Are You Ready For Life Without Kobe In The NBA?

It’s hard to picture the NBA without Kobe, but, over the last few seasons we’ve had a glimpse due to injury. Kobe has been pretty adamant that the 2015-2106 NBA season will be his last. At the end of that season- and his two-year extension with the Lakers – Kobe will be 37, having played 20 years of NBA basketball.

In an interview Thursday, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak reiterated the fact that next season will be Mamba’s last.

I think first and foremost, he’s on the last year of a deal,” Kupchak told SiriusXM NBA Radio. “There have been no discussions about anything going forward. I don’t think there will be.”……”He has indicated to me that this is it,”

“A year from now, if there’s something different to discuss, then it will be discussed then,” Kupchak said of Bryant potentially playing beyond next season. “I talk to him from time to time … and he is recovering. He’s running. He’s getting movement and strength in the shoulder. We expect a full recovery, but yeah, he’s much closer to the end than to the beginning.”

Bryant will earn a  league-high $25 million for the final year of his deal with the Lakers. LA won the second pick in the NBA draft lottery. In addition to the talent of Julius Randle who suffered a season ending injury during the first game last season, the Lakers future seems to be looking up.

In the meantime, we at least can appreciate that we still can enjoy Kobe dropping gems on Twitter. Like this riddle he tweeted out Thursday during Rockets vs. Warriors.