Kobe Bryant knows that the window for the Los Angeles Lakers to win another NBA Championship is getting smaller by the minute. A team built to win and win now simply is not doing so on any sort of consistent basis. Through the half way point of the 2012-2013 NBA season, the Lakers are 17-24 and in serious jeopardy of missing the NBA Playoffs entirely. If this continues, is there a chance that Bryant retires sooner than expected?
The Black Mamba has said himself that he only plans on playing a couple of more years in the NBA. Drafted out of high school, Bryant will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest players to ever step on an NBA court. But as he grows increasingly frustrated, one has to wonder if he will soon reach a point where he decides that enough is enough.
This season is only half way over. Thus far, it has been a complete bust. After acquiring the likes of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash and Antawn Jamison this past offseason, the Lakers became heavy favorites to at least reach the Western Conference Finals. Truth be told, they resembled an All-Star roster more so than even the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics or San Antonio Spurs.
Unfortunately, the have failed to resemble them on the court.
The season has been tumultuous, at best. Mike Brown was fired a week into the regular season. He was replaced by Mike D’Antoni – a fine coach by all means – but one who was never a good fit for this team. The whole Phil Jackson debacle aside, this has been a poorly operated season by everyone involved in the Lakers’ organization.
Now, you have Bryant speaking out, both verbally as well as through social media for the first time. He is frustrated. He doesn’t have to say it, as you can clearly see it. He has stepped up to assume all of the blame, but it is not all his fault. Not by a long shot.
It also falls on D’Antoni. It falls on Howard. It falls on Nash. It falls on everyone with this franchise. Bryant is not having hos best season in terms of shooting percentage, but he is still the only consistent scorer on the team. He needs help, although he is not getting much from his supporting cast of All-Stars. They are scoring and rebounding well enough, collectively, but the defense has been atrocious. Sure, they have been banged up, but excuses only carry a team so far.
Especially considering their latest loss came at the hands of the Chicago Bulls, who won that game without Derrick Rose and Luol Deng.
With half the season still remaining, the Lakers can make a run. They have time. They have the talent. Whether they can put it together on a steady enough basis to pass the likes of the Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets remains to be seen.
If they cannot, and their season continues to go south, it is not outside the realm of possibilities that it could cause Bryant to move up his retirement date a bit sooner than even he expected.
