Los Angeles Lakers Rumors: Phil Jackson Says Kobe Bryant May Play Next Year, Not As Laker [VIDEO]

When the Zen Master talks, Kobe Bryant may listen.

Knicks team president Phil Jackson made a startling comment about the Lakers star guard, Larry Brown Sports reported, based on a tweet from the Wall Street Journal's Chris Herring.

Phil, on Kobe: "I don't think this is his last year. Might be his last year as a Laker."— Chris Herring (@HerringWSJ) September 25, 2015

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The former Bulls and Lakers coach with 11 championship rings added that he thinks Bryant "is going to be better than (people) think."

Does Jackson know something that the Lakers don't? Will he make a play at Bryant for 2016-17? Has he already made an agreement with the Black Mamba?

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Bryant's greatest success has come with Jackson as coach. Jackson and Bryant went to seven NBA finals as coach and player, respectively, winning five in Los Angeles.

Of course, Jackson wouldn't be Bryant's coach if the player were to consider playing in New York next season. Bryant would be under the tutelage of former teammate Derek Fisher, who came into the league the same year as him - 1997.

Bryant is in the last year of a two-year, $48.5 million contract with the Lakers. Originally, that contract was supposed to mark the end of his career, but Bryant has backtracked a bit, saying he now will wait until after the 2015-16 season to make a decision on whether to return for 2016-17.

Former Lakers teammate Shaquille O'Neal has advised Bryant that he should keep playing beyond this season if he feels he has anything left in the tank.

The Lakers guard has suffered major injuries the last three seasons that likely will weigh into his decision. Near the end of the 2012-13 regular season, Bryant suffered a torn Achilles Heel.

In 2013-14, he suffered a broken knee --- some analysts speculated that he was putting too much strain on the knee to compensate for his Achilles Heel injury. Last season, a torn right rotator cuff ended his season after 35 games.

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