The Lakers may re-sign superstar Kobe Bryant in 2016
More from Los Angeles Lakers
- NBA rumors: Hawks trade candidate, Sixers miss out, Lakers almost lose Reaves
- Predicting NBA’s Christmas Day Schedule: Lakers, Warriors highlight slate of postseason rematches
- Bronny James collapses at practice, taken to ICU with cardiac arrest
- NBA Rumors: Lakers nearing another savvy minimum signing
- Lakers projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
For many, these last two seasons for five-time
champion Kobe Bryant will be his swan song. Coming off two major injuries in back-to-back seasons, Bryant’s play is expected to take a hit and due to an arrogance that heeds to Bryant being one of the best to play the game, many don’t believe Bryant will play any longer if he’s not one of the best around.
But if he does, the Lakers may be there to offer a deal says co-owner Jeanie Buss who seems excited of the idea of Bryant playing late into his early forties.
"In a wide-ranging interview with USA TODAY Sports, the Los Angeles Lakers president and governor said she wants the 36-year-old Bryant to sign another contract when his two-year, $48 million extension comes to an end after the 2015-16 season.“I hope not,” Buss said with a laugh when asked if she thought Bryant would retire then. “I really hope not. I mean I’m a person who watched Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) play until he was 42 (years old). Jimmy Connors played on my World Team Tennis team (of which she was the general manager), the LA Strings, that summer that he went into the US Open at age 39 and made the semis at 39 years old. So I’ve seen it. I know you can’t beat Father Time, but there are those athletes who can transcend the average age of retirement. And if anyone can do that, my money is on the Black Mamba.”"
The decision to continue past the summer of 2016 will solely be Bryant as his massive deal signed last season ends there. Would he return to the Lakers? Most likely as they’ve been behind him since sending Vlade Divac to the Hornets for him on draft night in 1996, but would he be willing to return to a team that could be without a respectable head coach AND roster? Outside of Julius Randle, the Lakers 2014 first-round pick, Los Angeles has very little impressionable talent as of now and if the last few years have shown us anything, superstars may not be willing to sacrifice to head to Los Angeles, putting Bryant in an interesting situation.
But that’s two years from now, so we’ll see.
More from FanSided
- MLB Trade Grades: Dodgers land Amed Rosario from Guardians
- Colorado gives Pac-12 a possible death knell with move to Big 12
- NFL rumors: Dalvin Cook suitor maintaining very ‘real’ interest
- Braves get dose of bad news on Max Fried as ace nears return
- LA Galaxy vs. Club Leon Leagues Cup match rescheduled for July 26