Lakers Kobe Bryant watches the game during first half action at Staples Center Sunday, March 8, 2015. ( Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News )
The question made Kobe Bryant shake his head. The Lakers’ star also sounded incredulous.
“Who the hell said I was retiring?” Bryant said on Tuesday before the Lakers (16-46) hosted the Detroit Pistons (23-39) at Staples Center. “It was never a question for me whether or not I was going to play next year.”
This may have marked Bryant’s first public appearance among assembled media since he suffered a season-ending right shoulder injury on Jan. 21 in New Orleans. But Bryant made plenty of appearances promoting his Showtime documentary in recent weeks where he repeated his intentions to return for the 2015-16 season in what will mark his 20th year with the Lakers. Bryant repeated that sentiment in a recent interview with Los Angeles Newspaper Group.
Another topic surrounding Bryant’s future seems far more uncertain. Would he ever consider playing past his $23 million contract that ends next season?
“Yeah, I mean I could,” Bryant said. “As I sit here right now, will I play past next year? No. That could change.”
What variables would Bryant consider on whether he would prolong his career?
“No idea. I don’t know,” Bryant quickly said before providing some insight. “If it’s I feel like playing and if I have to do the process again and if I feel like I’m enjoying getting up and training every single day and that sort of thing. After three years of dealing with this crap, you kind of understand why I don’t want to keep dealing with that anymore.”
Bryant tore his left Achilles tendon on April 2013 and returned eight months later only to fracture his left knee after playing in six games. This season, Bryant averaged 22.3 points on a career-low 37.4 percent shooting through 35 games before tearing the right rotator cuff in his right shoulder. So consider Bryant’s initial reaction when Lakers doctors informed him he would need season-ending surgery.
“‘I don’t know if I can do another nine months,” Bryant recalled saying. “This is crazy.”
Well, Bryant still chose that route.
Bryant called his latest injury “much more encouraging” than his left Achilles tear and called his spirits “higher” for one specific reason. Eventually, Bryant can have a full offseason to work out. He has spent the past two weeks receiving massage therapy after wearing a sling to protect his right shoulder for the previous six weeks. Bryant estimated he could begin running within a week and a half and begin shooting drills in about a month.
Lakers coach Byron Scott has said he plans to play Bryant in the 20-minute range and sit on nights when the Lakers play a slate of back-to-back games. But the Lakers’ star sounded unsure to what degree conservative approaches regarding his workload and rest would ensure a healthy 2015-16 campaign. After all, Bryant revealed he nursed his latest shoulder injury in 2001 before having a procedure the following year.
“It’s very difficult,” Bryant said. “You start trying to gauge the importance of a Monday workout or a Wednesday workout. How important is it? I could do all this stuff and then next year in one minute, it’s all gone. Those are the challenges I have to struggle with mentally and not try to overthink that. Just go out there and do it. Just control what you can control.”
Of course, how Bryant plays next season could depend on his supporting cast. The Lakers could have as many as two first-round picks and two second-round selections, though Bryant said he does not follow much college basketball beyond the University of Kentucky’s undefeated season because of his respect for coach John Calipari. The Lakers have enough cap space to sign one marquee free agent to a max-level contract.
Given the Lakers struck out on either attracting or retaining free agents in the past two years, how much confidence does Bryant have in Lakers’ front office?
“As confident as they are in me that I’ll be healthy next year,” Bryant said. “You have to trust each other. They’re going to do their job and do the best job they can. I’m going to do the best job I can.”
Bryant has said he will talk to unspecified potential free agents, which could include Memphis’ Marc Gasol, Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, Cleveland’s Kevin Love, Miami’s Goran Dragic, Dallas’ Rajon Rondo and Detroit’s Greg Monroe. But Bryant characterized his involvement in assembling the Lakers’ roster as very hands off.
“I’m not involved like that. I don’t want to be. You have to give them space and let them do their job,” said Bryant, referring to Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and executive Jim Buss. “They’ll come to me. Mitch and I have had a great relationship and are talking. He’ll come to me when the time is right.”
Yet, Bryant conceded a few things he will want in potential free agents.
“You got to be able to win or nothing. Win championships or nothing,” Bryant said. “To lead this franchise, you got to be that way.”
Bryant also prefers he could groom the next Lakers’ star until waiting for the franchise to sign one after he retires.
“I’d much rather hand the keys over to somebody and take this organization right from the jump,” Bryant said. “Hopefully we can, but if not when I’ll retire, that’s one of the things I’ll be hell bent on with Jeanie [Buss] and Jimmy to make sure the franchise gets back to where it needs to be.”
Until then, Bryant will attend the Lakers’ 10 remaining home games, joking he will become “a source of comfort” for Scott.
“Everybody needs a shoulder every now and then. He gave me a shoulder my first year and I’ll give him a shoulder now,” said Bryant, referring to Scott mentoring him his rookie season. “I’m joking about it. But he’s fine. He continues to coach and preach execution.”
Bryant maintains he will keep the same attitude about his current recovery.
“It gets tougher and tougher to get back up,” Bryant said. “It’s that excitement and challenge of trying to do it that excites me.”
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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