Kobe Bryant shrugs off ESPN report criticizing role in franchise’s struggles

os Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott, right, talks to Kobe Bryant during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

os Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott, right, talks to Kobe Bryant during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

ANAHEIM — All week, Kobe Bryant spent part of his time calling ESPN “idiots” for recently ranking him the 40th best player in the NBA. So when ESPN The Magazine published a story citing unnamed sources that suggested Bryant’s dominating personality served as the primary reason for both the Lakers’ recent demise and ability to attract top-level free agents, one could only imagine what sort of adjectives Bryant would throw.

It turns out not many. Instead, Bryant unleashed his inner Zen by expressing a pretty indifferent and pragmatic view.

“It’s not the first one and it won’t be the last one,” Bryant said following the Lakers’ 114-108 preseason loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday at Honda Center. “One thing I’ve come to understand over the years is you’ll have a bad story that comes out on a Monday and it seems like the end of the world. It seems like everybody is taking shots at you. Time goes by and when you look back on it, and it’s just a Monday. Then you have another great story that comes out a month later. It’s a fantastic story. Then there’s a bad story that comes out a month after that.”

Bryant did not address any of the specifics of the story’s argument.

Those issues included plenty. Unnamed agents charged Bryant’s dominating personality played a large role in convincing many of their clients not to sign with the Lakers. The story suggested Dwight Howard left for Houston mainly for reasons mostly related to Bryant, including his speech during the sales meeting about learning how to win and Howard’s belief that no one within the Lakers held Bryant accountable. The story argued that the Lakers signed Bryant to a two-year, $48.5 million extension because executive Jim Buss did not want to have a public relations fight with the star, even if it compromised the team in cap space.

The story sparked criticism for reasons beyond Bryant’s popularity with the Lakers. Or that the Lakers have had other issues in recent seasons, including a boatload of injuries, three coaching changes and the passing of late owner Jerry Buss.

All of the sources cited hid behind the cloak of anonymity. Several of the players quoted were attributed to other media outlets. The story reported the Lakers felt “rattled” that point guard Ramon Sessions opted out of his player option three years ago. But the Lakers successfully pursued Steve Nash eight days before Sessions signed a long-term deal with the Charlotte Bobcats. The story also said Indiana forward Paul George did not sign with the Lakers partly because of Bryant’s presence, a revelation the Pacers’ star dismissed on Twitter.

The Lakers also felt Bryant’s friendship with Carmelo Anthony helped secure a pitch meeting this offseason with the Knicks’ star. Pau Gasol left this offseason with the Chicago Bulls for reasons including the Bulls’ roster and the Lakers’ uncertainty with their rebuilding. But Gasol has held Bryant in high esteem.

“You have to understand it’s a cycle and things are never as good or as bad as they seem in the moment in time,” Bryant said. “Stay focused on the big picture. Things are never as bleak as they seem at the time. I just roll with it.”

Incidentally, that hardly matched the response of former Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who had once criticized Bryant in his book titled “The Last Season” about the difficulty coaching him.

Although Bryant has had testy relationships with Shaquille O’Neal and Howard, plenty of role players constantly praise Bryant’s willingness to help them with their game.

“My personal experience, which is the only thing I can speak on, has been great,” said Lakers guard Jeremy Lin, who arrived here this offseason via a trade from the Houston Rockets. “From day one of the minute I was traded until now, it’s constant of him trying to be a good leader and communicator. It’s teaching me, teaching me, and teaching me and doing it in a mentorship type way. That’s my experience. I can’t speak on it for anybody else.”

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com