EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Lakers signed Kobe Bryant to a two-year contract extension Monday, securing the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history into his 20th season with the franchise. Bryant hasnt played this season while recovering from surgery on his torn Achilles tendon in April, but the Lakers didnt wait to renew their commitment to the five-time NBA champion before he got anywhere close to the free-agent market next summer. Bryant inked the deal with owner Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak at his side in agent Rob Pelinkas office moments before the Lakers left for an East Coast road trip. Bryant, Buss and Kupchak all had repeatedly stated Bryant wouldnt leave his only NBA home. The 35-year-old guard quickly tweeted a picture of his signature with the hashtag: Laker4Life. "This is a very happy day for Lakers fans and for the Lakers organization," Kupchak said in a statement. "Weve said all along that our priority and hope was to have Kobe finish his career as a Laker, and this should ensure that that happens." Bryant has spent more than half of his life playing for the Lakers, and if he fulfills his new contract, he will break John Stocktons record of 19 seasons with one NBA franchise. But Kobes legacy in L.A. already is secure: No less than Magic Johnson and Jerry West have declared Bryant the franchises greatest player, given his fistful of championship rings and his consistent brilliance while scoring more points than anybody in a Lakers uniform. Although Bryant is taking a pay cut from his $30.45 million salary this season, Kobe and the Lakers didnt exactly agree to a hometown discount, either. ESPN reported the deal is worth $48.5 million, keeping Kobe among the NBAs highest-paid players. Some fans grumbled online that the contract will limit the Lakers flexibility in the free-agent market next summer, clouding their starry-eyed dreams of signing Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James. Other fans approved the payout as a reward for an iconic player who still ranked among the NBAs most dangerous scorers before his injury. Bryant and 39-year-old point guard Steve Nash are the only players signed to significant contracts for next season with the Lakers, who have been anticipating a major roster restructuring in 2014 ever since Dwight Howard fled town in July. Even if the Lakers waived the oft-injured Nash under a special provision limiting his salary cap hit, Bryant would eat up roughly a third of their room under the projected cap before anybody else joins him next season. Bryant returned to practice earlier this month, and his return to the court seems imminent, although he isnt rushing back from perhaps the most significant injury of his career. Bryant said last week that he could adjust his game and contribute something to the Lakers right now, but he wants to make a full return when he finally steps on the court for his 18th NBA season. "Its definitely something where youre kind of champing at the bit a little bit, but weve come so far," Bryant said after practice last week. "I want to make sure, we all do, when you step out there youre ready to go the long haul, and (the injury) isnt something that continues on." Coach Mike DAntoni has said Bryant can return whenever Kobe says hes ready. The Lakers are surviving in his absence, improving to 7-7 on Sunday night by beating Sacramento for their third straight victory. "Ive been extremely proud of the way weve competed," Bryant said. The contract is another milestone in Bryants remarkable career. He was a 17-year-old high schooler when the Lakers acquired him after the Charlotte Hornets chose him in the first round of the 1996 draft, and Lakers fans watched as he evolved into one of the most dominant scorers in NBA history, dazzling fans with his offensive inventiveness and drawing critics for his ball-dominating style of play. Bryant won three championships with Shaquille ONeal from 2000-02 and added two more with Pau Gasol in 2009 and 2010, winning the NBA finals MVP award after each of those titles. He won his only NBA MVP award in 2008 and his scoring titles in 2006 and 2007, also earning 15 selections to the All-Star game -- with four MVP awards from the showcase -- and two Olympic gold medals with the U.S. national team. Bryant hasnt given up hope of adding a sixth championship ring to his trophy case, even while the Lakers struggle to keep up with the NBAs best teams. With his immediate future secure, Bryant can focus on getting back to full strength on his injured leg. "Its always a much greater appreciation for it," Bryant said of his imminent return. "You understand the mortality that comes with being on that doorstep. Theres always a sense of enjoyment when you come back." Zapatillas Salomon Hombre Ofertas . Theres little time for rest, too. The Flyers and Rangers play again Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. Simmonds scored in the first period and twice more in the second for his first career post-season hat trick. Mason survived a busy first period and stopping 31 straight shots until Carl Hagelin scored late in the third. Salomon Kalalau Hombre . Louis Cardinals for the National League Wild Card, are in the drivers seat as they open the final series of the regular season, but they face a large task in the form of the Philadelphia Phillies. http://www.zapatillassalomonoutlet.es/zapatillas-salomon-hombre-baratas/salomon-snowcross.html . The top-ranked Williams carried her winning momentum from 2013 into the new season, beating No. 2-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 7-5 on Saturday to defend her title at the Brisbane International and set the tone for the Australian Open. Zapatillas Salomon Outlet . Speaking on Leafs Lunch with Bryan Hayes and Jamie McLennan on Thursday, Bernier said it was "very hard" at times being entrenched behind Jonathan Quick and is now excited at the prospect of getting an opportunity to compete with Reimer for the top spot with the Leafs. Salomon XT Wings 3 Hombre . Scotlands Greg Laidlaw made one of two penalty kicks and all three conversions, and