James Worthy: 'I know Kobe [Bryant] wants 6 championships ... he wants to tie Michael [Jordan]'

Kobe Bryant is in the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, making chatter about his retirement plans a story that will trickle through the season. Bryant's thoughts on the the subject point to him wanting to wait and see how the season plays out before making any decisions about his career.

James Worthy joined SiriusXM NBA Radio and gave his thoughts on Bryant's future, stating he believes there's a path for Kobe to continue his career beyond the '15-16 season. "I know Kobe wants six championships," Worthy said about the five-time champion. "He wants to tie Michael [Jordan]. He's still upset they lost that one to Detroit. He's still not happy with that."

"If he can play less minutes, take less money, I see him playing some more," Worthy said of Kobe extending his career. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak recently said Bryant has "indicated" he's likely to retire at the end of his contract, but it's clearly a situation that needs to play out.

Injuries have plagued the last few years of Kobe's career, while the Lakers have used the down years to build up a talent pool that features Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell. Los Angeles also added veterans like Roy Hibbert, Lou Williams and Brandon Bass to the team, which should help to lighten the load on Bryant. How what could be his final season plays out is one of the many key stories to follow through the year. Something that looks like a chance at a sixth ring could be a big motivator in Kobe continuing his career.