Kobe Bryant Tweets About Lakers Offseason, Wants Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol in LA
Kobe Bryant has a plan.
With the Los Angeles Lakers approaching their most pivotal offseason in years, the Black Mamba has every intention of ensuring that his will be done. And that will includes convincing Dwight Howard to remain in Hollywood and persuading the Buss family to hold on to Pau Gasol as well.
What, you didn’t think Coach Kobe was going to sit this summer out, did you?
The Lakers have a lot riding on this offseason; Kobe has a lot riding on this offseason. Though he’s previously said he’s not ready to retire, his ruptured Achilles serves as a reminder that time is running out.
If Kobe wants to get that sixth championship ring of his (and he does), he has to make a play for it now, not later. He might not be around for “later.”
Naturally, he’ll then want a say in how the roster is assembled. Knowing how financially strapped the Lakers are, he understands that they’ll have to make the biggest splash by swimming in their own pool.
Los Angeles cannot go out and offer stacks of cash to free agents of its choosing. That’s why retaining Howard is so important. If the Lakers cannot sell him on staying, they don’t get to take that money and give it to someone else. They’ll simply be down one superstar.
But not if Kobe can help it.
Although the two have admitted they’re not “best friends,” they’ve reached a mutual understanding. Or at least Kobe has. For him to win now, he knows he needs Dwight. And Pau, too.
Gasol is coming off the worst season of his NBA career and will likely never be the four-time All-Star he once was, but Bryant sees the value in his presence.
The two are incredibly close. Emotions then have stand to cloud Bryant’s judgment. At the same time, Gasol is worth more to the Lakers than they whatever they would net in any trade for him. Kobe gets this as well.
These Lakers are headed for an inevitable overhaul—a rebuilding project that Kobe will do everything he can to delay at least one more year.
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Kobe Bryant denies retirement rumors
Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant said he was planning a major announcement on his Facebook page this weekend, but it was not about retirement as many thought it might be. Bryant wrote Saturday on his Facebook page that, “You won’t want to miss the
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Kobe Bryant Talks Retirement on Twitter, Black Mamba Not Ready Yet
Kobe Bryant is going to retire soon, but not yet.
Still recovering from a ruptured Achilles, the Black Mamba’s future has never been more in doubt. Not only are we unsure if he’ll be able to return to form, but we’re unsure of just how long he’ll be able to play.
This latest injury humanized Bryant in ways he never has been before. Is it possible that it has provided him with some perspective, the kind that would give him an exact idea of when he’s going to hang it up?
Apparently not, and he took to Twitter to make that clear.
Going on 35, Bryant wants it understood that he isn’t done. He seems surprised that the notion of his retirement being imminent is even being entertained.
To be fair, it’s shocking that Bryant is so shocked about that. He hasn’t exactly been candid about what he plans to do in the future. Depending on his mood, he’s either retiring after next season or not until he’s 40. He himself doesn’t appear to know when he’ll walk away.
In this case, that’s a good thing.
Normally, Bryant’s ambivalent talk of retirement triggers anxiety. That he admits it’s coming “soon” would usually send the Los Angeles Lakers faithful into a frenzy—but not now.
With him rehabilitating from such a serious injury, the NBA sphere should be grateful he’s prepared to stay the course. Nearly two decades into his career, it would be easy for him to admit he won’t play beyond next season.
Though he doesn’t make any guarantees that he’ll play past next year, one must assume that’s the plan. If “Vino still has work to do,” he cannot seriously believe he’ll get all of it done next season.
Los Angeles’ roster isn’t yet set in stone, nor will it be for quite some time. Even if Dwight Howard re-signs, the Lakers continue to have one eye on 2014 and all the free-agency splurging they’ll be able to do.
To call next season a transition year would be a bit harsh, but knowing what their plans are and that Bryant will only just be returning from his latest bout with mortality, it’s unlikely next year serves as his swan song.
Of course, I could be wrong, or Bryant could be lying. He could retire after next season. If the Lakers managed to procure a sixth ring for the Mamba, that has the potential to change things.
As is always the case with Bryant, we just don’t know. Seventeen years into his professional tenure and he’s still impossible to figure out; he’s a walking paradox. For now, we”ll accept that. Embrace it, even.
We’re just thrilled he’s prepared to play on, at all.
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Kobe Bryant debunks retirement rumors on Twitter
“Vino still has work to do.”