Stuart Hogg added a try in the second half. "The most important thing to come out of the game is that we did not get scored against," Laidlaw said.TORONTO -- After weeks of rumour and speculation about his future in MLS, star striker Jermain Defoe presented his side of the story Wednesday. Bottom line? The 31-year-old English international is happy to be back in Toronto and any transfer talk was out of his hands. Toronto FC has acknowledged turning down a franchise-record bid for Defoe at the closing of the summer transfer window and the talk did not stop there. Such speculation, said Defoe, is part of football and players have no control over offers from other clubs. "In England, its normal -- where theres speculation about players leaving, players going ... At the end of the day Im still a TFC player and Im totally committed to the cause," he told a news conference Wednesday, his first public comments since returning from England where he had been nursing a groin injury. "For me it was sort of like Oh here we go again," he added. "It was just normal. I didnt really pay too much attention to it because I think my main focus was trying to get fit. People that know me, they know I love playing football and I find it really it difficult to be on the sidelines. Especially at such a crucial time, pushing for the playoffs. I want to be involved, I want to score goals, I want to push the club forward." It was a polished 17 1/2-minute solo performance from Defoe, sitting at a table in front of a sizable media corps in the upstairs lounge at TFCs training centre. Defoe had shrugged off help from handlers in advance, saying he knew what he wanted to say. "I never came out anyway and said I wanted to leave," Defoe, tattoos peeking out from a black T-shirt above jeans, said by way of summary. One suspects Defoes agent did not sit on his hands during the transfer window and who can blame him. Goal-scoring strikers are always in demand and Defoe has ties to the likes of Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp. Still Defoe single-handedly managed to stuff the transfer genie back into the bottle, at least for a while. "I dont know whats going to happen in the future. All I can say to the fans is Im fully committed," he said. And with a salary listed at US$6.18 million this season, not to mention a reported list of perks that would do Van Halen proud, the five-foot-seven striker is not exactly roughing it on this side of the Atlantic. He is back but not yet fully healthy. Defoe ran Tuesday, only the second time since the injury, and said there was no negative reaction. He did some work in the gym Wednesday and hopes to be back in full training Monday. An Oct. 4 game against the Galaxy in Los Angeles seems the first possible return date. He said patience is the key, given he had made the mistake of coming back too fast in the past. Toronto (10-11-7) could use him. With six games remaining, the seventh-place team is three points out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Defoe has missed 12 games this season through injury or suspension but still leads the team in scoring with 11 goals in 16 MLS contests. He has played 150 minutees, appearing in two of TFCs 11 league games since July 19.dddddddddddd If anything, he says he wants more football. He said going out on loan to another club to keep sharp for the next MLS season was not out of the question, with Redknapp having already made the suggestion. "Its something Ive thought about doing before I come back, so Im ready to go and Im sharp and Im fit," Defoe said. Given his recent health problems, which have been blamed on playing back-to-back English and MLS seasons, adding to his football schedule would seem to be a gamble, however. He himself acknowledged he had played 14-15 months straight "Again I love my football and Ive always tried to look after my body. Im someone whos tee-total, I dont drink, I always do my stuff in the gym." Defoe insisted he has enjoyed his North American experience, calling it amazing. "I think Im lucky enough to be at a fantastic football club with special fans. Ive said that many times. And theres some fantastic people at the football club. From Day 1, I walked into the changing rooms, the players downstairs, all the boys have been fantastic. I think that helped me settle in and I felt at home. "Its then just down to me to get on the pitch and perform. I love scoring goals. I love playing football." There have been no shortage of stories about Defoes future on either side of the Atlantic and some made their way through to Defoe despite his best efforts. "I just tried to blank it out," he said. "Obviously you see things on the TV. Social medias powerful when you see things. But I just tried to block it out and just concentrate on getting myself fit so I can come back and push for the playoffs." Some stories left a mark. The former West Ham, Portsmouth and Tottenham striker made a point of denying one story that had him texting former manager Ryan Nelsen to say "If youre gone, Im gone." "Thats not true," said Defoe. "Thats hard to sit back and read something like that when I know thats not true. I would never do anything like that." Defoe said he went back to England to get a second opinion on a lingering groin injury. An initial scan had shown a strained adductor and a lower abdominal muscle strain. He kept playing though it and it got to the point, where he could feel it while running and it was sore shooting. A second scan showed the same. Fearing he had a hernia, he went to see a specialist and was a day away from going under the knife. Instead he went to a physio he had worked with before in England and was told the problem related to his hip. He had several injections, did rehab and worked on strengthening his core. "It feels a lot better," he said. Since returning, Defoe said he had met with manager Greg Vanney and came away "really impressed" by what he heard. As to comments from outgoing MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke that he did not expect Defoe to be back next season, Defoe said Leiweke had reached out to say "he didnt mean it like that." ' ' '