Kobe Bryant encourages Lakers to build team organically, not through free agency

With the Los Angeles Lakers poised to make a big splash in free agency this summer, is seems like all everyone is talking about is what the team will or should do, and few people’s opinions carry more weight in the Lakers community than Kobe Bryant.

After a franchise-record 20 years with the Lakers, Bryant knows the purple and gold as well as anyone, and with his good friend and former agent Rob Pelinka now running the show in Los Angeles, he still has at least one tie to the organization.

Bryant hopped on Fox Sports Radio’s “Chris and Caron” with Chris Mannix and Caron Butler on Sunday and gave his thoughts on the young Lakers and what he thinks the team should do moving forward. His answer might surprise you.

“It depends on what they want to do,” Bryant said. “It depends on what options are available to them, but I’ve got to tell you man, they have a couple of great lanes to go down, whether it’s free agency or developing the young talent that they currently have, they’re in a really great position.”

“I love everything that I’ve been seeing from these young guys,” Bryant continued. “Their ability to to fight, getting in the gym early, staying late. All these things are things that pay off. I under this market is like ‘you gotta win like, yesterday,’ but that’s not always the case, you know? If you want to be a dynasty or a team that has longevity, those things take time, and generally are grown from within.

“You slap a couple All-Stars together, you can maybe win two of three, but eventually players get traded. But if you build a team organically, that dynasty team tends to stay together longer.”

Yes, you read that right. Kobe Bean Bryant, the same player that made life a living hell for anyone that didn’t come out of the womb ready to win a championship, is advocating for team building and patience. We’re living in the upside down.

However, as weird as that might sound coming from a fierce competitor like Bryant, he’s not alone in thinking the Lakers should stay the course with their young core.

Some Lakers fans will tell you that not even a superstar in his prime like Kawhi Leonard is worth giving up a few unproven young players for. Leonard finished second only to Steph Curry in MVP voting just two years ago.

Only time will tell if those fans are right about trusting the process, but the fact that the Mamba seems to agree is a promising sign.