Kobe Bryant's return is one of the headlines of the 2015-16 NBA season. After resting most of last season, the Los Angeles Lakers is expected to return with a vengeance as his team try to improve from last two season's failures.
Now, the question is how healthy will he be? Has he fully recovered from injury and make it to team's training camp at the end of the month?
Fans who are waiting for Kobe Bryant return should manage their expectations though. Los Angeles Lakers manager Mitch Kupchak assures Bryant will be at the training camp but said they will still evaluate Black Mamba's condition before they allow him to join full scrimmage.
"My understanding is that he'll be ready for camp," said Kupchak as per report by USA Today.
"Knowing Kobe, he will try to participate in every practice in camp. But myself and (head coach) Byron (Scott) are going to have something to say about that. So I'm sure there will be a practice or two or three where we won't let him practice, but I do expect him to be full bore at camp."
Aside from Kobe Bryant return, another thing Los Angeles Lakers fans are excited about is Metta World Peace who recent reports say is closing to signing one year deal with his former team that gave him his first and only NBA championship. Kupchak said nothing is certain with regards to the 16-year veteran's return to the franchise.
"I love (Metta World Peace)," Kupchak said.
"I really do. Last year, he was in Europe, he was in China. (Then) he coached his daughter's middle school or high school team to a championship. He was here to work out when he got back from Europe playing, and then he'd come in through the summer. He's been coming in on a regular basis. I do know that he wants to play, and that's where we are."
The Los Angeles Lakers official insisted though the line up is not yet complete and agreeing a deal with Metta World Peace is not far-fetched.
"We've got a couple more weeks (until training camp)," he started.
"Our roster's not complete. And we'll just take it from there. Nothing's imminent in terms of a signing anytime soon, but it's hard not to watch a guy when he's in your gym every day going up and down the court, working with young guys, playing hard. Part of me says he can still play, so I don't know where we're going to end up on it. But that's kind of where it is."
