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[pmatic]

Kobe Plans To Decide Future This Summer

Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, saying he does not want uncertainty over his future to drag through 2013-14 and with the possibility of being offered an extension this offseason, will “in all likelihood” make a decision in the summer over whether to retire after one more season.

While re-affirming that he is leaning toward walking away after an 18th campaign, Bryant made it clear in an interview with NBA.com he expects to make a call before reporting to training camp and probably even long before that. One factor in the decision is the chance to end all the endless questions. Another is to give the Lakers clarity moving forward, in general, and particularly in conjunction with any contract talks that may take place.

“We’ll talk,” Bryant said after piling up 19 points, 14 assists against one turnover and nine rebounds while playing all but 23 seconds of the 103-98 victory over the Kings at Sleep Train Arena. “I’ll talk to my family and stuff and really see if I want to continue to sacrifice as much as I’m sacrificing right now. I’m putting my body through a lot to just try to get ready to play every single night. To do what I’m doing right now, it’s not easy. I’ll tell you, it’s taken a lot of commitment.”

Is your sense that next season will be your last?

“As I sit here right now, yeah.”

Is there anything the Lakers can say that would make it more likely you played beyond next season?

“No,” Bryant told NBA.com. “It’s my decision. It’s really about what I want to do, if I want to train and be psychotic with my training. That’s what it comes down to. It’s really how I’m feeling physically.”

Speaking of Saturday in Sacramento. It was only two days before that Bryant was hobbling out of the locker room in Milwaukee with one crutch supporting a very painful left foot, the result of a bone spur. It was another ominous moment for the team that had battled injuries all season.

He saw a foot specialist after the Lakers arrived here Friday, with enough encouraging feedback that Bryant was listed as probable for what could be his final appearance in Sacramento after years of contentious battles with the Kings. And then he pretty much played the entire game.

Bryant came out for the first time with 22.6 seconds remaining in the third quarter. He went back in for the start of the fourth period and didn’t leave again.
“I thought that was the key, the 23 seconds,” coach Mike D’Antoni deadpanned. “He’d have been tired.”

D‘Antoni was asked if he stayed with Bryant so long to keep the foot loose.

“Sounds good,” he said. “I’ll use that one. My decision mostly is he’s not coming out. He makes it easy for me.”

So it was a basketball decision.

“It was his heart,” D’Antoni said. “He said, ‘I’m not coming out.’ Hey, he’s earned the right. Nobody can tell what he has inside of him. And he has a lot.”

Steve Nash, meanwhile, remains a concern. After initially being listed as questionable with a sore hip, he played the first 1:48, came out, and did not return. The Lakers say he is day-to-day with a sore right hamstring, an injury related to the hip.

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I expect next season to be his last.

 

[darthska]

^ I don't.

Well, I kind of do.



Depends on what happens. We have a strong looking team, next season will not be his last.

We have Smush/Kwame looking team, next season is his last.

We have a crappy team next year then land some nice pieces, he plays another year after next.

And I'm not even ruling out that he plays another 3, 4 years, actually.

"But ska, he said he's not going to play averaging like 15-20 per." And?

 

[flyerthandelta]

Great win lastnight. Congrats Kobe on being 4th all time in pts 31,421 passing wilt ......DMC on last nights gm :x

 

[mosk33toe]

Didn't watch the game was out last night can anybody tell me what they said about Nash leaving early?

Also looking at the stats and highlights Dwight played good, but how was Pau used? I see he got a bunch of assists, did MDA use him well? Did MDA and Pau find something last night?

 

[countonkobe]

^ I don't.

Well, I kind of do.

Depends on what happens. We have a strong looking team, next season will not be his last.

We have Smush/Kwame looking team, next season is his last.

We have a crappy team next year then land some nice pieces, he plays another year after next.

And I'm not even ruling out that he plays another 3, 4 years, actually.

"But ska, he said he's not going to play averaging like 15-20 per." And?

 

[essential1]

Didn't watch the game was out last night can anybody tell me what they said about Nash leaving early?

Also looking at the stats and highlights Dwight played good, but how was Pau used? I see he got a bunch of assists, did MDA use him well? Did MDA and Pau find something last night?

In the beginning we kind of had a Dwight you low post, Pau you low post and just fed them alternately.

For the most part Pau was high post most of the night.. When Dwight went out he played low post..

Pau is adjusting to a new role, but with him in the offense we look better... Defensively not so much.

