Kobe wants 2 more cracks at a title (link)

[THE MACHINE]

Kobe Bryant wants 'two more cracks' at NBA title, according to source - ESPN Los Angeles

Kobe Bryant set off a mild panic among Los Angeles Lakers fans Friday afternoon when he selected "The Last Chapter" as the slogan that best represents his comeback from a ruptured Achilles tendon.

"The Last Chapter" sounds a lot like "The Last Stand," the quote Phil Jackson gave when he decided to return for his final season with the Lakers in 2010-11 and seemed to imply Bryant was thinking of retiring after next season.


Bryant
Far from it, a source told ESPNLosAngeles.com on Friday.

Bryant wants to be "back next season with a vengeance," the source said. And he wants "two more cracks at it to win seven NBA titles at least."

In other words, it's highly unlikely next season will be his last. Bryant and Derek Fisher lead all active players with five NBA titles, although the Spurs' Tim Duncan could tie them if San Antonio beats the Miami Heat in this year's Finals.

Bryant has always publicly maintained that he will play only while he's able to perform at an elite level. Next season is his final one under contract with the Lakers. A source with knowledge of the Lakers' thinking told ESPNLosAngeles.com that the team was planning to open extension talks with Bryant as soon as it was allowed to under NBA rules, which ironically came right after he ruptured his Achilles in a game against Golden State on April 12.

Both sides would love to see Bryant retire as a Laker, sources said. But the Achilles injury complicated the issue, especially the timing of talks about an extension.

It would be difficult for the Lakers to bring Bryant back at his current salary of $30 million a year with the salary-cap restrictions in the new collective bargaining agreement. But the team is determined to treat Bryant well and with the respect befitting his contributions to the franchise during his career, the source said.

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Bryant is still in the early stages of recovery from his injury, but he is determined to return by the start of next season and be just as good as he was this season, when he averaged 27.3 points on 46.3 percent shooting, 6.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds a game, all higher than his career averages, at the age of 34.

Earlier this month, he told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin that he hopes to play in the Lakers' season opener.

"That's the challenge," Bryant told McMenamin. "With the tendon, there's really only so much you can do. There's a certain amount of time that they deem necessary for the tendon to heal where you don't overstretch it and now you never get that spring back.

"So you just have to be patient, let the tendon heal, and then when that moment comes when they say, 'OK, we can take off the regulator, so to speak, and now it's on you to train as hard as you can to get back to where you want to be,' that's going to be a good day."

That day hasn't come yet, but it's getting close. The closer it gets, the more determined Bryant seems to be growing.

 

[Regular_P]

That's my GOAT Laker.

 

[Rich Spirit]

 

[CantStop]

that's my GOAT

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

:wow2:

2 more cracks means an even 20 year career and the chance to catch Kareem, all depending how long it takes for him to come back this season and if he'll still be as effective. The shooting gawd heard my prayers I've been hoping he would do this, I'm such a humbled and gracious Laker stan right now. Peace be unto this magnificent shooting gawd whom always gives the crowd what they want.

 

[Real]

Goat

 

[THE MACHINE]

:wow2:

2 more cracks means an even 20 year career and the chance to catch Kareem, all depending how long it takes for him to come back this season and if he'll still be as effective. The shooting gawd heard my prayers I've been hoping he would do this, I'm such a humbled and gracious Laker stan right now. Peace be unto this magnificent shooting gawd whom always gives the crowd what they want.

y'all LWO dudes are fools man

 

[Broke Wave]

He should take 1 crack at D'antoni's wig with a sig sauer if he wants any hope

 

[LurkMoar]

He should join the heat










Holdup i was just kidding but can you imagine if that happened?

It would be cray

 

[Gotright]

this nikka aint winning shyt else

 

[DrX]

larry holmes bryant need to focus on his motherfukkin leg

 

[PortCityProphet]

all he wanna do is win

 

[Brown Ant]

Our gawd

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

He should join the heat










Holdup i was just kidding but can you imagine if that happened?

It would be cray

I'd earl my guts out from disgust, thankfully Kobe's not that type of person so we'll never have to see that shyt.

 

[Yogi]

It's over for Kobe. He will never be the same after the injury.