Kobe Bryant returns to El Segundo

Here's the latest from post-lockout central:

The NBA has allowed teams to open their practice facilities to their players starting Thursday, which means Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and the rest of the Lakers can move their daily pickup games to El Segundo and have access to the gym, weight room and training facilities. It's the first step in reconciling after the tentative end to the lockout. Contact between club officials and players is supposed to be limited, however.

Also, the players' agents can now start speaking with GMs about new contracts for their clients, although they cannot sign until Dec. 9. Training camps are set to open Dec. 9. The Lakers are tentatively scheduled to play two exhibitions against the Clippers at Staples Center, reportedly Dec. 19 and 20 or 21. The Lakers are expected to open the season Christmas Day against the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center. The league might announce the complete 66-game schedule later this week.

P.S. Follow me on twitter: @ElliottTeaford. You'll have to put up with some hockey tweets over the next few days, but then it's back to the Lakers fulltime starting next Monday.