Charles Barkley thinks Kobe Bryant should sit out the rest of the season (Video)
By Josh Hill
Right now, one of the hottest topics i the NBA is Kobe Bryant and his broken body. After just six games played after returning from a major injury, Kobe is again out for six weeks and his future is in doubt. Kobe’s playing future isn’t in doubt, mind you, but the quality of that playing future certainly is an it has many people around the NBA calling for him to take his time in returning from this most recent injury.
Charles Barkley, who usually says the most absurd yet totally correct things on TNT’s Inside the NBA, suggested openly that Bryant needs to be shut down for the rest of the season.
While shutting down Bryant after just handing him over $40 million to play for you seems like a brash decision, it also seems like the right one. With or without Kobe this year, the Lakers are likely going to be a lottery team which means the team is going to start playing for the future now. Thanks to the contract extension, that’s a future that includes Kobe Bryant and just like teams resting young players, the Lakers need Bryant totally healthy to have any shot at another title under his watch.
Shutting Bryant down for the season makes sense, even if it won’t ever happen. Still, the Lakers have little gain and a lot to lose by rushing Kobe back from this injury and resting him the remainder of the year isn’t a bad plan.