Fansided

Kobe Bryant welcomes LeBron James to the Lakers family

By Jeremy Lambert

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers shares a hug with LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after the game on March 10, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers shares a hug with LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after the game on March 10, 2016 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Kobe Bryant sends a warm tweet welcoming LeBron James to the Los Angeles Lakers. But the mamba mentality lurks.

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant took to Twitter to welcome LeBron James to the family and give congratulations to the Lakers front office. James left the Cavaliers to sign a four-year deal worth $154 million to play for the Lake Show as he’ll look to add another championship rafter high atop the Staples Center.

For a guy who will soon be known as the second greatest player to ever wear a Lakers jersey, Kobe seems pretty cool with James’ arrival. In fact, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne says he’s more than cool with it.

Hey, good for Kobe. It can’t be easy to go from franchise legend to franchise afterthought now that LeBron is in town. It’s not like the Lakers treated Kobe poorly. He got an entire season send-off that led to Los Angeles winning 17 games. And they’ve spent the last two seasons honoring his final years with the franchise by not making the playoffs. At some point, they had to move on and be a competitive basketball team again.

Not only is LeBron not the greatest player to ever put on a Lakers uniform, but Magic Johnson might surpass Kobe in franchise history. They both have five rings, putting their playing careers on a similar level. But Johnson’s general manager resume is already glistening. He just signed LeBron James. Kobe’s two biggest moves as general manager were getting Shaq traded and giving himself a two-year, $48 million deal in his last two seasons.

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Bryant is playing this cool right now, but just wait until the season edges closer. His #MambaMentality challenge to LeBron will be to sweep the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals and then sweep the Celtics in the NBA Finals. Kobe could do it.