Armed with unequaled self-confidence and an insatiable desire to prevail over opponents—both literal and figurative—on his own terms, ferrying Los Angeles' hopes has become Bryant's preferred way of life. He wouldn't have the Lakers entrusting their fate to anyone else. He wouldn't share the strain of expectations even if he could.
Nothing has changed.
Almost two decades into Bryant's reign as Hollywood's king, the Lakers are still very much his team, the roster reflective of their dollars-dependent future and—most importantly—a patent pledge to continue building around No. 24 until the bitter end.
But where such conduct once engendered hope and teamwide tenacity befitting Bryant's own aplomb, time has turned the tables.
Certainty has given way to confusion. Age and injuries have created doubt. Bryant's burden-bearing, hope-hauling capabilities have come under siege.
Can he still carry his team?
For the first time, the answer is less about Bryant's bionic mystique and more about where the Lakers intend to go.
Charting Expectations
Talk of summer 2015 and all the promise it holds has been temporarily suspended.
New head coach Byron Scott refuses to accept that the mountain ahead is too steep to scale now. References to patience and process have come few and far between, their existence secondary to seemingly ungovernable optimism.
"I think it would be unfair for us to put any expectation on those guys, but the bottom line with me is winning. That’s the bottom line, so I’m not putting any limitations on our guys as well," the new Lakers head coach said on Fox Sports Live, per NBA.com's Joey Ramirez. "I’m gonna go in there the first day of training camp and say, 'Gu...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
