The annual free-agent scramble began for the Lakers when their most important player decided not to be part of it.
Kobe Bryant elected not to terminate the final two years of his contract and was expected to sign a three-year extension sometime this month.
Bryant would make a guaranteed $47.8 million over the next two years and could earn another $86 million to $91 million with the extension, depending on NBA salary-cap figures to be determined in 2011.
There was optimism that the sides would reach agreement, one source familiar with the situation calling it "a layup" but declining to speak further about specifics.
Under terms of the extension, the earliest Bryant could opt out again would probably be June 2012, three seasons from now. To do that, however, would leave more than $60 million on the table over the last two years.
In other words, Bryant, who has spent his entire 13-year career with the Lakers, might very well retire with them. He will be 31 next month.
Tuesday was the last possible day for Bryant to become an unrestricted free agent, but he did not terminate his contract because he wanted to "let Lamar [Odom] and Trevor [Ariza] have their day," according to a source who was not authorized to speak publicly about the decision.
Indeed, the Lakers, who won the NBA title 17 days ago, made preliminary contact Tuesday night with representatives for both of the unrestricted free-agent forwards, as General Manager Mitch Kupchak tried to live up to his recent promise to "make quick decisions . . . and hopefully we can bring this team back intact."
Odom was on the Lakers' books for $14.1 million last season but will have to take a substantial pay cut. Ariza, who turned 24 Tuesday, will get a solid pay raise from the $3.1 million he made last season. No verbal agreements were struck with either player Tuesday night, though negotiations will continue throughout the week.
San Antonio and Phoenix are interested in trying to sign Odom. Both teams are trying to clear salary-cap space to see if they can get a deal done with Odom, who is looking for at least a four-year deal worth an average of $10 million a year.
Suns Coach Alvin Gentry is familiar with Odom, having coached him when they were both with the Clippers from 2000 to 2003.
San Antonio is looking for a versatile power forward to join perennial All-Star Tim Duncan after the Spurs traded Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto to acquire small forward Richard Jefferson.
