Los Angeles Lakers vice president Jim Buss is putting all speculation to rest. There has been plenty of rumors that Kobe Bryant will finish out his basketball career with another team, something that seemed unlikely, but possible. However, Bryant is not going anywhere as the Lakers have already started contract negotiations with their five-time champion.
Bryant will have the option to test out free agency come July 1. the 35-year-old is in the final year of his current contract, owed $30.5 million. That is the highest salary in the league. If Bryant is going to re-sign while also giving the Lakers room to sign another superstar, he will likely have to take a pay cut. No matter what, Buss is confident Bryant will be a Laker come the 2014 season.
"I want to put an end to any speculation that we would allow Kobe to become a free agent," Buss said, via ESPNLosAngeles.com. "That's not going to happen. Kobe is a top priority for us. He's a Laker legend and always will be. I don't think we're done winning championships with him yet. [Lakers general manager] Mitch Kupchak and [Bryant's agent] Rob Pelinka have been talking, but with him being hurt, it has slowed the process some. I don't know when it'll get done, but I have faith in Rob and Mitch to work things out."
Bryant is currently rehabbing from a season-ending Achilles tear. . The All-Star has said multiple times that he is ahead of schedule in recovery, but has yet to offer up any sort of timetable for his return. Despite the injury, the Lakers want Bryant for the long-term.
The issue will be the amount in which Bryant re-signs for. The Laker star said back in the offseason that fans should not assume that he will just take a pay cut willingly. This lead to even more questions about his return since Los Angeles does intend on signing at least one marquee player, if not two in the summer.
"As a businessman, the goal is always to not take a pay cut," Bryant said, via the Orange County Register in July.
For the 2014 season, only Steve Nash, Nick Young and Robert Sacre are under contract. It is assumed that Los Angeles will target either LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony in free agency with their free cap space. Buss does not believe James will be an option, but has not ruled out Anthony. The Knicks star says he has yet to get a recruiting pitch from Bryant.
"It's definitely an opportunity that I'm willing to explore and experience," Anthony said. "That not whatsoever means that I'm not coming back to New York or I don't want to be here in New York. So I don't want nobody to get that impression."