The upcoming NBA season will see the Los Angeles Lakers grapple with a number of changes. One of the most notable modifications in the NBA team's game plays might involve lesser playing time in the court for prized star Kobe Bryant. While no official confirmation has been released regarding this piece of information, sports analysts and experts believe that the combination of Kobe Bryant's age and current health status should be more than enough motivation for the Los Angeles Lakers to keep him in the bench longer.
Charles Barkley, a retired NBA star, shared his two cents regarding Kobe Bryant's career in an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio. According to "The Round Mound of Rebound," the wonder boy of the Los Angeles Lakers should retire after this season. Citing that the health and abilities of Kobe Bryant will no longer match those of his competitors from the other NBA teams, the former Houston Rockets player believes that the Los Angeles Lakers star should walk away from the sport with dignity. Comparing Kobe Bryant to Patrick Ewing, Barkley shares that he "hates" to see "great players" struggle.
"Michael Jordan playing for the Wizards, that didn't do anything for me," Barkley shared during the interview, referring to his decision to play two more years in the NBA when he was way past his prime. He added, "Kobe's obviously not going to walk away from $30 million. This should be like a farewell tour, play 20, 25 minutes a night." Apart from boldly stating that Kobe Bryant will no longer be fit to earn the respect of the younger players should the NBA star decide to continue playing with his current condition, Barkley also pointed out that the Los Angeles Lakers "are not going to make the playoffs."
With this in mind, Barkley said that the best thing for the Los Angeles Lakers to do is to not overuse Kobe Bryant in the upcoming NBA season and simply put him out there as needed. The retired NBA star added, "I hear these fools on TV, talking about, 'Kobe's going to get healthy.' Old people don't get healthy; they die. Old people don't get healthy. Father Time is undefeated."
As rumors of Kobe Bryant's impending retirement from the NBA continue to surface, the Los Angeles Lakers appear to be preparing for the worst case as well. According to Inquistr, the NBA team is eyeing the possibility of signing Team USA veteran Bobby Brown to guide the Los Angeles Lakers following the supposed departure. While the Los Angeles Lakers may not give Brown more playing time than Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and D'Angelo Russell, the point guard for the Dongguan Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association could prove to be quite beneficial to the NBA team in terms of his experience.
Meanwhile, the failure of the Los Angeles Lakers to sign DeMarcus Aldridge eventually turned out to be a good thing as the NBA team now added two stars instead: point/shooting guard Lou Williams and power forward Brandon Bass. Another notable addition to the Los Angeles Lakers roster is Roy Hibbert from the Indiana Pacers. With Kobe Bryant reported exit next NBA season, Hibbert could do well to seek the wisdom and expertise of the Los Angeles Lakers vet before he hangs his basketball jersey for good.
Another addition to the Los Angeles Lakers roster, which now appears to be filled with fresh and young talents, is undrafted rookie Jonathan Holmes. Thursday saw the signing of the agreement between both parties, with Holmes taking home a multi-year contract from the Los Angeles Lakers. Hopefully, the entry of Holmes in the NBA locker room of the Los Angeles Lakers will help bolster the team's performance this upcoming season.
