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As the teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) gears up for the incoming season, the defending champions Los Angeles Lakers are themselves ready to do battle to retain their trophy for the second consecutive year.
This early, the Lakers will have its top player superstar guard Kobe Bryant in its fold when it start to defend its title once the new NBA season opens in October.
Bryant already made a commitment that he will honor his remaining one-year contract for the team that will pay him $23 million next season.
To ensure that Bryant will wear the Lakers uniform for many years to come, the Lakers management are now working out the new three-year contract for the basketball superstar that would offer him $47.8 million over the next two years and another $86 million to $91 million with the extension, with the difference depending on the salary cap.
With his commitment to return for the Lakers this year, the team already has in its fold four of its top players that played pivotal roles in the last NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic.
Aside from Bryant, committed to play for the Lakers next season were its starting point guard Derek Fisher and centers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.
At the moment, the Lakers are working hard to sign its two other key players which help tremendously in the victory against the Magic four games to one during the last NBA Finals.
Negotiations are now underway for unrestricted free-agent forwards Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza.
Odom, a versatile power forward made life hard for the big men of the Magic in defence and contributed much needed scoring to help the Lakers bring the 15th trophy to the fabled franchise.
For his part, Ariza is also a revelation as the second round NBA draft pick helped tremendously in scoring to help Bryant and played good defence to shot down Magic high scoring forward Hedo Turkoglu during the NBA Finals.
Ariza, a high flying and sharp shooting forward made good used the playing time offered to him by veteran coach Phil Jackson to play good defence and offence for the Lakers.
The management of the Lakers said they are doing everything to convince these two key players to the return for the team next season.
Odom at the moment is also being pursued by Portland Trail Blazers who have a substantial amount of money in their sleeves to get him out of the Lakers next NBA season.
It is said that the Blazers, who have long coveted a versatile big man who can handle the ball in transition like what Odom does, is willing to spend as much as $9 million to get him.
Well, the ball is now in the hands of Odom if he wants money Blazers is the right team for him but if he is committed to get his second championship ring returning to the Lakers is his biggest option.
The Toronto Raptors on the other hand is the persistent suitor for Ariza aside from the Lakers.
Like the Blazers, the Raptors are also willing to pay a huge amount of money just to get Ariza to support its top player Chris Bosh.
The offer might be tempting, but eventually it would still be Ariza who will decide on what would be his home next season, the Lakers who gave him his first championship ring or the Raptors who can offer him money.
Lakers team fans who are hoping for a repeat should have high hopes that both Odom and Ariza return to their team next season to ensure their favorite team will still emerge as champions in the NBA.