The Kobe Bryant Dilemma

The first two weeks of the NBA season have not been easy for Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Not only did they only managed to win a single game (with those losses admittedly against some strong competition), they struggled at times to even look competitive in a number of those contests.

The team has started off so poorly, it might be safe to say even those out there that started with the expectation the Lakers would suck still find themselves disappointed in how poorly the team has played thus far into the season. While the team has begun to show some signs of life, it is still painfully clear that there will be no feel-good, Cinderella ending to this season.

For many of us Lakers fans, the sole bright spot heading into this season has been the return of Kobe Bryant. Even if the Lakers continue to lose, Kobe still makes the Lakers must-see TV. The Lakers might fall to defeat, but you can rest assured that Kobe Bryant will always go down with guns blazing.

Kobe Bryant is one of the last of a dying breed. An Old West gunslinger that takes your best shot a high noon, no matter how insurmountable the odds may seem. Kobe doesn’t define success by achieving moral victories or winning participation ribbons.

He wants to compete for and win championships. He is the unquestioned leader of this team and the face of the entire franchise.

He is also one of the most polarizing players in all of sports.In fact, even those that consider themselves to be die-hard Kobe fans often struggle with loving the way his ball dominance bails the team out one night and hating the way that same ball dominance completely takes the rest of the team out of the game the next night.

Herein lies the dilemma with the Los Angeles Lakers and their fans.

As Kobe continues to knock off the rust and the Lakers continue to struggle, it would be no stretch to assume that the team will turn more and more to Kobe on the offensive end of the court.

The organization might see Kobe’s increased offensive workload as the best option for short-term success. The fans might see Kobe as the only potential bright spot in a lost season (especially now that rookie Julius Randle is gone for the year).

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But is this really what is best for the Lakers in the long-term? The Lakers have a large number of young, unproven players looking to show they belong in this league. Taking a back seat to Kobe every night can potentially impede their growth.

If the Lakers hope to make one last run at sending Kobe off on a high note before his career comes to a close, the improvement young players such as Ed Davis and Jordan Clarkson make today just might make the difference down the road.

Nov 4, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) shoots the basketball against the Phoenix Suns during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

This isn’t just about the rest of the roster, however. It might just be about saving Kobe from himself. Kobe is not one to back down from a challenge. You task him with carrying this team every night, he will fit as many of these players on his back as he can.

The problem is that this isn’t the Kobe of five or six years past when he was unquestionably the best player in the NBA. He is now an aging veteran coming off back-to-back season ending injuries.

By allowing, or even pushing, Kobe to carry the load today, might the Lakers be shortening what little time already remains of his Hall of Fame career?

Kobe currently leads the league in scoring at 27.5 points per game.  But is also leads the league in shots at almost 25 a game.  He is also shooting less than 40 percent from the field.

While there is no doubt Kobe’s shot will improve over time, there is no reason to think he won’t continue to struggle somewhat as teams continue to focus in on him as the only offensive threat.

Unfortunately, the relatively inexperienced players that make up a good portion of the Lakers’ current have simply been unable to find an offensive rhythm or even a consistent offensive option once Kobe leaves the game. So again, the dilemma presented itself: Get the other guys involved, or keep feeding Kobe and hope he can carry the team to victory?

As great an athlete as Kobe Bryant has proven to be over the years, it doesn’t seem realistic to expect that such high usage on the offensive end can continue through the rest of the season without taking a toll on his body. At the same time, the Lakers can’t afford to miss an opportunity to see what they have on their roster.

Take a look at the only win of the season as an example.  While Kobe still lead the team in shot attempts at 20, several other players found their attempts reaching into the double-digits as well.  The secondary players were given more of an opportunity to produce and, on this night, they did just that.

If the Lakers hope to make another strong push in free agency this offseason, they need to show they have young talent that can contribute to a championship-caliber team for years to come.

It might be more entertaining for the Lakers and their fans to let Kobe Bryant swing for the proverbial fences, trading strike outs for the occasional crowd-pleasing home run. But looking at this situation from a long-term perspective, it might just be more beneficial for both the team and Kobe if he relinquishes some of that control.

Let the young guys succeed, or fail, on their own merits while still being there to lead and provide that occasional knock-out punch when needed.  He is, after all, the Black Mamba and his bite is still deadly.