Los Angeles Lakers: Is Angry Kobe Bryant Helping?
By Chris Walton
It was just a matter of time before Kobe Bryant would turn to his tyrant ways and challenge the new Los Angeles Lakers. This team no longer has the co-leaders like Pau Gasol or Metta World Peace, and they are nowhere near any form of success.
Bryant’s ultra-competitive spirit is clinging on the brink of time and molding the likes of Nick Young and Wesley Johnson into prevalent NBA names. The biggest surprise to fans is the patience that Bryant has exhibited, as the team is off to a 5-16 start.
In unbelievable fashion, Bryant still carries the supreme confidence that he can drive the current roster to at least a playoff berth.
During Thursday’s practice at the Toyota Center in Los Angeles, Bryant was caught in a fierce illustration of the team’s session. Bryant expressed his feelings to Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak. ESPN Los Angeles writer Arash Markazi was on-hand for the events which transpired and provided video:
Kobe to Mitch after practice. NSFW https://t.co/F8J008q4dR
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) December 11, 2014
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What does this mean for the Lakers going forward? Well you have to believe that players are likely taking heed to Bryant’s assertion and re-evaluating their approach to the season. Maybe Jeremy Lin will continue to grab the reigns of the offense, or Carlos Boozer decides to seriously consider taking a stance on defense.
Both these things are a tall task, and likely will continue to falter during the year.
The dangerous thing about Bryant’s behavior is its effect on a team that will likely not return a number of players on the current roster in the future. Everyone knows that Kobe is from the school of hard knocks, the last of his kind.
Like the Larry Birds and Michael Jordans before him, Bryant is all about the wins and wants players to go above and beyond their skills to get them. With these Lakers, there are no players capable of playing to the level of absurdness that Bryant would love.
The other signal being sent is definitely not encouraging for potential prospects. Granted, the Kobe era will be ending next year, but the clouds that he can leave over the franchise could continue to be a deal-breaker for free agents. Combine a conflicted roster with no solidified foundation, and you have a team that players will avoid at all cost.
Bryant’s attitude towards teammates cannot be as justified as he’d like to believe. In today’s age, players need to be guided with a sense of nurturing. They must be brought along slowly and being placed in the most comfortable situations possible.
The demands of finding consistency are already enough in the NBA, but imagine the rigors created when a perfection like Bryant is riding your tail. Luckily Lakers’ rookie Julius Randle isn’t around to walk through this storm.
If the Lakers want to ensure that they can at least last the rest of the season, they can’t continue to stay in the spotlight under these circumstances. Thursday’s events may be something that occurs every day, but were conveniently recorded for the first time.
Any negative vibes combined with the Lakers’ lack of success is still too much to digest. With a plethora of games left on the schedule, the Lakers have to find peace, if not then it could ruin the dreams of past glory going forward.