The odometer keeps rolling. Now that Kobe Bryant’s turned 32, how much of a decline can we expect in his game over the next few seasons?
Kobe Bryant
When Michael Jordan returned to the Chicago Bulls late in the 94-95 season — at 32 — he had played only 778 NBA regular season and playoff games. By comparison, Kobe Bryant has already played a whopping 1,219 games, 57% more than Jordan at the same age. Kobe is clearly the NBA version of a Ferrari with high mileage.
Bryant’s stats have also dipped in several categories in the last five seasons:
- Scoring per game: 35.4, 31.6, 28.3, 26.8, to 27.0 last season.
- Free throw attempts per game: 10.2, 10.0, 9.0, 6.9, 7.4.
- Minutes per game: 41.0, 40.8, 38.9, 36.1, 38.8.
FanNation
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Shannon Brown
The Lakers and free agent guard Shannon Brown have agreed on a two-year contract worth $4.6 million.
“Shannon could have made more money somewhere else, but I think he really wanted to play this out with the Lakers,” his agent said. “They’ve won it [all] two years in a row and the chance to win three straight [championships] doesn’t come around every day.”
Brown is likely the last piece of the Lakers’ offseason puzzle.
ESPN.com
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Shannon Brown
The Knicks have made a contract offer to Shannon Brown using a portion of their remaining salary-cap room, according to Ken Berger of CBS Sports.
Brown is weighing whether to join the Knicks, where he may eventually win the starting two-guard job, or wait for the Lakers who are trying to shed Sasha Vujacic’s $5.4 million salary and relieve the luxury-tax burden of retaining Brown.
Real GM
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Matt Barnes
Veteran swingman Matt Barnes, one of the most coveted free agents left on the open market, will play for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers announced Thursday they had signed the free-agent forward. Terms were not disclosed; Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Barnes agreed to a two-year contract worth $3.6 million.
“Its official I AM A LOS ANGLES LAKER. I wanna thank u for all ur patients and understanding. This is a dream come true!!! Good lookn Kobe,” said a post on the seven-year veteran’s Twitter feed.
ESPN.com
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Chris Paul
According to a source with knowledge of his plan, Chris Paul has requested that the Hornets trade him to the Knicks, Magic or Lakers before the season begins.
“He wants out,” the source told Ken Berger of CBS Sports. “He wants to play with another superstar. He wants to follow LeBron’s model of teaming up with other great players.”
NBA sources say that members of Paul’s camp told them recently, “He’s not going to start the season in New Orleans.”
Real GM
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Andrew Bynum
Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum has postponed his knee surgery.
Lakers spokesman John Black said Tuesday that Bynum pushed back the date of his surgery to correct a meniscus tear in his right knee to July 28.
Bynum injured his knee in Game 6 of the Lakers’ playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Inside Hoops
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Shannon Brown
With Raja Bell choosing to sign with the Utah Jazz, guard Shannon Brown has moved closer to re-signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, his agent told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday night.
Lakers general manager “Mitch [Kupchak] and I have been talking and we’re getting there on something,” said Brown’s agent, Mark Bartelstein.
Brown, 24, played 82 games for the Lakers, and averaged a career-high 8.1 points and 20 minutes last season.
HoopsWorld
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Derek Fisher
The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed free agent guard Derek Fisher, it was announced by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Per team policy terms of the contract were not released.
Fisher, a five-time NBA Champion with the Lakers (2000-02, 2009-10), returns for his fourth straight season with Los Angeles and 12th overall.
Inside Hoops
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Bryant, Bell
The seemingly hard-to-picture prospect of Kobe Bryant and old nemesis Raja Bell playing for the same team remains alive.
The longtime rivals will sit down for a face-to-face chat Wednesday in Los Angeles to further discuss the feasibility of the Lakers signing Bell in free agency, sources close to the situation said.
Bell is traveling to Los Angeles this week to watch the ESPYs and has arranged to meet with Bryant to hear the Lakers’ face of the franchise make yet another recruiting pitch to the 33-year-old swingman.
ESPN.com
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