After Kobe Bryant’s latest injury, it’s finally time for the Los Angeles Lakers to officially move on
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The Los Angeles Lakers have been prisoners to Kobe Bryant for long enough. And it’s finally time for the Lakers to free themselves.
It’s time for the Lakers to say enough’s enough. The Los Angeles Lakers need to finally move on from Kobe Bryant, even if that means hurting a few feelings along the way.
And there’s no more perfect time to do that than this offseason.
I mean, if he wants, they could keep Kobe around for next season, his farewell tour. Although, they shouldn’t continue to build around him. They shouldn’t risk their entire future for one potential “OK” season next year with Kobe and a free agent pick up in the summer. After all, they aren’t making any moves this offseason that will catapult them ahead of the Rockets, Thunder or Warriors. The Spurs, Grizzlies and Mavs could be in that group too, depending on what they do respectively in the offseason.
They can still pay Kobe the outrageous amount of money that he’s due next season, $25 million to be exact. They can continue to feed him 25 minutes a game. What they can’t do, however, is continue to cop out to their fans in favor of Kobe.
No matter how his examination comes back, after doctors look at his torn rotator cuff in Los Angeles, even if he can continue to play this season, if we’ve learned anything from Kobe Bryant during the past two seasons, it’s that he’s no longer a player that can be depended on.
He’s no longer a player that should be the face of a franchise. Sorry, Kobe.
The Los Angeles Lakers need to realize that. We have.
Over the last two seasons, we’ve seen Kobe Bryant post career-worst statistics. In his defense, he only played in six games last season.
Although, this year, there was no excuse.
In his first 35 games this year, Kobe shot a career-worst 37 percent from the field. His worst field goal percentage coming into this season was 42 percent, his rookie season, when he only attempted six shots per game.
| Season | G | MP | FG% | 3P% | 2P% | TRB | AST | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 71 | 15.5 | .417 | .375 | .437 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 7.6 |
| 1997-98 ★ | 79 | 26.0 | .428 | .341 | .456 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 15.4 |
| 1998-99 | 50 | 37.9 | .465 | .267 | .494 | 5.3 | 3.8 | 19.9 |
| 1999-00 ★ | 66 | 38.2 | .468 | .319 | .489 | 6.3 | 4.9 | 22.5 |
| 2000-01 ★ | 68 | 40.9 | .464 | .305 | .489 | 5.9 | 5.0 | 28.5 |
| 2001-02 ★ | 80 | 38.3 | .469 | .250 | .489 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 25.2 |
| 2002-03 ★ | 82 | 41.5 | .451 | .383 | .465 | 6.9 | 5.9 | 30.0 |
| 2003-04 ★ | 65 | 37.6 | .438 | .327 | .463 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 24.0 |
| 2004-05 ★ | 66 | 40.7 | .433 | .339 | .472 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 27.6 |
| 2005-06 ★ | 80 | 41.0 | .450 | .347 | .482 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 35.4 |
| 2006-07 ★ | 77 | 40.8 | .463 | .344 | .497 | 5.7 | 5.4 | 31.6 |
| 2007-08 ★ | 82 | 38.9 | .459 | .361 | .490 | 6.3 | 5.4 | 28.3 |
| 2008-09 ★ | 82 | 36.1 | .467 | .351 | .496 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 26.8 |
| 2009-10 ★ | 73 | 38.8 | .456 | .329 | .487 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 27.0 |
| 2010-11 ★ | 82 | 33.9 | .451 | .323 | .487 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 25.3 |
| 2011-12 ★ | 58 | 38.5 | .430 | .303 | .464 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 27.9 |
| 2012-13 ★ | 78 | 38.6 | .463 | .324 | .510 | 5.6 | 6.0 | 27.3 |
| 2013-14 ★ | 6 | 29.5 | .425 | .188 | .491 | 4.3 | 6.3 | 13.8 |
| 2014-15 | 35 | 34.5 | .373 | .293 | .401 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 22.3 |
| Career | 1280 | 36.5 | .451 | .334 | .481 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 25.4 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/22/2015.
He’s been bad this season, and that’s putting it nicely.
After removing last season’s six game campaign, Kobe is posting his worst player efficiency rating of his career (17.6) on 22 points per game.
The Los Angeles Lakers have a worst offensive rating when he’s on the court than when he’s off it; the same could be said when it comes to defense. Apart from his occasional games when he decides to go into Magic Johnson mode, and shoot significantly less, he’s often a burden to the rest of his team.
And our eyes.
There has been nothing smooth about his game this season. I suppose we get the occasional highlight when we can shout, “VINTAGE KOBE BRYANT.” But even those plays are far and few in-between.
Kobe is no longer the player he used to be. We know that and even he knows that. Apparently, the Lakers are the only ones that don’t.
It’s almost as if the Lakers still believe he’s 26. At this point, he’s closer to Smush Parker than he is to his prime self.
Sad, but true.
The Los Angeles Lakers need to pull the plug. They need to move on. Los Angeles needs to stop being the clingy girlfriend and realize that this relationship is going nowhere.
They once had a healthy, good thing going. Heck, Kobe brought the Lakers some really nice bling during their time. But it’s over.
The Los Angeles Lakers need to kick Kobe to the curb and begin a new era. One that doesn’t consist of an aging superstar dictating their every move. Because as we’ve seen that movie during the last two regular seasons, and that has gotten them nowhere.
Sure, it’s true, the Lakers could continue to appease Kobe for another season, or two. That’s the least they can do, right?
They can go down that road if they wish, or they could take a page out of the Celtics’ playbook and come to the realization that it’s over.
Father time is undefeated. And its taken Kobe Bryant.