Kobe Bryant has thought about retirement

Kobe Bryant has sent mixed signals about when he plans to retire, and the way things have gone for the Los Angeles Lakers this season may have changed his outlook. Kobe has been getting nights off to rest with regularity and playing less minutes when he is active, leading many to wonder if the end could be near.

After the Lakers lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday and Bryant dished out a season-high 17 assists, Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times noticed him wincing as he left the Staples Center. Plaschke asked Kobe if he has given thought to retiring after the season.

“I’d be lying if I said that it hasn’t crossed my mind,” he said. “Right now I doubt it … but anything’s possible. … My body is hurting like crazy, around the clock, and if I don’t want to do this anymore, I won’t do it.”

Kobe was given the next night off, and he watched his team lose its fourth straight game and fall to 12-29 on the season. While some have interpreted Kobe’s acceptance of a limited role as a sign that he is giving up, he insists that is not the case.

“The Achilles’ rupture gives you a lot of perspective, I think the Achilles’ issue scared everyone,” Bryant explained. “They don’t want to wear the tendons down, because you just can’t see that coming, there’s no warning: Pow! It’s gone. We understand how a player can rupture an Achilles’ then rupture the other one, we’re very conscious of that type of stuff.”

Bryant also noted that he believes his willingness to step aside a bit more will help attract potential free agents in the offseason, so he is clearly leaning toward returning for at least the final year of his contract. That said, leaving $25 million on the table won’t affect his decision.

“I don’t care about the money,” he said. “If I don’t feel like doing it, I won’t do it.”

Previous reports have indicated that Kobe wants to stick around long enough to do this. He seemed certain at one point that he wanted to play beyond the 2014-2015 season, but things have obviously changed. Father Time is undefeated.