Why Kobe Bryant’s Foot Injury Is a Blessing in Disguise for Lakers

Kobe Bryant may be waiting for his heel to heal, but the agony of his feet doesn't mean the Lakers are destined to experience the agony of defeat.

In fact, Bryant's foot injury may just be a blessing in disguise. 

Now, why would a team be blessed by not having the player who is perhaps the greatest in franchise history?

Because the wealth of veteran talent that joined the Lakers this offseason needs time to gel, and Bryant's dominating presence on the floor could hamper that development.

Kobe Bryant has the second-highest usage percentage in the NBA over the last five years, using 33.7 percent of all Lakers possessions while he's on the court. His usage after he turned 30 is the highest of any player in the history of the game. 

To say the Lakers are dependent on him is either stating the obvious, or to some, stating the ignorant. Some would postulate that while Bryant has been using possessions excessively, he is denying his teammates opportunities which they could utilize more efficiently. 

The beauty here is that that argument is moot for the purposes of this one. Either way, Bryant's absence gives the Lakers a chance to function without him.

And that is the blessing. 

Many teams added a couple of players this year. Not many added players the caliber of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard. The impact they'll have on the offense is enormous. Or at least it should be. 



Even though the Lakers are installing the Princeton offense, the NBA is still a pick-and-roll league, and Steve Nash is one of the best pick-and-roll ball-handlers in history. His assists are a testament to that, as he's currently fifth in NBA history in that department. And he's gotten better with age: Since turning 30, Nash has led the league in assists six of the last eight years, averaging 10.9. per game.

The only player with more dimes after 30 is ...

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