Kobe won't chase rings

Some say Kobe Bryant is headed toward the twilight of a brilliant NBA career. I can't tell by the way he's playing and putting the Los Angeles Lakers on his back this season. Bryant is showing those that are ready to hand the torch to LeBron, Wade, or Derrick Rose that he's still capable of performing at a high level. Whether the Lakers will remain a high level team is a different story.

The Lakers have declined a bit this season. The bench is weak, Pau Gasol plays like he saw the ghost of Maurice Lucas, they're looking for an upper echelon point guard, and are still looking to make a blockbuster trade. So if the Lakers happen to go down the tubes, there will be Kobe trade rumors. But Bryant vows to remain a Laker for life, no matter how bad things get. Bryant told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith that he wouldn't  leave L.A. to chase another title or chase additional rings.  


“Why would I want to go somewhere else, that ship sailed in (2007),” Bryant said. “If there was ever a time I was going to move to go play someplace else, that was it. I’m not going to jump ship to chase a sixth ring, it’s just not going to happen.


“It’s going to happen here or it’s not going to happen.”


“You think I’d hang around and average 18 points, 19 points… hell no.”


Translation: I'll be the alpha dog in L.A. until i decide I want to retire and I'll never go anywhere to be a role player.

I'll give Bryant credit. He plans on being there for better or worse when most will leave a team to go chase titles.