Kobe Bryant thinks it’s “BS” that you think he should take a pay cut to win a championship

Kobe Bryant wants you to know that he thinks it’s “BS” that you think he should’ve taken more of a pay cut. Bryant spoke on Tuesday at a press conference about his $48.5 million extension with the Lakers. from Kobe’s POV, he’s a businessman who made a sound business decision, keeping in mid the future goals of both the team and he as an individual.

“Most of us have aspirations for being businessmen when our playing careers are over,” Bryant told Yahoo Sports in a corridor of the Verizon Center. “But that starts now. You have to be able to wear both hats. You can’t sit up there and say, ‘Well, I’m going to take substantially less because there’s public pressure, because all of a sudden, if you don’t take less, you don’t give a crap about winning. That’s total bull—-.

“I’m very fortunate to be with an organization that understands how to take care of its players, and put a great team out on the floor. They’ve figured out how to do both.

“Most players in this league don’t have that. They get stuck in a predicament – probably intentionally done by the teams – to force them to take less money. Meanwhile, the value of the organization goes through the roof off the backs of their quote, unquote selfless players.

“It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

NBA teams can be transformed by one superstar signing. Even if it’s just more merchandise being sold because of the association. Kobe’s signing is as much about the overall value Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak feel he brings to the Lakers as it is to future championship goals.