Lakers Schedule & News: Kobe Bryant Leaving LA After Season? 'No' Says Mamba
Thirty-six year old basketball superstar Kobe Bryant only has one thing to say about his rumored move to the New York Knicks: "I bleed purple and gold."
This is what Bryant told Yahoo! Sports in an interview, where he outrightly dispelled the news that he might be leaving the Lakers.
The five-time NBA champion is not planning to go anywhere, despite the team's struggle to acquire their first victory at the 2014-2015 NBA season and earlier speculations of his discontentment with the team, as reported by the International Business Times and various media organizations.
"I hear the chatter of Kobe should ask out and he should go and play for a contender in this latter stage of his career," Bryant told Yahoo! Sports. "But that's not what I do. I'm extremely loyal to the Lakers," he said.
The same report quoted the five-time NBA champion living up to his responsibility to get the team to the best that it can be, on a day-to-day approach. He insisted he doesn't even consider bolting the team.
"I believe in fighting through the tough times as well as enjoying the good times," he said in the interview with Yahoo Sports. "I've enjoyed a great amount of success here. You can't just enjoy the successful times and then run away from the bad ones. No, I don't even think about [departing]. I'm a Laker."
Bleacher Report said the idea of the superstar guard's trade was first dropped by ESPN.com's Chad Ford on Oct. 29. Bryant, who is still vying for the championship in his 19th season, was forced to respond to the chatter that came out even without a report or a specific source.
Bryant's contract with the Lakers, as reported by Yahoo, is $23.5 million this season and $25 million next season.
An article by Fox Sports noted, however, that while the fans of the Lakers will rejoice in light of Bryant's decision, which involves giving up the chance to reunite with friends Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher and to play with the Knicks' Carmelo Anthony, the future of Bryant with the Lakers isn't necessarily bright. This may ring true considering Bryant's standing as a fierce and notoriously competitive NBA champion, now choosing to endure a weak roster made worse when Julius Randle broke his leg and an injured Steve Nash decided not to play the entire season.
The problem, according to Fox Sports, is the amount of help Bryant needs to carry the Lakers this season.
But Bryant, in his answers to Yahoo Sports, knew that while their fans aren't used to seeing them struggle as much as they do this season, still sounded realistic:
"Lakers fans know it's a process. Things can turn pretty quickly. We've seen it there before. If there is anything we're relying on, we're relying on our history, what we've been able to accomplish and how quickly we are able to turn things around," he said.