Kobe Bryant has always kept tabs on how the media and fans perceive him, so of course he was aware of what people were saying about his contract. Bryant recently signed a two-year extension with the Lakers that places the 19-year veteran among the highest-paid players in the league.
On the court, the Lakers have been a disaster, and Kobe has not played nearly well enough to justify his contract.
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Rumors have already started flying that Kobe could be traded, and at the very least, everyone agrees that Kobe's contract is clogging the Lakers' cap and not doing them any favors. Fans should not expect Kobe to look to help the Lakers sort the situation out, either, because he does not believe in hometown discounts.
"It's the popular thing to do," Bryant told reporters. "I think it's a big coup for the owners to put players in situations where public perception puts pressure on them to take less money. Because if you don't then you get criticized for it. It's absolutely brilliant, but I'm not going for it."
According to media reports, Kobe had plenty more to say on the subject. He explained that he understood the business side of things and that the owners are all trying to make money. However, he also mentioned that he understands certain individuals generate a lot more of that money for the owners, particularly in a large market like Los Angeles.
"So did I take a discount? Yeah," Kobe went on to say. "Did I take as big a discount as some of you fans would want me to" No. Is it a big enough discount to help us be a contender? Yeah."
I think fans would certainly dispute the last point Kobe made. They may not have to worry about it for much longer, though. Kobe later said that he intends to retire at the end of his current contract, meaning that the 2015-16 season would be his last.
Below, you can see the highlights from the Lakers-Rockets game earlier this week.
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