Kobe Bryant: Mamba Needs To Shove Aside Italian Offer for Millions

Kobe Bryant has a $6.7 million Italian carrot dangling in front of him at the moment. The best thing Bryant can do is to ignore it. 

Currently, the NBA lockout has no face. Fans are left to wonder what the temperature in the super secret room is at the moment. Every meeting is behind closed doors, and all lockout rumblings are negative. 

The current NBA landscape is a tumultuous one. As the lockout inches closer to official dates and envelopes them, the league and its fans will need Kobe Bryant to be the face of the league, a reminder of what is being lost, and what is to come. 

ESPN reports Bryant has been offered $6.7 million to play in Italy for Virtus Bologna. The deal couldn't be any sweeter, allowing the Mamba to end the deal the moment the lockout is lifted and the NBA is back to work. 

So why the hell would I ask Bryant to stay when there is nothing going on but stagnation? The fact is, Bryant matters a lot more than you think in this situation. 

For the Players

The man that wanted to be the best and most important player in the league accomplished that feat. The joy of such heights has been evident in his resurgence as a marketable commodity. But there is also the necessary demands a sport has on its best, most public figure. 

Yahoo! Sports quoted a report recently that illustrated just one of the ways Bryant is important behind the scenes. 

"

They've been deeply involved in the meetings we've had. I know Kobe is intimately involved in interfacing with colleagues and sharing in a pool of revenue to help the others get through this. Kobe has volunteered to do that in the event others need, he and others are prepared to loan money if necessary.

"

Bryant is a strong figure for the players to rally behind. A union needs a leader. It's that simple. Sure, the players have Derek Fisher taking the official role, but Bryant serves as the emotional leader, the Michael Jordan for his age. 

For the Fans

But let's forget the players and their plight for a second. Let's think about the fans. The NBA needs Average Joe to stick this thing out, hopefully returning in full after what was one of the most successful NBA seasons to date. 

Last year was one of the most electric and entertaining seasons we have seen. Now that we are forced into a prolonged intermission, we are going to need a figure to remind us that hoops will return. That figure is Kobe Bryant. 

There is no other player that can take up the role that Michael Jordan (or Magic and Bird) did in his day. 

LeBron James still gives most fans nausea. The duty as fan diplomat has to be Bryant, and he can't do that from Italy. 

We of course understand that Bryant can do as he pleases. You can hardly turn down millions in one fell swoop. But a man that has welcomed back endorsements should not be want of cash. A man that loans out money to millionaires is not hurting. 

What Bryant still craves is a cherry to put on top of his legacy. The man that kept the NBA whole during a crisis—now that has a nice ring to it.