By Jeremy McDonald

We know Kobe Bryant is very prideful as a person and as a player.  Any athlete is.
But, with his recent history of injuries in the past few seasons, is Kobe’s pride hurting the Los Angeles Lakers?
I think so.
Yes, when healthy Kobe is Kobe of old; but considering that he has played 41 games in the past two years (outta of 162 games possible) and acting as if it’s 2001 and he’s play with Shaquille O’Neal and Robert Horry still, that is what hurting the Lakers right now.
And your obviously seeing it with the product that the Lakers are putting on the court.
Should the Lakers moved on?  Yes, they should’ve the year Kobe played six games in 2013.
It’s hard to move on from a icon, but Los Angeles needs to move on from Kobe.     He isn’t producing as he once was, his attitude is dragging the Lakers down and stunting the growth of the young guys on the team and sucking money away from the team that they could use to rebuild and move on.
There trying to move on as well.  Either trying to have Kobe as a mentor to the young guys or as a floor manager but Kobe is saying otherwise, his pride is saying he’s still a All-Star in the NBA and he doesn’t accept a role less than “star” on the team.
I don’t think until the Lakers rip the imagery bandage off and not resign, trade or release Kobe; the Lakers are going to struggle with a aging star who still think he’s going to be in the MVP talks.

Jeremy McDonald is a professional sports journalist in the Salem/Portland area and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalist in Oregon with B.S. degrees from Southern Oregon University in Journalism (2011) and Health/PE (2013).  Got a story idea? Email him at jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com or on Twitter at @J_McDonald81!