The Los Angeles Lakers remain optimistic about the return of superstar guard Kobe Bryant next season, as General Manager Mitch Kupchak discussed with Lakers.com's Mike Trudell about the state of the team and Bryant's recovery.

"Medicine has been advanced to the point that there is rarely an injury that a player can't come back from," said Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak.

"I do know he is on schedule and where he should be with that kind of injury."

Kupchak has complete faith in the Bryant's drive and expects him to be fully capable to lead the charge for the Lakers franchise next season.

"Then you have to factor in the sport, and the age of the player, and mother nature. So that covers all the basis when talking about Kobe's injury.

I'm continually amazed at his optimism, fortitude, and his confidence. He will be on a basketball court there is no doubt about that and I know he will be as focused and driven as ever."

However, Bryant is the least of Kupchak's worries as the team has the futures of Paul Gasol and Dwight Howard to sort out.

The Lakers have been fielding calls for trade proposals for Gasol, as his status with the team has been riddled with questions all season, thus leading to ongoing trade rumors.

The Lakers have made it clear that they aren't in agreement with paying Gasol the $19.3 million that he is due next season, especially with new luxury tax penalties to be implemented.

Gasol has been reverted to being the team's fourth option, and even came off the bench at some points during the season, something he hasn't done his whole career prior to this season.

Like Gasol, Howard has had a difficult first season with the Lakers as he tried to recover from back surgery. He didn't look like the same Howard of the Orlando Magic era, as he didn't have the same explosion on both ends of the court like he once possessed.

Since their season ended, Howard has been very quiet about what he's thinking about before free agency kicks off, but he's remained clear that he's going to continue to take his time to weigh his options.

"This is my chance to choose my own destiny instead of letting someone else choose it. So I'm going to really sit down and think about what is best for me as far as basketball and what is going to make me happy."

"There's nothing one team can say to sway me away from another team. It's just going to be what's best for me basketball-wise. That's how I'm going to approach it."

Howard's likely thinking about the future and signing with the Lakers will surely ensure another difficult season for Howard in the future. In the summer of 2014, while other stars will become free agents, the Lakers would only have Howard and Steve Nash under contract and will likely be in the process of rebuilding for the 2014-15 season.

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