is kobe done?

[702]

Re: is kobe done?

Kobe is definitely coming back obviously, and i think this is a good thing for his transition to the end of his career. Hell be able to accept his becoming more limited/being a role player much easier this way. He has good size and is very skilled, he can definitely be a solid player at the 3 for 4 seasons or so after this.

If Shane Battier can be an important contributor to the best team in the league, Kobe can very much do the same after this injury. Hes a smart player, a great passer when he wants to be, strong amd skilled. He can be a very good scorer on spot ups and especially in the post even after this. This injury will give him the "freedom" from having to be KOBE andallow him to settle into a specialized role for the end of his career.

If it works out that way, everyon will be better off.

[Rockie_Fresh88]

Re: is kobe done?

Damn I hate this . I feel old now all of my childhood players are old or retired . With Duncan and Kobe leaving the league won't be the same .

[ScoobySnax]

Kobe is definitely coming back obviously, and i think this is a good thing for his transition to the end of his career. Hell be able to accept his becoming more limited/being a role player much easier this way. He has good size and is very skilled, he can definitely be a solid player at the 3 for 4 seasons or so after this.

If Shane Battier can be an important contributor to the best team in the league, Kobe can very much do the same after this injury. Hes a smart player, a great passer when he wants to be, strong amd skilled. He can be a very good scorer on spot ups and especially in the post even after this. This injury will give him the "freedom" from having to be KOBE andallow him to settle into a specialized role for the end of his career.

If it works out that way, everyon will be better off.

Kobe doesn't do specialized. If he's not "that dude", he'll retire.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: is kobe done?

That would be the worst part. Cause then we gotta get a Sportscenter Top Ten Kobe 40 point games, we gotta get some random *** stat comparison about most 40 point, 1 ast, 3 reb, 1tech foul games by a 36 year old coming off a season ending injury. There'll be a SI cover tribute to Kobe and so on. If he can come back and still have a game like that it'd be nice considering where he's at right now, but that definitely would NOT be the best part of this.

I agree with both King and Heat.

While it would be great to see him come back for at least one more vintage Kobe game, ESPN would absolutely ruin it over the corse of the next week or so.

You get the same thing about Lebron with the only difference being he's not in his 30s.

Let's not act like this will all go away now or that you'll stop getting those random stat lines.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: is kobe done?

You get the same thing about Lebron with the only difference being he's not in his 30s.

Let's not act like this will all go away now or that you'll stop getting those random stat lines.

Nah Pack, not acting like it's all going away now, just pointing that him coming back and dropping 40 isn't the best part of this whole situation because of the fact we get to have yet another one of those. I treat it like stupid people. Just cause we are already overrun with them in the world doesn't mean it's alright to keep adding to them.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: is kobe done?

Ever thought about paying less attention to those "stupid people"? Just sayin'

Makes your life that much easier and better when you don't have to pay attention to idiots.

[SteelersFreak]

Re: is kobe done?

To each their own, people went nuts when Jordan dropped 43 at age 40. I was excited then and I'd be excited now.

Also, after Kobe and Dirk are gone, the post fadeaway is gone.

Durant is trying to get that fadeaway down.

[Kashanova]

Re: is kobe done?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zKiQsg-8nEM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

if you skip the video to 1:20 this is where I think he originally injured it and he should of came out of the game

[ClutchCity]

Re: is kobe done?

Well for me, I think Kobes done if management doesn't find a way to give Kobe a decent team. This includes Howard resigning with the Lakers. Finding maybe another decent all star to throw in the mix by the time he returns from injury. I mean with a lot people may think he's done, but you gotta also factor in the technology that's used to help some of these players to recover from injury these days. An NBA players life span to me has increased overtime compared to maybe 10 years ago. Dude I'm just saying we saw Kobe still playing his best at 34. And really showed no true signs of slowing down skill wise. He's still putting up numbers. In all honesty I think Kobe needs this. He hasn't had a break in years..So I mean honestly from a management perspective I think if they can continue to keep good players around he's defiantly not done. And when he returns from injury I think Kobe may be greater than he his at the ending of Kobes career.

[ClutchCity]

Re: is kobe done?

