Kobe stays put with new deal
Kobe Bryant’s journey through free agency ended Thursday where it began — with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant chose the Lakers over the Clippers, remaining with the team he joined in 1996 at age 18 and later helped win three NBA championships.
“It feels great to be in the city of Los Angeles playing for the Lakers the next seven years,” Bryant said after Thursday’s news conference where he signed his lucrative contract. “It feels unbelievable.”
The decision came a day after the Lakers traded fellow superstar Shaquille O’Neal to the Miami Heat. Now, it will be Bryant — along with incoming coach Rudy Tomjanovich and Heat imports Lamar Odom, Caron Butler and Brian Grant — who will lead them into the future.
Bryant insisted he had nothing to do with the departures of O’Neal and former head coach Phil Jackson.
“That upsets me. That angers me. That hurts me,” Bryant said of speculation that he was involved in the team’s decision-making.
“They did what they had to do. That had nothing to do with me. In a perfect world, we would have all come back and won another (championship).”
Bryant, who said repeatedly this past season he wanted to be a “Laker for life,” is poised to fulfill that declaration. His contract will be worth more than $136.4 million over seven years.
“I always wanted to be a Laker,” Bryant said. “It’s in my heart. This is what I do, this the team I want to play for and have a chance to finish out my career here.”
One significant obstacle remains for Bryant before next season. He has pleaded not guilty to felony sexual assault and faces an Aug. 27 trial in Eagle, Colo. He claims he had consensual sex with an employee, now 20, at the Vail-area resort where she worked.
If convicted, Bryant faces four years to life in prison or 20 years to life on probation, and a fine of up to $750,000. The trial figures to take several weeks.
“Just leave it in God’s hands,” Bryant said when asked how he was going to deal with the next couple of months.
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said that Bryant’s legal problems have nothing to do with the team’s decision to re-sign Bryant.
“If there is any risk, it was a risk we were willing to take,” Kupchak said.
Bryant, who turns 26 next month, has averaged 21.8 points in 561 regular-season games over eight seasons. He averaged 24.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists last season.
The Lakers had an advantage over the Clippers financially, able to offer a contract lasting one year longer and worth over $30 million more.
Martin traded to Nuggets
Kenyon Martin was traded from the Nets to the Nuggets for three future first-round draft picks, a deal that strengthens Denver’s frontcourt and weakens New Jersey’s chances to stay among the elite teams in the Eastern Conference.
The deal was the result of several days of on-and-off talks, the Nuggets successfully resisting New Jersey president Rod Thorn’s efforts to acquire Nene as a replacement for Martin at power forward.
The draft picks include one of the Nuggets’ own, a pick formerly belonging to the Los Angeles Clippers and another previously owned by Philadelphia.
The transaction is a sign-and-trade deal in which Martin inked a seven-year contract and then was immediately shipped to the Nuggets.
Fisher, Warriors have deal?
Point guard Derek Fisher has signed a six-year, $37 million contract with the Golden State Warriors, his agent, Mark Bartelstein, said.
But a Warriors spokesman said the deal hasn’t been finalized.
Spurs re-sign Ginobili
The San Antonio Spurs re-signed guard Manu Ginobili, taking care of their biggest off-season priority.
The team also announced the signing of free agent and ex-Sonics guard Brent Barry, who reached an agreement with the club last week.
Terms of the Ginobili deal were not announced, but media reports had said the contract was expected to be a six-year deal for an estimated $52 million.
Around the league
Stephen Jackson of the Atlanta Hawks was traded to the Indiana Pacers for forward Al Harrington in a sign-and-trade deal. … The Detroit Pistons say they are close to reaching a deal with Rasheed Wallace. … The Memphis Grizzlies announced a six-year contract extension for forward Shane Battier. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.