• Lakers shouldn't expect Bryant to take pay cut - OCRegister.com
  It's downright un-American, really, this notion that Kobe Bryant should swing by the 11,000-square-foot home Lakers owner Jerry Buss inhabits alone, tear up his player contract and cut his salary for next season and beyond in hopes of keeping the Lakers at a championship level. The rationale is that Bryant can get the Lakers to re-sign both Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom at fair-market value if he scales down his personal salary. This is like complaining the best umbrella on the beach is too big and bright instead of surveying a full picture of the landscape. Aside from the fact no one does more for Buss' revenue streams than Bryant, let's be clear: Buss can pay Ariza and Odom as much as he wants to bring them back. Whatever it takes, Buss is allowed to do.
• Kobe Bryant and Lakers: Return of the kings? - Los Angeles Times
  The last of the Lakers completed their exit meetings Friday with their coach and general manager, but not before providing a triple-barrel blast of hope for the future as everybody went their separate ways for the summer. Kobe Bryant re-emphasized that he would return to the Lakers, Coach Phil Jackson said he would too if a series of upcoming medical tests went well, and General Manager Mitch Kupchak said he was "hopeful" that unrestricted free-agent forwards Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza would be back.Still basking in the glow of the franchise's 15th championship, the Lakers peered into the future and universally liked what they saw.
• It looks like taxing times for Lakers - Los Angeles Times
  These NBA taxes are anything but luxurious. They're kind of a headache to understand, too. The Lakers had a payroll of $78.3 million for the 2008-09 season, well over the NBA's soft salary cap of $58.68 million and also over the more important number to them -- the luxury-tax threshold of $71.15 million.The Lakers' payroll was $7.15 million over the luxury-tax trigger, meaning the team will pay an additional $7.15 million in penalties because of a dollar-for-dollar luxury tax. It's a penalty that could be even higher for them next season. on in penalties because of a dollar-for-dollar luxury tax.The Lakers' payroll was $7.15 million over the luxury-tax trigger, meaning the team will pay an additional $7.15 million in penalties because of a dollar-for-dollar luxury tax. It's a penalty that could be even higher for them next season. And the Lakers have already committed $74 million to eight players on their 2009-10 payroll and will face a much larger luxury-tax hit if they re-sign free-agent forwards Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom.
• Bryant: "Zero" discussion with Lakers on how to re-sign Ariza and Odom - Lakers blog - OCRegister.com
• SHELBURNE: Lakers GM Kupchak deserves to take a bow, even though he'll never do so - LA Daily News
• Phil Jackson plans on returning as Lakers coach - Lakers blog - OCRegister.com
• Phenomenal Swag: Kobe Bryant life-size bobblehead - Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
  (Ridiculous.)

Click on through for more links after the Jump...

• LeBron and Kobe: Most Valuable Nike Puppets - Basketbawful
  (On LeBron's and Kobe's tees.)
• Wade Wants To See Heat Sweat - SportingNews.com - The Baseline
  And the bluffing game between Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade and team president Pat Riley continues. Dwyane Wade A day after Riley said the team couldn't have an overhaul this summer without Wade first agreeing to a contract extension, Wade told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel he wanted to see the Heat make aggressive offseason moves before he'd negotiate any deal.
• Mark Cuban Calls for a 'Sports Blog Blacklist' Run By ESPN -- NBA FanHouse
  He bemoans the invention of rumors, which leads so-called "real reporters" to chase down dead ends. Cuban's solution to end this vicious cycle of, um, reporting work? To have ESPN create a blacklist of blogs which have reported inaccurate information, and which shall never be taken seriously again.
  (Blogs?  How many times does Chad Ford or Chris Broussard have to get things wrong before we blacklist them?    Or read about PER when it does absolutely nothing but encourage nonsense back and forth chatter about "efficiency" and not accomplishments.  Hell, TJ Simers still has a job and Cuban wants to blacklist bloggers?  No, Mark.  We're the new medium, and the people who care,buy tickets, and pay for NBA League Pass.  If ESPN blacklisted bloggers with false information, they would have to take down their whole site.)
  
• freedarko.com: FreeDrafto #24883131: The Mock
  We may never be capable of answering with "FreeDarko" means, but explaining the basis of the FD Mock Draft is a lot simpler. Like the real thing, it involves a sometimes delicate balance between best available and best fit—or in this case, most FD player and most FD state of affairs.
• Fewer International Players Are Available for N.B.A. Draft - NYTimes.com
  Many involved in choosing future talent say that this year’s class of overseas prospects is the weakest in a decade.
• Thabeet Cancels Memphis Workout -- NBA FanHouse
  The big man's handlers understand he has an opportunity to go No. 2, right? Given that the No. 2 pick will make more than $3 million more than the No. 4 or No. 5 pick over the next two years, you'd think there would be some urgency here. Unless he thinks showing his skills will lead to slippage.
  (He's no good.  Why purposely give away money.  Let them find out he's a bust after he guaranteed.  Of course he didn't work out.)
• Stephen Curry Prepares for Final Workout, Trip to New York City for the Draft - SportingNews.com - The Baseline
  Interview with Chris Littman
• Team Needs: Backup Small Forward - CelticsBlog
  We already went over the need to add some bigs to roam the paint and back up Perkins (see: Team Needs: Center/Big Man). Now we shift our attention to the backup small forward spot. Paul Pierce looked tired and weary at the end of the playoffs. Some of that was because KG wasn't around and Ray Allen was hot and cold. So too often Paul felt like he had to carry the team on his shoulders. But it also has something to do with the lack of rest he got - which is a direct result of the lack of reliable options off the bench at the 3 spot.
  (Get better Boston.  We want you next year.)
• X’s & O’s of Basketball: A detailed Look at the 1-1-3 Matchup Press
  (Learn your basketball!)
• FIRE SIMERS!