Kobe Bryant may still be a few weeks from his return, but the Lakers are already imagining how much better of a team they will be with him in the lineup.
Although the Lakers have played fairly well so far this season, they are in desperate need of Bryant’s leadership and ability to take over a game in the closing minutes. General Manager Mitch Kupchak spoke to ESPN LA, and he talked about what Kobe will mean to this roster once he returns.
“I do expect him to have an influence on the game,” the GM said. “He will be able to score, provide leadership and toughness to our team. Confidence. We’ve had some stretches where we’ve really played well, but I’ve seen some times where you could use somebody that’s got great experience that maybe you could go to at certain times of a game, whether it’s at the end of a period or end of a game.
The Lakers have been part of many close games this season, and Bryant’s presence would have made things easier for the coaching staff. Not many players perform as well as Bryant in the clutch and that is why the Lakers signed him for two more seasons.
At this point, it seems as though Kobe will make his return sometime in December, and once that day arrives the team will be prepared to climb up the conference standings.
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