Kobe Bryant Claims He’ll ‘Always’ Be Available For Jeanie Buss, Lakers Organization

Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

A new era for the Los Angeles Lakers has begun with a youth movement underway and a new regime leading the way. Along with Magic Johnson and new general manager Rob Pelinka helping team president Jeanie Buss call the shots moving forward, former superstar guard Kobe Bryant is willing to lend a helping hand to the franchise he led to five NBA titles.

According to Tania Ganguli of the L.A. Times, Bryant has let Buss and company know he’s available if they ever need help in some form or another:

This will be Kobe's first trip to Staples for a Lakers event since his last game. I asked if he wanted to be more involved with the team. 👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/wi88qLGSNt

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) March 24, 2017

The overhauled Lakers front office will have a long road ahead in order to rebuild the franchise into a winner. Los Angeles will miss the NBA playoffs for a fourth straight year this season and appear headed for the NBA Draft Lottery once again with a chance of losing that pick as a result of the Dwight Howard trade of 2012.

Bryant, who was Pelinka’s client for many years, may end up being closer the Lakers front office than first anticipated. Kobe has made it clear he’s focusing on building up his company Kobe Inc. and doesn’t want anything to distract him from that, but it isn’t beyond the realm of possibility that he helps his former agent and the organization pitching potential free agents.

Johnson and Pelinka will likely be very active when NBA free agency gets underway on July 1, and it’ll be interesting to see if Bryant is involved in some form or another when the time comes.