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What Kobe Bryant Wishes He Could Have Tweeted During LA Lakers’ 1st-Round Exit
Sidelined with a torn Achilles and unable to travel with the team, Kobe Bryant took to Twitter to share his thoughts on Game 1 of the first-round matchup between his Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs.
Bryant’s insights delighted the Twitterverse, and ABC’s broadcast often displayed and discussed his tweets at length.
Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni was even asked about Bryant’s online commentary after the game. That’s when Bryant decided to hold his tongue (and his thumbs) until the series came to its final, grisly conclusion.
To tweet or not to tweet.. I CHOOSE not 2. Focus should be on the team not my insight. @georgelopez voice “Can’t DO nothin!”#vinospeare
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) April 22, 2013
What if he never muzzled himself though, and kept delivering candid nuggets throughout the series?
Here are five tweets Bryant wished he could have sent out.
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Kobe Bryant literally dove into an ocean full of sharks
Through the years Kobe Bryant has claimed to be the ultimate competitor.
The Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard has built his entire myth around it.
Each and every one of his nicknames/handles point to this. ” The Assassin,” ” The Black Mamba” and other aliases serve to point to his psyche as much as they point to his basketball skills.
Heidi Burgett over at Nike has just added another chapter in the legend of Kobe.
Please click here to read/watch this article.
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Kobe Bryant auction dispute headed for June trial (Yahoo! Sports)
CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Kobe Bryant and an auction house that wants to sell memorabilia from his high school days and early pro career are heading for a trial next month, unless they can work out a deal before then.
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Kobe Bryant posts photo from Achilles surgery
If you plan on eating anytime soon, you may want to look away.
Kobe Bryant, who underwent surgery on his torn left Achilles tendon on April 13, posted a picture on Tuesday of what the surgery looked like.
Warning, it’s a bit graphic.
One month ago yesterday surgery graphic RealNoImage mambamentality instagram.compZTUNSZxNhf Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) May 14, 2013
Also on Tuesday, Kobe tossed around the idea of getting another tattoo.
Thinking about getting a lil more ink whynot justdoit Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) May 14, 2013Bryant ruptured the tendon in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ victory over the Golden State Warriors on April 12.
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Kobe Bryant uploads distrubingly graphic image from his Achilles surgery (photo)
To commemorate the one-month anniversary of the surgery on his ruptured Achilles tendon that was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Los Angeles Lakers hobbled superstar tweeted a link to his Instagram account of an extremely graphic image from when the surgery was performed. I’m not kidding. It’s not for the squeamish. Viewer discretion is advised. [...]The post Kobe Bryant uploads distrubingly graphic image from his Achilles surgery (photo) appeared first on Sportress of Blogitude.
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Kobe Bryant Says He Never Allowed Mom to Sell His Memorabilia in Court Papers
Kobe Bryant‘s torn Achilles tendon means he won’t be on the hardwood anytime soon, but after filing papers to prevent his mother from cashing in on some of his old memorabilia, he’s apparently more than ready to head to court.
According to the Associated Press, Bryant’s attorneys filed an injunction in New Jersey to prevent Pamela Bryant from auctioning off the 15-time All-Star’s old jerseys, sneakers and even championship rings. The Los Angeles Lakers star is claiming that he never gave his mom permission to peddle the various mementos from his early career.
The timing of such an uncomfortable legal battle could hardly have been worse, as it’s only been days since Bryant has been able to stand after undergoing surgery last month:
Still, if there’s a lesson in all of this, it’s that you should probably hang onto your own keepsakes, assuming you have any as valuable as Bryant’s high-school jerseys.
And here’s a question: Why didn’t Bryant have this stuff in his possession if he wanted to keep it safe? According to Business Insider, he’s got three houses worth $18.8 million. Something tells me there’s some spare closet space there somewhere.
It’s always a shame when families clash over money, which is really all this is. The AP report indicated that the disputed items were valuable enough to warrant a $450,000 advance to Mrs. Bryant before anything had even been sold, so there’s clearly some serious cash at stake.
With that kind of money involved, and an apparently icy parent-child relationship, it’s no wonder Bryant is feeling a little bummed over the whole episode:
There’s really nothing good about this dispute—except for the excellent nickname J.E. Skeets of The Basketball Jones came up with:
With his future playing career uncertain and his team at a crossroads, Bryant probably could have done without the added stress of something like this. But based on the decisive action he and his attorneys took to contest the impending sale, it appears his competitive spirit is undiminished.
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