Los Angeles Lakers: 2015-16 Season Outlook

Three Key Storylines (cont.)

3. Is This Kobe Bryant’s Last Ride?

We had to save the best for last. D’Angelo Russell should be the main reason to watch Lakers games this season, but that could change in an instant if we get so much as an inkling that this is Kobe Bryant’s farewell tour. At this point, I think most NBA fans would agree they’d be happy just to see him stay healthy and leave the game on his own terms.

Whether that moment comes at the end of this season, next season or three seasons from now, you can be guaranteed that Kobe’s last ride will come with plenty of fanfare…provided we even know it’s coming. Something tells me a guy like Kobe Bryant would prefer to just play basketball (even if he’d probably be enjoying the attention deep down).

Will he be a positive mentor for the rookies as he recognizes that his game has diminished? Or will he still be the Kobe Bryant we all know and love? The 2015-16 season will provide us with plenty of answers to these questions, and unless injury is involved, you can damn well be sure that we’ll be entertained in the process.

For this current generation of Lakers fans, Kobe Bryant is the greatest player they’ve ever seen. He’s the Alpha and O-mamba. After 19 seasons in the league, will he call it a career after an even 20 years? Will he stay healthy and get to enjoy his walk into the sunset without the unfortunate limp that so many other NBA greats have had to endure?

Assuming Kobe Bryant can stay healthy, it’ll be interesting to see what kind of role he’s willing to take on — especially if this is his last season. In his mind, he’s still the best player in the league and he won’t be deferring to anyone, even if Russell, Clarkson and Julius Randle represent the future of the franchise.

Next: Best, Worst Case Scenarios