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Los Angeles Lakers: This Summer Can’t Be About Kobe Bryant

By Jackson Sanders

Dec 2, 2014; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) during the game against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 2, 2014; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) during the game against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 14, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) celebrates after surpassing Michael Jordan on the NBA All-Time Scoring List during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) celebrates after surpassing Michael Jordan on the NBA All-Time Scoring List during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

The Los Angeles Lakers‘ 2015-16 season will be a celebration of Kobe Bryant‘s distinguished career. Jeanie Buss has noted as much, and it’s not surprising considering the milestone — 20 years with the same team — and the feeling of finality for some as Kobe enters the last season on his Lakers contract.

And it’s certainly a career worth celebrating. Five championships, two Finals MVPs, and plenty of “He-Did-WHAT???” moments have made up a career for the ages. Paying homage to perhaps the greatest player in franchise history is an obvious decision for the Lakers.

While the 2015-16 season will be a joyous celebration of 20 years of Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, the summer of 2015 should not be — at least not when it comes to positioning the Lakers roster back towards contention.

For years the Lakers have tried to build with Kobe Bryant in mind by adding veterans that would complement the franchise centerpiece. Now is the time to shift the rebuilding philosophy completely away from Kobe — regardless of how many years the legend wants to play.

The Lakers may want to celebrate a Kobe Bryant’s past success, but a successful rebuild will center around their young pieces, shifting Bryant’s role into that of a supporting player, and avoiding unnecessary veteran contracts to “help” Kobe chase one last ring. The Lakers must operate under that mentality this off-season for this franchise to finally shift in another direction.

Next: Can't Count On Kobe?

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