Lakers News: Dirk Nowitzki Takes Jab At Kobe Bryant For Contract Extension
[new_royalslider id=”281″]

After the Los Angeles Lakers signed Kobe Bryant to a two-year contract extension worth $48.5 million back in November, a lot of people were surprised and baffled that the team would invest so much money in an injured superstar with an uncertain future.

The consensus was that the team re-signed the future Hall of Famer out of respect for everything that Kobe had done for the franchise. Not to mention the fact that Kobe staying in Los Angeles guarantees ticket sales and merchandise continuing to fly off the shelves for at least another two years, if he’s able to stay healthy.

Want Nick Young To Remain In A Lakers Uniform? Join Our #STAYSWAG Campaign!

Along with all the criticism about Kobe’s new deal from NBA analysts, former players like Magic Johnson and even Phil Jackson, one current superstar in a similar position has also chimed in on Kobe’s enormous contract.

Dirk Nowitzki will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and vows not to take Kobe’s approach in contract talks with the Dallas Mavericks. Nowitzki takes a somewhat subtle shot at Kobe for not putting the team ahead of his own need for a lucrative deal according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News:

“We want to get better as a team,” Nowitzki said. “And I’m pretty sure I’m not going to sign Kobe’s deal – unfortunately (Bryant signed a two-year, $48-million extension).

“We’ll find a good way where I feel respected for what I did and we still have enough money left for us to get great players in here. Cubes has been great to me and been loyal to me for a long, long time. I’m sure we’re going to find a great solution for everybody.”

Basically, Nowitzki is willing to live with the enormous amount of money he’s made over the course of his career in an effort to sacrifice for the team. Nowitzki, like other stars at an advanced age, is willing to take a pay cut to help bring in talented players in order to get the Mavericks back to title-contending status in the final years of his career.

It remains to be seen how things will pan out for both players in the twilight of their careers. Nowitzki’s approach is noble, but it may not produce results. Kobe, on the other hand, is trying to get paid what he’s worth while banking on the attractive destination of Los Angeles and the Lakers franchise to lure in big-names.

In a few years, we’ll know the answer in terms of whose approach paid off and if Nowitzki taking less money was truly the right way to go for the German superstar.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Mike D’Antoni OUT, Resigns As Lakers Head Coach – Magic Johnson Says He Couldn’t Be Happier


Please enable Javascript to watch this video

You May Also Like

Lakers Will Honor Abdul-Jabbar With Statue & The Top NBA News

Top Story According to Linda Rambis, the Los Angeles Lakers’  manager of special…

Lakers News: DeAndre Jordan Discusses Mindset While Being Out Of Rotation

The Los Angeles Lakers made a rare early change to their rotation, temporarily removing DeAndre Jordan and moving…

Kobe Bryant Passes Elvin Hayes On The All-Time Made Field Goals List

Kobe Bryant continues to break records this season, and did again in…

Lakers News: Luke Walton Indifferent On Potential Signings Or Trades After Lonzo Ball Injury

Just when the Los Angeles Lakers seemed close to getting fully healthy, which has been a rarity for them this season, Lonzo Ball suffered a Grade 3 ankle…