Lakers fans had their hearts broken last season when Kobe Bryant went down with an Achilles tear, ending Los Angeles' hopes of making a successful run in the postseason. At Bryant's age, many wondered what the injury would mean for his future not only with the team, but in the NBA in general. Now, the Lakers not only expect Bryant to be back by the start of the 2013-14 season, but they believe he could be ready by the preseason.
Vice president Jim Buss told NBA TV that Bryant is well-ahead of his recovery schedule after suffering the injury back in April. Referring to the All-Star as "inhuman", Buss predicted Bryant is back in time for preseason play.
"Well, we're in Vegas, and I would be a lot of money that this guy comes back probably in preseason," Buss said. "He's real sharp in taking care of himself and he's not going to rush anything just to get back and prove a point. He's going to come back when he's right. He's a machine. He's inhuman. I see him coming back at the beginning of this season."
Bryant has echoed the belief that he is ahead of schedule in his rehab process, getting more active by the day. The original timetable for his injury to heal was six to nine months. At the earliest, Bryant would be fully cleared by training camp which starts in October.
Bryant is certainly looking to prove some people wrong. Most said there was no way Bryant would be able to come back quickly from the injury at his age. Many questioned what kind of player he would be upon return. Not lacking any sort of motivation, Bryant is prepared to return better than ever.
If Bryant can return healthy and prove he is a force like he has always been, it bodes well for the Lakers 2014 free agency run. Many players will not want to sign with the Los Angeles if they feel Bryant is no longer a decent player to be paired with. The Lakers are officially targeting Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James next summer to form a new Big 3 with Bryant. If the All-Star is healthy, the chances of this signing happening become much greater.
