was no surprise that the Los Angeles Lakers offered Kobe Bryant a contract extension but the amount of money offered is what threw everyone off. Of course Bryant accepted the offer and it began a long debate about how the contract was too much and it would negatively affect the Lakers chances of rebuilding like they had planned. Former Lakers coach Phil Jackson also weighed in on the situation and agreed with the general population.
The only people I saw who supported the Lakers giving a 35-year old Kobe Bryant coming off an Achilles injury, two-years and $48.5 million was Lakers fans. Well if there’s anyone who’s opinion is well respected, it’s Phil Jackson and even he thought it was too much.
via Yahoo Sports
When asked if he would’ve given Kobe a two-year extension coming off an Achilles injury.
“Yeah, I would have,” Jackson answered quickly, before briefly pausing and adding: “They paid him more than I would have gone for.”
That said, Jackson explained, he gets why the L.A. braintrust backed up the Brinks truck for Bryant, with whom Jackson won five of his 11 NBA championships.
“But what he’s given to this organization, what he gives back — he brings a certain sense of, ‘We are going to win,'” Jackson said. “You’ve got to have a guy on the team that doesn’t settle for second. That’s one of the areas where the value of Kobe, even at this age, is terrific.”
Jackson’s point of the value Kobe brings on and off the court as well as his contributions to the team has been the common counterpoint to his contract objections. Kobe will be the highest paid player in the league through the end of his contract at 37-years old.
