If the Lakers need Kobe Bryant to help recruit marquee free agents this summer, he’s game, but don’t expect him to be in the room when the pitch happens.
Bryant’s agent, Rob Pelinka, serves as the GM in Los Angeles.
.@KobeBryant discussed his influence on today's NBA players, whether teams have tried luring him out of retirement, how he'll help the Lakers attract free agents, sensing fear in opponents, his goals and muses, his ESPN+ show Detail, his new book and more: https://t.co/IXLZCtNdFM
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 11, 2018
Kobe expects the Purple and Gold to do just fine in free agency.
Per HoopsHype:
If Rob and Magic Johnson ask, would you be willing to attend their free-agent pitch meetings this summer as they try to attract stars like LeBron James and Paul George?
KB: “Well, no. I mean, I’ll call, but I’m not going to be in the meeting. Listen, I’m not part of the organization in any kind of professional way, right? If the players themselves have questions, [I’ll talk to them]. Or if the Lakers want me to reach out and call a player or something like that – if they want me to talk to the player and give my two cents on what it was like to play here and what this market is like – I’ll certainly do that. But in terms of being part of the meeting in any official way? The answer is no.
“But Rob and Magic both have great flexibility when it comes to the cap and they have great young talent. And I’ve known Rob for a long time; this dude is as smart as they come, so he’ll figure it out.”