 

[noblekane]

so no word on nash??? lol that dude is done

 

[essential1]

so no word on nash??? lol that dude is done

He's day-to-day

 

[goldmember]

In the beginning we kind of had a Dwight you low post, Pau you low post and just fed them alternately.

For the most part Pau was high post most of the night.. When Dwight went out he played low post..

Pau is adjusting to a new role, but with him in the offense we look better... Defensively not so much.

They look OK or maybe i should say good offensively but when they put Meeks, Kobe, Clark, Jamison, Dwight .. that's when they made their run in the third and made huge defensive stops like 4-5 in a row.. it was beautiful to watch

Pau is just really slow these days especially when he tries to run and defend a mid-range type of PF. It's really painful to watch and it doesn't help when Kobe is playing lazy on D

 

[licensed to ball]

I dont know why but everything Deezy says makes sense now.
Even if he's just being Deezy.

Most things he says when he predicts games lately are actually on point. Pretty sad day when deezy's posts accurately reflect our team.

 

[krazyrodzilla]

 

[daddyrabbit251]

^ dope pics man

Happy Easter everyone....

Props to man Kobe, truly happy for dude man they guy is 34 and still hungry and still getting buckets at will. I hope he rides off into the sunset, healthy, and on his own terms. No need to hang around b/c MOST people have already forgotten or simply don't appreciate how great dude is. The 18th year should be a victory lap World Tour

This team/year has been so depressing ... Injuries, beefs, players not accepting roles, stubborn coaches, defense, losing gimme games at home AND the road, and Dr Buss passing away. It's been hard this year

 

[la kb24]

at all this talk of kobe might retire next year...they even showed a flashback video of his career

I will literally cry when he does

I still think he has 2 more years, 3 tops left in him

 

[noblekane]

He's day-to-day

as in every day he gets hurt?

 

[flyerthandelta]

He is Injury prone father time aint no joke

 

[flyerthandelta]

He is Injury prone father time aint no joke

 

[kobeoverbron]

Anyone else nervous as hell about tuesday game against the Mavs?

I almost feel like going to the beach or somewhere far from cable or internet, and hiding from any kind of score updates or gameplay... Im going to be a nervous wreck.
Not even exaggerating. If we lose that one our chances of making it are going to be slim as hell.

man. It's gonna be a tough day at work if they lose. :x
Dwight needs to get 15 shots minimum per game. period. him getting 8 attempts or 9 is
simply ridiculous. His shooting % is good minus the blue pill inducing free throws, he should
be the focus of the offense. Imagine Kobe cuts and easier jumpers. Life will simply be
easy if that was the case. Oh well.

 

[CP1708]

Would kill my 2014 hopes, but if Ron opts out, and so does Iggy, could we..........?

Having a healthier D12 + Iggy suddenly gives us 2 elite level defenders. Ron could even return on a lesser deal off the bench.

Can still flip Pau for 2-3 pieces. Iggy could play 4 in MDA small ball with Kobe at SF and Meeks the 2......

Younger, faster, more flexible......just screws up 2014 cap. Dwight + Iggy is an ok start, would need an ELITE offensive player to team with them, they couldn't carry the O.

 

[kobeoverbron]

I like Iggy on the team. It should be a nice tandem d12-AI
but is it possible?

get rid of MDA first though. put in Bernie B rather than that bum.

 

[kobeoverbron]

MDA is wasting Kobe's career. dude's playing lights out this season! It's the guy's 17th!
there won't be enough "SMH" post to describe the amount of SMH I'm feeling.

 

[jua17oi3]

Dude needs to retire already, we all know he won't though.... He's too selfish to not pass Kareem on all-time scoring list....

 

[kobeoverbron]

Dude needs to retire already, we all know he won't though.... He's too selfish to not pass Kareem on all-time scoring list....

we can hope. But I don't see it. He will for sure pass MJ though. possibly Karl.

 

[noblekane]

Dude needs to retire already, we all know he won't though.... He's too selfish to not pass Kareem on all-time scoring list....

wow what rock did you crawl out from under?

Things have changed around here so if you want to hate on the lakers do it in kobe overrated thread, laker hater thread, or season thread.

for anyone saying why im telling him this is because hes one of the original kobe and laker haters on this board. I think hes a sixer fan who witnessed the steam rolling of his team in the finals...

 

[kobeoverbron]

kobe needs a little less than 3 seasons / 215 games to top Karl... it's possible ONLY if they have a good team. 37 years old? it's possible.

 

[girlslovewaffles]

Man, we're watching someone who has the 4th most points in NBA history.

Truly an honor to watch the Mamba play on a nightly basis