Kobe Bryant
NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant (L) of the Los Angeles Lakers signs his autograph during a promotional event of a mobile game in Shanghai, China, August 4, 2015. Reuters

With Kobe Bryant missing most of the last two seasons because of various injuries and surgeries, Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott is thinking of cutting down his star’s minutes on the floor and manage the playing time of Bryant, who might be playing in the final year of his NBA career.

“I think the biggest decision is playing time, trying to make that as limited as possible and also back-to-back games. That’s something we have to talk about. Other than that, there really is no other decision to make. He wants to play, and he wants to go out the way he wants to go out -- if this is indeed his final year,” Scott told The Orange County Register.

Scott also said that he already talked with Bryant about his playing time in his comeback but added that it is something they will still discuss again during the course of the offseason and training camp.

Bryant has been cleared by team doctors for all basketball-related activities as the “Black Mamba” appears to have recovered from a right shoulder injury that caused him to miss more than half of the 2014-2015 season.

The Lakers acquired veterans centre Roy Hibbert, power forward Brandon Bass and combo guard Louis Williams via trade or free agency in this offseason and Scott believes that their summer is not a “big disappointment” despite missing on key free agent LaMarcus Aldridge, whom the Lakers chased in the offseason but signed with the rival San Antonio Spurs.

Scott also emphasized in the interview that they will address their defensive issues in the upcoming season after being one of the worst defensive squads in the league last year. The veteran head coach and former Laker added that the acquisition of a defensive centre like Roy will help them improve on that end of the floor.

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