In a deal one report argues “almost guarantees he'll retire a Laker,” Kobe Bryant signed a three-year contract extension Friday with the NBA's most-lucrative team. The end of the extension would have him at the 16-year mark as a Laker.

“We are extremely pleased that we were able to reach an agreement and come to terms on the extension at this time,” states team general manager Mitch Kupchak. “Kobe has been a cornerstone of the Lakers for well over a decade, helping to lead us to four NBA championships and in the process developing into one of the greatest players in basketball history.”

NBA.com notes that the guard is the league's 12th-place all-time scorer and that ” … in Bryant's 13 seasons with the Lakers they have appeared in postseason play in all but one season (2004-05) … “

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