The Lakers signed Kobe Bryant to a 2-year $48.5 million dollar contract which many believe has stifled the club financially, but if you ask him, he and players like Lebron James are still underpaid.
KB believes players like him & LeBron are underpaid (put LBJ free market at ~ $75 mil). Believes important to set an example in contracts…
— Chris Ballard (@SI_ChrisBallard) August 22, 2014
But, “that being said, I took a pay cut. I’m very very lucky to be w/ LA. They could have lowballed me, but that’s not what they stand for.”
— Chris Ballard (@SI_ChrisBallard) August 22, 2014
And last one, from Kobe talking about the pressure for players to take less $$ to help a team win, when he feels that’s unfair…. (contd)
— Chris Ballard (@SI_ChrisBallard) August 22, 2014
KB:”As athletes, you get the pressure of playing for the love of the game.Of course we do.But do owners buy teams for the love of the game?”
— Chris Ballard (@SI_ChrisBallard) August 22, 2014
Some may think it’s taboo for a professional basketball player who makes more in a year than most will make in their lifetime to say he doesn’t make enough money, but Bryant makes a good point. Relative to the income they generate for their respective franchises he and especially Lebron are “underpaid.”
H/T: CBS Sports