Kobe, Byno and History Repeating

Pls put on your I am neutral to Kobe hats right now. Meaning, if you love him, put that aside, if you dislike him, put that aside for what I am going to say.

The year was 2004, Payton, Malone had just joined Shaq and Kobe what was to be the " Fab Four Season". Something went wrong, many things went wrong. For one, shag wanted more money and was threatening to hold out unless he got his Alex Rodriquez contract or as he called it..The Big MDE Deal...

Well, we all know the rest of the story...Shaq wanted the most money, Kobe wanted to get paid and have his own team.. Question is this... With Byno coming up for a contract soon and Kobe coming up for the opt out..Will Kobe pull a shaq (if he stays) and demand more money than Byno and will Byno pull a Kobe ans say I am the future, I do not need Kobe..pay me and give me own team? Those that do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it...

Bynum is too young and inexpirienced to make such demands. He's not a max player yet. He needs to prove that he can bring it every game for an entire season and become our legit starting center before he gets paid big money. If he becomes our full time starting center and keeps up this production, then he'll be worth Al Jefferson type money which is 5 year and 65 million, NOT D Howard money which is 5 year 85 million. That's the max anyway, he won't get paid more then Kobe, it's not allowed.

Yeah, plus Bynum and Kobe don't have the bad relationship that Shaq and Kobe had, so I think you're probably looking into nothing..

naa it aint gon happen

it won't happen, there is no clash of personality there so its all cool.

I think history is repeating -- but only in the sense that Kobe has his new Shaq.

Once Kobe finally embraces Byno as his new partner (egomaniacs are notoriously slow in admitting mistakes), we have the new era sewed up, owned, game over.

After watching the Lakers destroy the Clips, and Byno surgically dissect one of the best young centers in the league (Kaman), the future is clear.

I only wish I had put down 1000 bucks on the Lakers to win it all, rather than a measly 100 bucks.

Prediction: out with the old (Spurs and ole man Dullcan) and in with the new: the Byno-fueled Lake Show.

L.A. Lakers: 2007-2008 NBA Champs. (I can't wait to see Byno against KG!)

have you ever heard about the CBA (collective bargaining agreement)??? this is the basis of how players get paid, or simply put, players are allowed to sign for more money relative to the number of years played. in 2004, shaq was 11 or 12 yr veteran, and Kobe, an 8-yr vet (both being eligible for max money). Next year, the most that Bynum can sign for is what DHoward makes

Bynum will stay, and he will get paid the max the Lakers can offer. Like k_swagger8 noted, he hasn't been in the league long enough yet to get Kobe's money, but it will come in time.

Assuming Kobe stays put in Laker-land, what $$ will he want when his contract ends? Will he pull a Shaq and try to bleed Buss for it all, or settle for less and keep a team around him? (Shaq eventually settled for 10 mill a year less than he wanted from Buss, I believe, and it probably won him a title). In a few years the Byno vs Kobe contract $$ will be an important issue; If Kobe stays healthy and productive and Byno continues to improve, both will merit max contracts - so Showtime's question is a real stickler a short few years from now.

Kobe has learned from the experience he has had with these losing seasons. He was so young when the Lakers were dominating three years in a row. It's just my opinion, but I think there is no way you can not, especially so young and successful, not to lose perspective.

When Kobe joined the Lakers there was big-Shaq, superstar, most dominating force in the NBA and all those great vets like Robert Horry, Rick Fox etc. What a situation, what a time to be a superstar and winning championships with the Lakers.

But after Shaq left and many other of the Laker vets left and these long, difficult seasons have made it clear, I think, to Kobe that he would love to have another superstar or up and coming superstar by his side to dominate again. He is a 29 year old mature player that is hungry to win. If Bynum becomes a dominate force on the Lakers - I think Kobe will be the happiest Laker of all.

let's hope for the best and see that KB and Byno workout long term.

when the time comes for bynum to command max $$$ (about 4-5 yrs), kobe will be 33-34, and would not make the same mistake shaq did. the laker team then with farmar as PG, critt more of the 2, kobe more of a jump shooting 2/3 and turiaf at 4 (and winning 60-65 games), for sure he will take less money to keep the other 4 starters with the team.

Don't worry Showtime, I think Bynum and Kobe will go a long way and the FO has seen enough of good chemistry between them to keep it this way.