The Lakers are 9-9 on the season without superstar Kobe Bryant in the lineup. Mamba is still recovering from a torn Achilles’ tendon he suffered in mid-April last season. Despite the injury, Bryant is making over $30 million in the final year of his deal with the Lakers before his controversial new extension kicks in. So how much is he making per game this year after missing the season’s first month?
Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles first reported that Bryant might be available this Friday when the Lakers travel to Sacramento.
Since losing to the Trail Blazers Sunday night, the Lakers don’t play again until this Friday, which gives Bryant three days to evaluate how the Achilles feels before deciding on whether to play in Friday’s game. The Lakers could use the help, even as they’ve done a commendable job in Bryant’s absence and with the continued health problems of Steve Nash — who has missed a dozen games already this season with back problems. Bryant has already been practicing, and teammates and coaches are looking forward to his return, even as they continue to prepare like he won’t play.
“He wasn’t really rusty,” Lakers guard Jodie Meeks said. “I’m sure he’s been getting a bunch of shots up.
“We prepare as if he’s not going to play right now. When he comes back, we’ll be happy to have him. He’ll obviously make the game a lot easier for us.”
While D’Antoni was reluctant to hazard any guesses as to when Bryant would return, or even put a timetable on it, it was obvious Bryant was getting closer to returning to the court.
“He’ll be listed pretty soon as ‘day to day,'” D’Antoni said. “And everybody knows that’s the way it is. When he’s ready to roll, he’ll go.
“We’ll have three days of practice, and then we’ll know better. We’ll have a better idea.”
But Bryant is making the most money in the NBA this season, so what is he costing the Lakers when he does return? How much is he making per game? How much per minute?
All told, if Bryant plays against Sacramento, and appears in the rest of the Lakers’ regular season games this year, he’ll have apeared in 64 games on the year. Bryant’s due to earn $30,453,805 this season with the Lakers, per HoopsWorld. If you divide that by 64, Kobe’s due to make $475,840.70 per game if he’s back on the court this Friday.
If he averages 24 minutes per game, he’ll be earning $19,826.70 per minute. If he plays 36.6 minutes per game — his career average — he’ll earn $13,001.11 per minute. But remember, Kobe’s going to be coming back from the most significant injury of his career in his 18th season. Chances are he’ll be on a minutes limit — at least in the beginning — so it’s not crazy to imagine a sub-20 minute night when he first steps back on the court. That’s forgetting to mention that Bryant might not come back against Sacramento at all, which augments these numbers even further.
Bryant’s $30 million plus contract this year is the biggest in the NBA, and despite a lump sum payment, he’s costing them a lot of money even if he returns this Friday.
But with the Lakers in the middle of a tight Western Conference playoff race, the Lakers can use every expensive minute Bryant is available. They’re paying him regardless, but if there’s one guy you don’t want reaggravating his injury, it’s Bryant. So the Lakers will likely be extra cautious even as the hyper-competitive Mamba tries to get back on the court.
When will Kobe Bryant return to the court for the Lakers?
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