But if LeBron and the Miami Heat had managed to steal away his point guard and best friend, he probably wouldn't have been laughing anymore.
Within a matter of days, 14-year NBA veteran and five-time champion Derek Fisher, became a pawn in the gamesmanship unfolding between the game's two biggest superstars. Bryant's a two-time Finals MVP, and he's Fisher's longtime teammate and confidant. James is the league's biggest celebrity at 25, and he's got a brand spanking new $110 million contract to prove it. Both men were hoping to have the veteran point guard by their sides next season, but only one could.
Kobe won. He was the sentimental favorite all along, being a longtime friend and being the backcourt partner in crime that helped Fisher to each of his five rings. It was only fitting that in the end, Fisher agreed to re-sign with the Lakers. Loyalty won over glitz, glamour and star power when Fisher agreed Monday afternoon to a three-year extension with the Lakers worth more than $9 million.
Fisher and Bryant go way back. Fourteen years ago, the two landed in Southern California together after the 1996 draft — Fisher the Lakers' first-round pick at No. 24, Bryant the Hornets' pick at No. 13, traded to L.A. a week later for Vlade Divac. Since then, they've grown together, matured together and won championships together.
The two have a unique bond in the NBA. They've been through a career of trials and tribulations together, learning countless lessons from one another along the way.
Kobe has recalled late-night talks and full-court one-on-one games with Fisher, back when the two were just starting out. He now refers to Fisher as the only teammate he ever listens to. The rest of the Lakers are just kids to him.
It's surprising, actually, that Fisher even considered signing anywhere else when he became a free agent this summer. Returning to L.A. should have been an open-and-shut case — home is where the heart is, especially for a veteran at the tail end of his career. But the allure of Miami beckoned to Fisher.
The Heat were the flashy pick. South Beach was calling, and LeBron and Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were calling for a point guard to join their orgy of superstardom. But Fisher, now 35 years old and decorated with five times as many rings as the three stars combined, didn't need any of that South Beach circus. He just wanted a city he could call home, teammates he loved and a chance to win another ring.
By signing a three-year deal, Fisher has likely guaranteed himself Laker purple and gold for life. He'll be turning 39 during the summer of 2013, when he's next eligible for free agency. He's found a way to avoid all the hype and all the speculation. The questions have been put to rest: Fisher is a Laker.
The Heat should be worried about what this means. Will Fisher's rejection start a trend in the NBA this summer? Will more high-profile free agents spurn South Florida for loyalty, for money or for whatever else?
Maybe the future isn't as bright for LeBron and Bosh as we previously thought. That's a scary notion for a team that just sank $220 million into a pair of free agents.
Or maybe we're reading too much into this. The coming days and weeks will tell us a lot. For now, all we know is that Derek Fisher is a Laker, and Miami is worse off for it.
