Kobe Bryant Has Not Reached Out To New Lakers, Big Deal?

By now everyone has seen the awkward introductory press conference the Los Angeles Lakers had to present their new acquisitions. The Lakers added Lou Williams, Brandon Bass and Roy Hibbert. All three vets are solid additions to a team that won a total of 21 games last season.

Right off the bat, the question was posed to all three if Kobe Bryant had reached out to them. An uncomfortable silence ensued which had Laker fans pondering why the Lakers super star hadn’t properly welcomed his new teammates. I’m sure Bryant had his reasons.

Should Bryant have reached out to the new Lakers?

I think he should have at least made contact with them at least via text. It sends a wrong message to fans that perhaps the 19-year future Hall of Famer is not happy with the front office’s offseason. The summer was unkind to the Lakers again as they failed to land a prominent free agent.

LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Jordan and Greg Monroe signed elsewhere electing to not join the 16-time champions. To be fair to the front office, Williams, Bass and Hibbert saved their dismal offseason. The Lakers snagged the reigning sixth man of the year away from the Raptors on a cap friendly deal. Bass’ pact with LA is next to nothing and Hibbert was traded for a second round pick.

Mixing that trio with the influx of young talent like Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, D’Angelo Russell, Jabari Brown, Tarik Black and others, the Lakers have a more competitive and well balanced squad.

Bryant is the unquestioned leader of this team. It’s his responsibility to welcome his troops properly. Does he owe them something? NO. But it should be common courtesy to acknowledge them at the very least. As the captain of the revamped Lakers, Bryant should have demonstrated better leadership in this situation.

By the time I finish writing this post, Bryant may have already spoken to the new Lakers and everything will be all good.

Bryant was spotted at the FC Barcelona practice last Monday before their matchup against the LA Galaxy. He was seen exchanging jerseys with the Spanish club as he looked on during their training. It’s been a few weeks since the moratorium was lifted and it’s odd that there has been no communication between Bryant and the new Lakers.

I understand he’s on vacation, but a simple text would have sufficed to his new teammates. It’s his obligation to at least make some sort of contact as the leader of this club. The look of embarrassment on their faces didn’t sit well with me. What irks me is that all three players chose to be in Los Angeles. I’m sure playing alongside Bryant was a huge reason why.

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They could have signed somewhere else but Los Angeles is where they wanted to be. What’s funny is that the current roster is the best team the Lakers have assembled since Dwight Howard left. The roster has the right mixture of youth and veterans. If all goes well with no injuries, this team could at least compete for the 8^th spot in the playoffs. That in itself would be a step in the direction for the Lakers.

It’s no secret that Kobe is cut from a different cloth. He’s from a different era where in terms of friendships in the NBA, he views them as his enemies on the court. He’s openly said that he’s hard to get along with. He’s tough on his teammates, which turns off a lot of free agents. On the other hand, Bryant garners so much respect from his peers that a select few elect to play alongside him.

On the flipside, his tough love is one of the reasons why we love him and why he’s regarded as one of the NBA greats. His commitment to his craft separates him from the rest of the pack while at the same time make him a polarizing figure.

Perhaps I’m looking too far into this situation. As a Laker fan, I would have like to see some comradery shown by Bryant towards his new teammates. The persistent rumors of the front office’s dysfunction coupled with an unhappy Bryant is a recipe for disaster.

Going into the new season I want to see some level of hope for the future. Laker fans all over want to see some glimpse of positivity for their team’s future. I think that starts with Bryant embracing his new teammates, not alienating them. The foundation is in place for Bryant to mold this young core into something great. He’s often said that before he leaves the game, he wants to make sure he leaves the franchise in good hands.

This is Bryant’s opportunity to add to his legacy.

Next: Kobe Bryant's Latest Actions Leave Room For Doubt