Woah what?!? The NBA is a business, teams owe the players exactly what is on the contract. No team should commit roster suicide by "owing" someone to be overpaid.
You misunderstand my point. Contracts are capped--30% of the salary cap at the time the deal was signed. Shaq was making around $15MM when he was at his peak, and he was worth probably double that. Ergo, when his value drops to $5-7MM a year and he's making $20MM, it evens out.
Congrats to Miami, what they do has NOTHING to do with the Lakers situation. The Lakers look out for themselves and no one else. You are wrong about missing 'ships too. The Lakers had already lost in the 04 finals, the Kobe/Shaq relationship was damaged beyond repair for whatever reason you want to say. I was over, done, nada.
Sorry, wrong again. Lakers had a choice, Kobe or Shaq...'there was no chance to keep both. It wasnt coincidence that the day after Shaq left town Kobe resigned. Kobe was seriously contemplating going to the Clippers among others. It was one or the other.
I disagree with your assertion. BTW, it was Kobe that caused the rift, not Shaq. Like it or not, Shaq was the reason for the rings. Kobe may have been the better player, but his talents were more easily replaced that were Shaquille O'Neal's. Kobe needed to show more respect for Shaq, but he wanted the glory for himself. Of course, Kobe is all about him, and he paid the price. He'll never be another Jordan.
Now you are trying to change the argument (again). Management is irrelevant to what had already happened. Dont cry over split milk. They had to make a decision at that point. Again, I never said Kobe wasnt an asshole. IMO Kobe and Shaq are both assholes.
I'm not changing the argument. I'm adding a third character. Someone in management needed to sit Kobe down and talk to him. They didn't, and the franchise paid the price.
Oh, so if you ever get accused of rape and you have disposable income you wouldnt try your damndest to beat the charges...give me a fuckin break. Once again, no actual evidence that shows his guilt. NOTHING. You want him to be a rapist to justify your hate towards him. He cheated on his wife.
First, I wouldn't cheat on my wife.
Second, if I'm ever accused of a rape I didn't commit, I let the evidence speak for itself. If I'm innocent, there wouldn't be any evidence. The girl not only had Kobe's man-juice in her, but she also had vaginal abrasions and had been roughed up a bit, items consistent with struggle during sex, aka rape.
Kobe's not coming to this party innocent. I'm sure he's had lots of women outside of marriage. Why was this one different? Why wasn't he more careful? It's his arrogance that makes him think he can get away with anything, and in this case it wasn't arrogant at all. He did get away with it. He paid the girl off because if it came to a court case, he was going to Canon City.
As for justifying my hate for him, the manner in which he carries himself on the court and that ridiculous Italian rap with Tyra Banks is all the justification I need.
