With the NBA season opener just around the corner all eyes are on Kobe Bryant who is making his return after three straight season-ending injuries. The veteran is entering the final year of his contract and insists that he is healthy and ready to compete for the Los Angeles Lakers. However, after taking a hard fall on the court and suffering a bruise in his lower leg, the Lakers are poised to keep him off the court until opening night.
According to ESPN's Baxter Holmes, fans looking to see Bryant play in the preseason should not consider buying tickets as the veteran is likely not playing. Held out of the game against Portland, that trend will continue until opening night. The Lakers are simply being cautious with their franchise star as they have no intentions of Bryant suffering yet another injury. Head coach Byron Scott told the media that if Bryant feels 100 percent, he could play Thursday, but the slightest bit of pain will have him sitting.
"He'll come in tomorrow, get treatment and probably get on the court a little bit," Scott said, via ESPN.com. "He wants to play Thursday [in the preseason finale against the Golden State Warriors], and he's told me that in our conversations. If he feels 100 percent, we'll go from there. If he doesn't, we'll wait until next Wednesday.''
Scott was quick to say that this injury was not expected to linger and Bryant would be healthy and ready to start in the Oct. 28 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bryant will be a starter, but his surrounding cast is a question mark. The Lakers have been rotating different sets of players around in the preseason. Against Portland, the Lakers favored a lineup that had both D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson starting along with Julius Randle and Roy Hibbert. That has been the favored lineup for some time now as Bryant would fill the shoes of Anthony Brown.
The question is who gets the Sixth Man job. According to Holmes, that task will go to Lou Williams as Nick Young will not be coming off the bench immediately. Williams has been dealing with a groin injury that is not expected to be an issue, but could keep him quiet on the court to start the year. Players like Ryan Kelly and Brandon Bass will also be battling for more time on the court as Randle makes his way back from his year-long injury last season.
