The Los Angeles Lakers season just continues to go off the rails. The team is enduring one of the worst seasons in franchise history, and every time it seems that they have hit the bottom, somebody throws them a shovel.

Will Ferrell Takes Over Halftime at Pelicans-Lakers Game

The latest blow came during the Lakers' game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. According to ESPN, shooting guard Kobe Bryant left the game during the second half with an injury. After an MRI on Thursday, it now appears that Bryant suffered a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, which is his shooting arm.

Bryant is scheduled to be examined by team doctors on Friday to confirm whether the initial diagnosis is correct or not. If the injury is indeed a torn rotator cuff, it will likely signal the end of Bryant's season.

Kobe Will Sit If Asked By Team

Bryant has been dealing with a right shoulder injury since the preseason, and he aggravated it during the third quarter of the game against New Orleans during a dunk attempt. "It felt fine when I went up, didn't feel too good when I came down," Bryant said after the game.

Bryant did return to the game, but his right arm was nearly useless, and he even attempted some shots with his left hand. "Obviously after I saw that everything he did was with the left hand, I knew then, let's get him out of there," Lakers coach Byron Scott said after the game.

Bryant downplayed the severity of the injury afterward. "I've played on a torn labrum before," he said. "I'm not too concerned about it."

Although the team is concerned that they will have to shut Bryant down, it may be in their best interest to do so. Sitting out the rest of the season would allow Bryant to be as fresh as possible next year, when the team will have 2014 first round pick Julius Randle back from injury, and they also hope to be able to add some free agents this offseason and have a shot at the playoffs next year.