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Kobe Bryant enters the 2015-16 NBA season on the last year of the massive contract extension he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2013. The future Hall of Famer is now 37 years old and coming off two injury-riddled seasons, which has everyone wondering how much longer he plans on playing. According to Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, Bryant very well may be entering his final season.
“He has indicated to me that this is it,” Kupchak said Thursday on Sirius XM NBA Radio. “There have been no discussions about anything going forward. I don’t think there will be.”
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Bryant is scheduled to earn $25 million in 2014-15, the highest salary in the NBA. In order to return to the Lakers after this upcoming season, Bryant will need to take a significant pay cut. If the Lakers struggle once again next season, as they most likely will, it makes little sense for Bryant to continue pushing his body through pain as part of one of the worst teams in the Western Conference.
“A year from now, if there’s something different to discuss, then it will be discussed then,” Kupchak added on the possibility of Bryant potentially playing beyond next season. “I talk to him from time to time and he is recovering. He’s running. He’s getting movement and strength in the shoulder. We expect a full recovery, but yeah, he’s much closer to the end than to the beginning.”
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Despite all the reasons that signal it’s time for Bryant to retire, don’t start believing next season will be his farewell tour just yet. No player in the NBA is as confident in his own abilities or as competitive. As long as Bryant is able to still get up and down the court, chances are better than not that he’ll be out there doing whatever he can to lead the Lakers to victory.
Seth Lassen is a writer for RantSports. ‘Like’ him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter @Seth_Lassen.
