Apparently, Kobe Bryant's teammates weren't lying when they said that the Black Mamba looked good in practice last week. Because even though Bryant is yet to play a game for the Lakers so far this season due to the Achilles injury he suffered at the end of last season, the team just decided to sign him to a two-year contract extension that will likely keep him with the Lakers until the end of his career. The Lakers haven't revealed the financial terms of the contract just yet. But it's being reported that Bryant will be paid $23.5 million and $25 million over the next two years, which will make him the highest-paid player in the league during those seasons.
"This is a very happy day for Lakers fans and for the Lakers organization," Los Angeles general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement released by the Lakers a short time ago. "We've said all along that our priority and hope was to have Kobe finish his career as a Laker, and this should ensure that that happens."
If this were any other player, we would wonder why the Lakers didn't wait until Bryant returned to the court before giving him a new contract. But at this point in his career, Bryant has earned every penny that the Lakers are going to give him moving forward. So we're just glad that this contract situation is over and Bryant can get back to focusing on basketball.
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[via ESPN Los Angeles]
