Kobe Bryant (Photo : Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers continued losses are taking its toll on Kobe Bryant.
While he has already complained of physical pain when he admitted that he was "barely standing up" and said: "My back and my legs, man, it's killing me," (h/t ESPN) after a win against the Pistons, it's not the injuries that will drive him into retirement.
According to NY Daily News' Frank Isola's Twitter, Bryant was heard mentioning to Coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke on Sirius XM Radio about retirement.
Kobe told Coach K on SiriusXM that "if something changes I'll come back and play next season. If something doesn't change this is it for me."
What would be the changes that Bryant is looking for? The team continues to defer to him and Byron Scott does not limit his minutes. He is sitting out games, but that is probably with his consent.
The picture of the Black Mamba struggling is painful to watch for those who have watched his evolution as a player. To those who saw him drop 81 points on the Toronto Raptors which is still the second-best single game performance in NBA history.
The Lakers fan blog Lake Show Life is already preparing to bid goodbye to the face of the franchise, and they compare the situation to Steve Nash's retirement in midseason when "he just can't go on."
For Nash, it was painful to accept that his stellar career would end in such a fashion, but he may have had no choice. The situation for Kobe could be similar.
The Lakers front office and coach do not have the courage to tell Kobe to stop shooting or play a lesser role, or let the young guys take the reins so they can develop.
The change that Kobe is looking for may be all up to him. If he does not realize it, then this will be his last season.
