Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak: Kobe Bryant’s minute limitations undecided

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said Thursday that Kobe Bryant's minute limitations are undecided for the 2015–16 season.

Author:
SI Wire
Publish date:
Sep 25, 2015

Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said Thursday that Kobe Bryant’s minute limitations are undecided for the 2015–16 season, reports Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.

Bryant, who will begin his 20th NBA season in October, is returning from a right shoulder injury that caused him to miss the majority of last season.

Kupchak and Lakers head coach Byron Scott are waiting to see how the 37-year-old responds to live action in training camp to determine his workload for the beginning of the season.

“It’s important for us to keep that in mind and see how he progresses and how he responds to training camp,” Kupchak said Thursday. “I would imagine he would not practice twice a day every day. He’s earned the right to really progress in training camp at a certain pace that works for him and works for us.”

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Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, has only played 41 games over the past three seasons because of injuries to his left Achilles tendon, left knee and most recently, his right shoulder.

Los Angeles Lakers GM Kupchak: Kobe Bryant will be ready for camp

Despite Bryant’s recent injury derailments, Kupchak added that he has faith in the former MVP’s training and preparation, and that he believes Bryant will be ready to produce this season.

“He looks great,” Kupchak said. “He assured me he’s working out every day. Over the years, we’ve gotten to the point where he takes care of himself and when he comes to camp, he’ll be ready. But as far as what level of play and how many minutes and how will he play on the team remains to be seen.”

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Bryant is set to earn $25 million in what could be his final NBA season.

The Lakers open the 2015–16 campaign on Oct. 28 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Photos: Classic shots of Kobe Bryant

Rare Photos of Kobe Bryant

131016110008-kobe-bryant-op72-35601-single-image-cut.jpg — Walter Iooss Jr./SI

With 15-time All-Star Kobe Bryant, who underwent surgery in mid-April to repair a torn left Achilles, making his long-awaited return when the Lakers host the Raptors on Sunday (Dec. 8) in Los Angeles, we present rare photos of Kobe, on and off the court.

Mirek Towski/DMI/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

We all knew Bryant was a superstar when he took singer/actress Brandy to his high school prom in 1996. Stud.

A member of the East team, Bryant shoots over the West team's Jamaal Magloire during Magic's Roundball Classic at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Mich., in April 1996.

Before he became the Lakers' all-time leading scorer, Kobe Bryant was a star on the Lower Merion (Pa.) High School basketball team. And he was all smiles in this April 1996 photo. After winning the state 4A championship, Bryant and his teammates were honored at the state capitol in Harrisburg.

Bryant was among a star-studded cast at the 1996 NBA Rookie Orientation Program.

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Of the many reasons Bryant should be smiling in this 1997 photo, perhaps he's flashing his pearly whites because he was the first guard taken straight out high school in the NBA draft. Or because he would become the youngest starter ever in the league. Just a couple possibilities.

Here's Kobe, striking a pose during his rookie photo shoot. Charming.

Yes, he can jump really high and and really far and dunk really hard. That's Kobe.

Like father, like son. (Only the son went on to become a better basketball player.) Bryant poses with his father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, a former Philadelphia 76er and former coach of the WNBA's L.A. Sparks.

The rookie poses outside his new home in 1997, the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

Kobe and Philadelphia's Allen Iverson chat it up during a game in 1997.

My how things have changed since this 1997 photo. Kobe remains a top NBA player while Stephon Marbury is playing in China.

130823102011-1998-kobe-bryant-kennan-thompson-kel-mitchell-all-that-05817255-single-image-cut.jpg — Jan Sonnenmair/SI

Kobe poses with Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson in the make-up room before taping of the show <italics>All That</italics> in 1998.

Shaquille carries Bryant during a team media day photo shoot. Aww, they look so happy!

The good times didn't exactly last for O'Neal and Bryant.

Bryant, of the West All-Star team, talks with Michael Jordan and Antoine Walker from the East team before practice during All-Star weekend in 2002.

Donning a Michael Jordan jersey, Bryant arrives for Game 4 of the 2002 Finals. The 22-year-old took home his third NBA title that year.

Bryant and then-Lakers teammates Trevor Ariza, Derek Fisher and Andrew Bynum flash a smile at practice in 2007.

Bryant returned to Lower Merion High in 2007 to enjoy a few laughs.

Bryant tries out the refurbished Stallings playground in New Orleans.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

Family portrait! Kobe poses with wife Vanessa and daughters Natalia and Gianna at the 2007-08 MVP press conference.

Bryant and Olympic teammate LeBron James pose before the 2008 Games in Beijing. The "Redeem Team" struck gold, ending an eight-year U.S. drought in basketball.