Byron Scott Says Kobe Bryant Will Have Minutes Restriction
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Days after Kobe Bryant was cleared to resume all basketball-related activities, Lakers Head Coach Byron Scott announced that he will limit Bryant's minutes this season and keep him under a "hard cap".
In what could be his last season, Kobe Bryant is entering his 20th year in the NBA, after his previous three seasons were shortened due to injury.
"If we agree on a certain amount of time we're going to stick to it," Scott said.
Scott blamed himself for Bryant's injury last season, saying that he overworked the Lakers' star before he tore his rotator cuff.
Bryant averaged 34.5 minutes per game last season, but Scott expects his minutes average to be less than that this season.
Bryant is expected to participate in Lakers' training camp later this month in Hawaii, after it was reported that he was cleared to resume all basketball-related activities.
"We also talked about everybody saying that he wouldn't be ready for training camp. That he wouldn't be ready until November and stuff like that. He used a couple of words that I can't repeat. That tells me that he will be ready for training camp and we'll go from there."
Scott did not confirm whether or not Bryant would be used in back-to-back games, but said that the two have been in touch and will discuss it later on.
"If this is his last year, I want him to go out standing," Scott said.
