Italian basketball club Virtus Bologna says its top offer for five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant is $5 million for one-year. Virtus Bologna hopes Bryant will agree to a deal before he makes his arrival to Italy for a tour set up by his sponsors. Many NBA players have decided to take their talents overseas during this lockout, and Virtus is luring Bryant to his ‘hometown.’
ESPN Los Angeles: ” [A] person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations are ongoing, said the other offers on the table include a two-month deal worth nearly $2 million, a one-month contract for $1.3 million or $900,000 for only one game.”
The contracts include an opt-out clause so Kobe could return to the Lakers once the work stoppage ends. A source said Bryant’s agent, Rob Pelinka, and Bologna President Claudio Sabatini have been in talks daily so it seems as though Bryant is considering leaving for Italy. However, you can be sure Kobe will see how the labor talks go Tuesday and Wednesday before he makes any decisions.
Virtus Bologna is also trying to sign San Antonio Spurs’ Manu Ginobili along with Bryant to form a dynamic back-court.
