Kobe Bryant Says 'Nah' to Taking Big Pay Cut in 2014, Wants 'Much as He Can' Get

Kobe Bryant cares an awful lot about winning, but based on a recent report that he's not going to accept a significant salary reduction when his contract expires after the 2013-14 season, it appears he cares about money a little more.

According to Serena Winters of Lakers Nation, Bryant said of a potential pay cut:


"I'm not taking any at all—that’s the negotiation that you have to have. For me to sit here and say, 'Oh yeah, I’m just going to take a huge pay cut.' Nah, I’m going to try to get as much as I possibly can."

This is a complicated issue, largely because if Bryant were employed in any other profession, nobody would have the impulse to knock him for trying to get as much money as possible. So before anyone leaps up to decry Bryant as selfish or greedy, first consider how ridiculous it is to criticize someone for trying to collect as much money as his employer is willing to give him.

But the NBA is a different world, one in which talk of "sacrifice" and "winning at all costs" isn't uncommon.
πηγη

Jeff Teague Reportedly Signs 4-Year Offer Sheet with Milwaukee Bucks

When the Atlanta Hawks drafted German point guard Dennis Schroeder with the 17th pick in the NBA draft, many wondered what the future would hold for incumbent point guard Jeff Teague.

According to C.F. Garnder of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, that question could soon be answered, as Teague has reportedly signed an offer sheet with the Milwaukee Bucks:

Early Winners and Losers of 2013 NBA Free Agency

The NBA's free-agency moratorium period is a misnomer. Despite teams being unable to actually do anything, that's still when the majority of the action goes down. All the big-name players have made their decisions, and now, we are just waiting on the formality of signing papers.
The wait will come to an end today as the signing period officially opens on July 10.
Although there's still work to be done by teams filling out rotations and rosters, here's an early look at the winners and losers of 2013 NBA free agency.

Portland Trail Blazers: Checklist for No. 31 Draft Pick Allen Crabbe to Thrive

After securing Lehigh’s C.J. McCollum with the 10th pick in the first round of this year’s NBA draft, the Portland Trail Blazers acquired California shooting guard Allen Crabbe via a trade with Cleveland for the first pick in the second round.

Having played three seasons at California, Crabbe is a seasoned scorer and ballplayer. He even earned Pac-12 Player of the Year awards during his sophomore and junior seasons.
Yes, Crabbe has talent evidenced by these honors and his years of college basketball. However, he will need to adjust to the life of professional play in Portland, and in particular develop and flourish in specific ways.

Crabbe needs to remain a strong shooter
First of all, Crabbe needs to bring his stellar shot to Portland. During his final college basketball season, Crabbe averaged an impressive 18.4 points per game along with a field-goal percentage of .459 and a three-point percentage of .348.

With these statistics, Crabbe ranked in the top 10 of categories for scoring, made three-pointers and three-point percentage. Plainly said, the guard can shoot.
Portland will be expecting Crabbe to deliver on the court in terms of scoring, and he will be a huge asset to point guard Damian Lillard when Lillard is looking for a man to get the ball to.

Crabbe needs to be more than a shooter
A talented scorer does not always make an NBA star. Crabbe needs to showcase his talent in other areas—such as rebounding and assisting—in order to really develop and see solid minutes as a Trail Blazer.
For his 2012-13 season with California, the junior shooting guard averaged 6.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game. These are promising numbers, and Crabbe will have a great opportunity to improve once he begins playing alongside Lillard.
According to NBCSports.com, Crabbe said of his willingness to improve beyond his scoring: “The scouts look at things that you can’t do, and you just go back and you work on those areas.”
He continued by saying, “So the next time they see you, you can prove that you’re capable of doing the things they said you weren’t capable of.”
Evidently, Crabbe is motivated to develop into more than just a scorer. He will have an opportunity to do so when he begins his career in Portland.

Crabbe needs to fit in—right away
One advantage that Crabbe has is that he will be needed in Portland. Shooting guard Sasha Pavlovic is non-guaranteed this season, leaving only Will Barton and Wesley Matthews to play another year with the Blazers at the shooting guard position.
Crabbe needs to fit in—right away
One advantage that Crabbe has is that he will be needed in Portland. Shooting guard Sasha Pavlovic is non-guaranteed this season, leaving only Will Barton and Wesley Matthews to play another year with the Blazers at the shooting guard position.

Drafted in 2012, Barton averaged only 4.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.5 steals in 12.2 minutes per game last season with Portland.
Matthews is a bit more impressive. He averaged 14.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals in 34.8 minutes for 2012-13.
Though Crabbe doesn’t yet have the NBA experience that these other shooting guards do, his college statistics suggest that he will be able to compete with them for minutes. He may also split time with C.J. McCollum if the Blazers slot the Lehigh player into the shooting guard position instead of at point guard.
However, as long as Crabbe brings his shot and his drive to improve to Portland, he should see decent playing time at shooting guard. Time will tell if he can prove himself as a Portland Trail Blazer.