If Los Angeles Lakers executive Jeanie Buss has her way, Kobe Bryant will not only retire (eventually) as a member of the Purple and Gold, he'll also stick with the franchise after he hangs up his sneakers.
It's easy to understand that Buss and the Lakers want the iconic Bryant to be a part of the organization forever, but figuring out the specifics of his final few seasons and post-playing career is much tougher.
Buss told : "Kobe is part of the family and he always will be. There's not many players who play 18-19 years with the same franchise, and it's important to us that he has a chance to play his entire career with the Lakers."
About that Playing Career...
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The first uncertainty surrounding Bryant's next decade is the most immediate: Nobody seems to know how much longer he'll play.
Buss' statement to implies that Bryant, who already has 17 seasons under his belt, will suit up for another one or two years. But Bryant told in July that he was thinking of hanging on for even longer than that:
"I'm ready to go for at least another three...Mentally, I think I'm more locked in, more engaged on the prospects of playing another three or four years."
It's impossible to know how well Bryant's surgically repaired Achilles will respond until he actually has to test it in real game action, but according to , the recovery process has taken on a near-mythic tone. Bryant said:
The surgical procedure was different...and because of that the recovery has been different. The normal timetable for recovery from an Achilles, we' shattered that. Three-and-a-half months I can already walk just fine, I'm lifting weights with the Achilles just fine and that's different. So we don't know what that timetable is going to be. It's kind of new territory for us all.
Even if we assume that Bryant's health will allow him to play a few more years, there's still the lingering question of his contract. A free agent after this season, Bryant will have to decide how big-if any-of a discount he's willing to take.
If the league's most notorious alpha dog is up for a markedly reduced salary, it's possible that Bryant could play a couple more seasons as the Lakers' leader before taking on a supporting role behind whatever star free agent L.A. can land with its freed-up cap room.
Coach Kobe?
The idea of Bryant as a coach has always seemed laughable. Superstars have historically been failures on the NBA bench, probably because it's difficult for someone like Bryant-blessed with otherworldly natural talent-to understand that lesser players simply can't do the things he did.
Toss in Bryant's prickly reputation with his own teammates and it was pretty obvious that a coaching career might not be in the cards for him.
But then something strange happened: Bryant started to look and act like a coach after he hurt his Achilles.
Last year, No. 24 actually called Pau Gasol at halftime to offer advice. And then when he was able to return to the bench, Bryant gave direction to his teammates and even drew up a few plays. He'd done that in the past, but at the time, it always seemed like he was just out for attention.
But now that Bryant has shown a consistent willingness to teach, maybe he really is serious about this coaching thing.
One thing's for sure: If Bryant actually does wind up on the sidelines for the Lakers, he's going to be a brutally demanding coach. It's hard to imagine many NBA stars embracing his beloved 4 a.m. wake-up routine.
A Whole Lot of Nothing
It's possible that Bryant will follow up his playing career by grabbing a clipboard, but according to the man himself, calling the shots from the sidelines might be a little too strenuous.
Bryant told in China that he had more relaxing plans in mind.
While he's certainly entitled to kick back as a retiree, it's really hard to imagine Bryant simply shutting off his drive and competitiveness. It's telling that even when talking about "doing nothing," Bryant mentions that he'll become "really, really good" at it.
The Magic Route
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The most likely path for Bryant after he leaves his playing days behind is one that will emphasize his business savvy, his charisma and his iconic status as a lifetime Laker.
Basically, Bryant can become his generation's Magic Johnson.
That might sound strange, as Bryant has effectively modeled his playing career, demeanor, phrasing and mannerisms (everything, really) after Michael Jordan. But if you think about it, "Kobe Bryant: Mogul" seems like a viable option.
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Moving products has never been an issue for Bryant, whose status as a global icon allows him to peddle shoes, apparel and basketball camp memberships across the globe. He may not own any Major League Baseball teams or movie theaters yet, but give Bryant a few years and he could pretty easily find himself dominating in the board room just as thoroughly as he did on the hardwood.
An ownership stake in the Lakers seems like a foregone conclusion, and a consulting role with the team would be sure to follow as well. Maybe he and Phil Jackson could even share a cubicle as the team's secret front-office brain trust.
Bryant is going to be able to do whatever he wants after he retires (whenever that is), but by following in Magic's footsteps, he could have the best of both worlds: a permanent legacy with the Lakers, and the opportunity to expand his brand in business.
No matter what happens, though, Bryant will be a Laker for life.
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