Will Kobe Bryant return to the Lakers?

Lakers forward Kobe Bryant, who has shown hesitancy in returning to his NBA league this year, has reportedly scheduled a time for his pre-training-camp physical examination, furthering rumors that the MVP top-scoring league player will in fact be a part of the team this season, according to a recent story published by the Orange County Register. As the team prepares for an Oct. 11 start date for training camp, which will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii, speculations that Bryant would not be participating have been swirling due to Bryant’s complaints after last season about recruiting new talent for the team and his eventual request to the team’s front office to be traded - neither of those wishes have been granted. Although the NBA star has not been seen at the team’s workout facilities in El Segundo, California, all summer and has instead spent time out of town on a promotional tour for his new line of Nike sneakers and playing on the USA basketball team in Las Vegas.

Despite those discrepancies, the Lakers’ team spokesperson John Black has issued a statement: ” We have no reason to believe that he won’t be there,” in regards to Bryant’s attendance at training camp. As the days tick down, the status of the teams players also seems debatable, according to the Orange County Register report. Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown are still recovering from their respective shoulder surgeries, while center Chris Mihm is on the road to rehabilitation after an ankle surgery. Coach Phil Jackson, who is still coming back from last year’s right hip-replacement surgery, is on the third and final year of his contract with the team and has been offered a two-year extension with the team, although no final negotiations have begun as of yet. Jackson also shared in Bryant’s desire to make some team line-up changes, and although that did not seem to happen for the Lakers, the team still has the potential to come back and do some damage this season, with big hopes from Jackson, Bryant and the rest of its members of making it to the championships.

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Permalink - Posted in General on September 24, 2007 - Post a comment