After watching a game in which the Miami Heat practically begged the Lakers to steal a win from them, after witnessing yet another abysmal shooting performance on the court, alas, the answer is “yes.”
The thing is – why should Bryant risk an injury that could possibly be career ending when Jordan Hill can’t seem to be bothered to put forth any effort in a game right now. I don’t want to bad mouth Hill too much because my hope is that some other team will finally off-load this under-achiever and his salary from us.
While Kobe’s shooting percentage has been way down due to inconsistent playing time and having to adjust his game accordingly, combined with the usual aging stuff, you can never fault his effort, which is why he needs to be preserved. Maybe hanging onto him for a last championship run seems too optimistic at this point, but at least give him a shot at the playoffs by putting a team around him willing to get nasty, make the sacrifice, and do what it takes to become an elite team in the league.
Hill sure doesn’t play like he wants to be out there, for $9 million this season, mind you, so why should Bryant need to be?
Byron Scott has done an A+ job this season. I like his style. He isn’t afraid to call players out. He tells it how it is. Most importantly, he knows how to coach Bryant. If D’Antoni was still leading the team, he’d be running Kobe out there until his legs gave out for good. Scott, on the other hand, is much more in tune with where Bryant is at with his health combined with what he means for the franchise and the team moving forward. He gets it.
Scott is preparing the fans with his subtle mentioning of the idea of shutting Kobe down for the season right now. If I had to guess, and if I could have my way, I’d see him continuing to play as he has been through the All-Star game. It’s important for Kobe to make his presence there after missing last season, and after having, all things considered, an effective season this year. It keeps his brand, and the Lakers, relevant to that all-important global audience.
Kobe will most assuredly play through the All-Star Game.
Then, as much as I hate to say it because I love seeing him out there on the court, he’ll shut it down for the remainder of the season in favor of greater opportunities ahead.
If the Lakers can secure that Top 5 draft pick, get Julius Randle back, and with the cap space to sign one or two marquee players whilst allowing a healthy Bryant to return for that veteran Obi Wan Kenobi presence, they will have one heck of a team, and that opportunity for one last run for the Mamba may not be too far off.