Lakers Sign Rookie Bryant
One month shy of his 18th birthday, Kobe Bryant became a millionaire. The Lakers signed Bryant, who’s making the jump from high school to the NBA, to a three-year, $3.65 million contract.
The 6-6 guard/forward from Philadelphia, selected 13th overall in the NBA draft by Charlotte, was traded to the Lakers this month for Vlade Divac.
Bryant, who will turn 18 on Aug. 23, averaged 25 points and 5.3 rebounds in four games for the Lakers’ summer-league entry.
Meanwhile, the agent for retired Lakers guard Magic Johnson termed remarks made by his client concerning a possible comeback - prompted by O’Neal’s signing - as “sort of premature.”
“He was just excited,” Lon Rosen said.
The Lakers had to renounce rights to Johnson, who turns 37 next month, in order to fit O’Neal’s first-year salary under the NBA’s salary cap. Because of that move, Johnson could not be re-signed by the Lakers until Jan. 11 - 55 days into the regular season.
Eight days later, the trade that sent point guard Rod Strickland from Portland to the Washington Bullets finally became a done deal.
Now the Bullets will try to sort out his contract.
Strickland had refused to take the physical examination necessary to complete the July 15 trade, but Bullets general manager Wes Unseld said the team completed the transaction by agreeing to waive the exam.
The Knicks eased a logjam at guard by trading Hubert Davis to Toronto for a first-round draft choice.
Davis had the NBA’s third-best 3-point shooting percentage last season. He made 127 of 267 attempts, 47.6 percent, but averaged only 10.7 points.
Indiana signed first-round draft pick Erick Dampier to a three-year contract, leaving guard Reggie Miller as the team’s only unsigned free agent.
Terms of Dampier’s contract weren’t disclosed, per club policy.
Also, Mark Pope, a 6-10 second-round draft pick by the Pacers in last month’s NBA draft, has decided he needs some seasoning in Turkey before playing for the Pacers. Pope played at Kentucky.
Former Kentucky guard and Final Four most valuable player Tony Delk, the 16th pick in the 1996 NBA draft, signed a three-year contract with the Charlotte Hornets. Terms were not release.
Steve Nash, the Phoenix Suns’ top draft choice and potential successor to Kevin Johnson at point guard, signed a three-year deal worth $3.1 million. Nash, the 15th selection in last month’s draft, is a two-time West Coast Conference player of the year.
New Jersey signed ex-Washington Bullets point guard Robert Pack to a five-year, $15-million deal that also includes incentives.