The star guard has suffered a bruise and strain to his right foot. According to Sporting News, his status for the season opener against the Dallas Mavericks is still up in the air. The severity of an injury like this is always hard to gauge, but Kobe should take his time inserting himself back in the lineup.
Bryant did not make the trip to Sacramento with the team for their final preseason game on Thursday to rest his ailing foot. According to head coach Mike Brown:
"He came in and got some treatment for his foot... It didn't make sense for him to make the bus trip because he needs to elevate the foot. And the 2 1/2-hour ride down and back would not be good."
Obviously this isn't an injury that will hold Kobe out for a lengthy period of time, but it would be wise for the Lakers to take a patient approach to getting him on the court.
Holding Kobe out of the season opener against Dallas may not be the popular thing to do. No one wants to see their team's biggest star sit out the first game of a season with high expectations. However, if it is deemed that him sitting out will increase his chances of better health down the road, then he needs to sit out.
The fact of the matter is that the season is a marathon. With Kobe now a 16-season veteran, keeping him healthy will be one of the bigger tasks that the Lakers are faced with this season. Putting him in a position where he is playing with a nagging injury this early in the season could put too much wear and tear on a body that will need to be fresh when spring rolls around.
When it comes down to it, the Lakers should give Bryant as much rest as he needs simply because they can.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
