The Durant story

It’s not even 11 a.m. but Kobe Bryant apparently is “furious” with a story in the Dallas Morning News claiming that he called Texas star Kevin Durant on behalf on Nike. A team spokesman said Bryant “vehemently denies” the story and will be addressing the subject after practice Wednesday. The Lakers are going to confront the story aggressively because they’ve seen the fines Boston, Charlotte and Golden State already have received from the NBA when it comes to Durant.