As the Los Angeles Lakers inch closer to their season opener, many questions still remain about the future of Kobe Bryant. Bryant has always been one of the league's hardest working players, and over the last couple of seasons the wear and tear seems to be taking its toll. With first-year Laker coach Byron Scott at the helm, it will be interesting to see what Bryant's role with the team will be. Bryant has never been one to take a game off, or see limited minutes, but under Scott anything is possible.

In an interview with KPCC, Scott opened up about his future plans for Bryant and the supposed role that he could achieve for the squad.  

"We know how hard he works, we know how driven he is," Scott told KPCC. "But I think he's at the point too where he's so much more mature, and he understands that he only has a few more miles left on that body, you know, maybe two, maybe three years. And I think he's probably more acceptable to accept the fact that you can't practice every day. There might be some games where you can't play this game or that game. But that's all to be determined."

With Scott's description of Bryant missing some games, it seems to mimic what the Miami Heat did with Dwayne Wade last season. Wade sat out numerous games in the beginning of the season to try and conserve his body for the Heat's playoff run. The Heat were a good enough team to survive without Wade, but the Lakers likely will not be talented enough to do without Kobe for long.

"I'm not going to sacrifice his body just to try to win a game," Scott added.

Aside from Bryant's role on the Lakers, Scott is determined to bring a winning mind set into Los Angeles.

"I'm going to walk into our locker room the first day of our meeting and say, 'I want to win a championship,'" Scott said Tuesday. "I don't want us thinking it's fine if we just make the playoffs or think we have no shot at making the playoffs. I don't believe that. I want our guys to have the same mindset as I do."

The confidence that Scott exudes is refreshing for Laker fans who are not used to long slumping periods. Hopefully Scott will be able to persuade the rest of the team to get onboard with his 'win at all costs' mentality.