Kobe Bryant is ready to return to the Los Angeles Lakers. Are the Lakers ready for Kobe Bryant's return?
The Lakers are 10-9 on the season after Saturday night's 106-100 win over the Sacramento Kings. Their current record is particularly surprising considering the fact that it is one game better than the Lakers' record at the same point last year.
That team, loaded with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard and Antwan Jamison, was 9-10 and starting out with its third coach of the season. Mike D'Antoni replaced interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff, who had to take over when Mike Brown was fired five games into the 2012-13 season.
This current Los Angeles team features Gasol and a bunch of no-names that wouldn't make any team squirm. The only similarity to the two teams is that point guard Steve Nash has been injured for the majority of both teams' games.
Now, the Lakers must make way for the return of Bryant, who will play on a surgically repaired Achilles tendon on his left foot beginning Sunday at Staples Center against the Toronto Raptors.
Lineup changes, not to mention playing time changes, are forthcoming.
"You throw that boulder in the water, there's going to be some ripples. Serious ripples," D'Antoni told the Los Angeles Times. "People have to adjust to it."
Jodie Meeks has started for the 13 of the Lakers' 19 games, is averaging 13.5 points per game and is third on the team at 28.4 minutes per game. With Bryant's return, Meeks now will have to come off the bench, according to the Times.
"I figured it was coming," Meeks said to the Times. "But for me, personally, my role doesn't change. I just have to come in, be solid on defense, knock down shots."
The Times added that Nick Young or Xavier Henry could suffer a reduction of minutes as part of the trickle-down effect from Bryant's command for minutes. He averaged 38.6 minutes last season before getting injured April 12.
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