Subscribe
Follow Us
The Los Angeles Lakers fell short of expectations during the last few seasons of Kobe Bryant's career. In fact, the best chance they had before Bryant retired in 2016 was in the 2012-13 season. Then GM Mitch Kupchak assembled a “super team” that included Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, and Pau Gasol. Aside from most of the players on that team entering the twilight (except Howard) of their careers, they also had relatively expensive contracts compared to their production.
By the trade deadline, the Lakers were a sub .500 team on the verge of paying a hefty luxury tax bill while their championship dreams were fading. While most teams carrying huge expectations will make moves during this period to complement their star players, Mavericks' outspoken owner Mark Cuban offered an interesting solution to the Laker's problems. A solution that irked Bryant to his core.
Mark Cuban's solution meant the Lakers could save millions
Cuban's solution was simple: amnesty Bryant. To those who aren't familiar, this was a rule that allowed teams to release one player from their team. The only difference was that this rule allowed the released player to be cleared from the team's salary cap and was merely a loophole that gave teams cap flexibility. With Bryant's $80 million contract, the Lakers were strapped on cap space. Using the amnesty clause on Bryant would've allowed them to absorb expiring contracts to accelerate their rebuild while allowing Bryant the chance to play for a championship contender.
The idea sounds absurd, but Bryant once thought it would be possible. Bryant even said he'd sign with the Knicks to play for former coach Phil Jackson once he'd be released.
Bryant used Cuban's suggestion as motivation
Like his childhood idol, Bryant was known to take things very personally. When he found out Cuban suggested the idea to the public, he let it sink in. The good news for Bryant was that he didn't have to wait long to get his revenge. The Lakers were set to face the Mavericks just two days after Cuban's controversial statement.
In true Black Mamba fashion, Bryant was determined to let his game do the talking. He scored 38 points and finished with a near triple-double, leading the Lakers to a four-point victory. While other players might have seen Cuban’s remarks as merely business, Bryant took it as a personal challenge to show everyone that he was worth his contract.
After the game, Bryant wasn’t content to end his beef with Cuban by handing the Mavericks a heartbreaking loss. He took to Twitter and posted a tweet that went viral: “Amnesty THAT.”
The tweet quickly became iconic, a digital mic-drop that sent a clear message to Cuban and any doubters watching.
For Lakers fans and NBA enthusiasts alike, this game is a prime example of what made Bryant so legendary. He often transformed criticism into motivation and stepped up when it mattered most. He showed that whenever someone doubted him, it wouldn't take long for him to remind everyone that he wasn't to be messed with. Oftentimes, his haters had to find that out the hard way.
