The Lakers need to let the Black Mamba go. Giving Bryant up is the bold decision Los Angeles needs to make to revitalize a team in flux.
The Bryant era has been a strange yet incredibly productive one for the Lakers. Bryant led Los Angeles to five titles and is currently the Lakers’ all-time leading regular season scorer with 29,914 points.
In fact, Bryant is the fourth all-time NBA leader in points with 31,617, only behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone and Michael Jordan.
As remarkable as Bryant’s tenure with the Lakers has been it is time to say goodbye. Ironically, the main reason for the Lakers to trade Bryant is the same one that was supposed to buy him more time in purple and gold.
Everyone said the success or failure of the Lakers’ newly formed Big Three would determine the future of the franchise, and they were 100 percent right. Based on this season, that future should not include Bryant.
After acquiring Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, the Lakers were expected to take the West by storm and become the greatest threat to the Miami Heat’s bid for repeating as NBA champions. Despite making the playoffs as an unlikely seventh seed, the Lakers’ Big Three just never clicked.
Unless the Lakers somehow pull off what would be a ridiculous upset against the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs, their season will be remembered for an early coaching change, locker room turmoil and Bryant’s Twitter account.
Bryant admittedly had as prolific a season as ever, averaging 27.3 points per game, 6.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds. But he never figured out how to play with Howard, who clearly wants to be the man on this Lakers squad.
If the Lakers are smart they will hand the keys to the franchise to Howard.
Here are th...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
