LOS ANGELES – Wala pang opisyal na pahayag si Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar Kobe Bryant kung ito na ang magiging pinakahuli niyang NBA season.
Maski sina co-owners at business and basketball chief operators Jeannie at Jim Buss at general manager Mitch Kupchak ay walang alam sa plano ni Bryant.
Ang nilagdaang two-year, $48.5 million contract extension ni Bryant ay matatapos sa 2016 kung kailan naman tataas ang salary cap sa NBA.
Maaaring mag-alok ng malalaking kontrata ang Lakers sa mga free agents para palakasin ang kanilang prangkisa sa 2017.
“We’re going to approach it like it is, but that doesn’t mean it is,:” sabi ni Jim Buss kay Bryant.
“I’m not going to sit there and say, ‘This is it, Kobe, you’re done,’ because it’s not my decision, it’s his decision,” dagdag pa nito.
“He just has to know, at that age, and that many miles on you, what is your role? We’ll explain the role, and if he still wants to do that and that’s how he wants to go out, that’s fine with me.”
Hindi natapos ni Bryant ang huli niyang tatlong seasons dahil sa ilang injury.
Nakita lamang siya sa 41 games sa nakaraang dalawang season para sa Lakers.
Inaasahang magiging malakas ang kampanya ng Lakers dahil sa paghugot kina Roy Hibbert, Brandon Bass at Lou Williams bukod pa kina rookie guard D’Angelo Russell at Fil-Am Jordan Clarkson.