The Los Angeles Lakers have seen their ups and downs this season. Losing Steve Nash before the start of the year and then rookie Julius Randle for the entire season were certainly lows, but the Lakers are putting together a string of games as they sit 10-22 on the season. While no one is claiming the Lakers are a playoff team, they have appear to have a bright future ahead of them. However, the chances of Kobe Bryant being a part of that bright future are slim.
The Lakers veteran has a contract that expires at the end of next season. There has been plenty of speculation of what Bryant's future will be after that. The guard could re-sign for a few more years, retire or head elsewhere for one more shot at a championship. According to Bryant, retirement is the likely decision.
"If you asked me if I was going to play beyond that, right now the answer is no," Bryant said, via Orange County Register.
Bryant has certainly slowed down this season after back-to-back years of injuries. He is currently averaging 24.1 points a game while shooting just 37.5 percent overall. That is a career-low for the All-Star. Currently approaching his 38th birthday, Bryant has denied the idea that he wants to be traded from Los Angeles in order to get with a contending team, However, he is hoping the Lakers push in the offseason to acquire free agents that will put the Lakers in a better position to win.
The Lakers will be one of the many teams to have a large amount of cap space to work with next season. Nash will be off the books along with Jeremy Lin and a few other contracts. Los Angeles is expecting to go hard at Kevin Durant in 2025, but will chase players like Greg Monroe, Brook Lopez and LaMarcus Aldridge with big contracts. Could that be enough to entice Bryant to re-sign with the team pending health issues?
Bryant is coming off a game where he notched a triple-double against the Denver Nuggets looking vintage in the performance. More games like that and 2015 will not be looking like the end of the road for the veteran.