Kobe is definitely coming back obviously, and i think this is a good thing for his transition to the end of his career. Hell be able to accept his becoming more limited/being a role player much easier this way. He has good size and is very skilled, he can definitely be a solid player at the 3 for 4 seasons or so after this.

If Shane Battier can be an important contributor to the best team in the league, Kobe can very much do the same after this injury. Hes a smart player, a great passer when he wants to be, strong amd skilled. He can be a very good scorer on spot ups and especially in the post even after this. This injury will give him the "freedom" from having to be KOBE andallow him to settle into a specialized role for the end of his career.

If it works out that way, everyon will be better off.

I cant ride with you on the fact that Kobe will become a more of a role player lol. Cmon your saying that Kobe is or was at a high level of playing basketball and he's going to put into a role player wow man. He's definitely not going to become a Shane Battier type player he demands the ball a lot more than Battier. Plus Battier plays with like 3 guys who doubled or the help D slides their way enabling him to get an open look for 3. Kobe will never be a role player in this league. Im not mad at you for posting your opinion, but the fact still remains Kobes still so great he can never be categorized as a role player.

[Streets]

Re: is kobe done?

Does anyone think this affects Dwight's decision to stay in LA?

Some say he's more likely to stay as LA will be "his team" as Kobe might not come back, and if he does he won't be Kobe.

Others say he's more likely to go because he was "the man" in Orlando and ultimately left to play for a contender. Without Kobe, it's hard to see LA as a contender (they're an 8 seed with him) and are hamstringed financially and don't look like they'll be improving in the draft.

I would be so excited if he bolted to Houston to play with Harden but I know that's a pipe dream and Howard loves the attention he gets in LA. Still, it'd be sad watching him waste more of his prime (he might not have much more left).

[Sam Marlowe]

Re: is kobe done?

If he is done done I dont really see it as going out in a bad way. He will have done doing what he's done so many times for the Lakers. Not exactly a Jo Louis getting embarrassed and knocked out of the ring situation

[702]

Re: is kobe done?

Kobe doesn't do specialized. If he's not "that dude", he'll retire.

This is actually my point. He naturally wouldnt have ever changed that mindset, and i think if anything were to force him to do so, itd be an injury like this. Itd be much easier mentally to transition into a role where he scores 15 a game after some huge injury as opposed to a natural erosion of ability.

I cant ride with you on the fact that Kobe will become a more of a role player lol. Cmon your saying that Kobe is or was at a high level of playing basketball and he's going to put into a role player wow man. He's definitely not going to become a Shane Battier type player he demands the ball a lot more than Battier. Plus Battier plays with like 3 guys who doubled or the help D slides their way enabling him to get an open look for 3. Kobe will never be a role player in this league. Im not mad at you for posting your opinion, but the fact still remains Kobes still so great he can never be categorized as a role player.

Hes never going to be great again. If he can be a good player thatll be a victory. The Battier comparison was to show that with diminished athleticism a smart player will continue to be able to contribute. Kobe would not be the first formerly great player to become a role player in the twilight of his career, thats just how it works if these guys wants to continue playing.

If he comes back and tries to play how hes been playing hes going to submarine his teams chances of even making the playoffs. Hes simply too smart to not know that. The "great player adapts his game after a possibly career ending injury and is still a major contributor to a contender" angle is much better than "great player suffers a should be career ending injury and stubbornly comes back and shoots team out of the playoffs" story. Kobe understands all of this, or will understand it.

[Sam Marlowe]

Re: is kobe done?

Kobe has always said that once he got the point where he couldn't dominate he wouls leave the game behind. So if he rehabs and comes to the decision that he cant affect the game at a reasonably high level then only comeback you're going to see is basically a farewell tour. He's not going to push himself harder than he ever has before so he can jump in at 15-20 mins a game and full a prop role. Not in his DNA. Its all or nothing.

[KingV2k3]

Re: is kobe done?

I hope he comes back, because he's a major part of the league's international presence...

He's also been one of my favorite players to "***** on" since he rocked that mini 'fro in his rookie year...

An infuriating player to have "your team" up against...

That being said, the injury / his age / the financial situation / timing reminds me of Peyton Manning...

Might be back, somewhere OTHER than LA...

Hard to believe?

So is / was Manning leaving IND...

Interesting...