Kobe Bryant will not play against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night after an MRI revealed that he has a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Apparently this is not a new injury.
According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com, Kobe first injured his shoulder during the preseason and has been playing through some pain all year. If he had a minor tear, it’s possible he injured it further during Wednesday night’s loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
While most of us have assumed that the Lakers have been giving Kobe nights off for basic maintenance purposes, you now have to wonder if the rotator cuff has played a factor in the team’s decision to manage his minutes.
As we noted on Thursday, there’s a possibility Kobe could be shut down for the remainder of the season. Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reports that there is “concern” within the Lakers organization that the injury could be season-ending.
Kobe wants to continue to play so he can prove to prospective free agents that he still has plenty left in the tank and can help the Lakers turn things around. But given what Bryant recently said about playing beyond this season, you have to wonder if he will change his mind.
