Kobe Bryant Predicts Howard, Paul Will Both Stay Put

Kobe Bryant has never been one to mince words. And the Los Angeles Lakers star guard is adamant in predicting that both teammate Dwight Howard and fellow free-agent Chris Paul will re-up with their respective teams this summer.

Perhaps in a bout of wishful thinking, Bryant told ESPN Radio he is absolutely convinced Howard will return to L.A. to combine with him, Pau Gasol and Steve Nash in building what he feels will be a championship caliber roster.

"There's always so much talk going on, especially with big-name guys going here, going there, but that happens once in a blue moon," Bryant said on "The Mason & Ireland Show" on Wednesday. "I think at the end of the day, everybody stays."

By "everybody," Bryant stressed he also means Paul, whom he expects to resign with the same-city rival Clippers. Just the same, he’s not willing to leave much to chance, letting it be known that he has already began his sales pitch re-recruitment of Howard.

"I spoke to him maybe a couple weeks ago, just to check in with him, see what he was doing, see how his summer was going," Bryant told the station. "I know he's got a big decision to make and I'm sure he'll take the visits and talk to the players from the teams that he's considering. We'll touch base a lot more."

Despite a somewhat disappointing first season together, Bryant maintains how important he feels it is for the Lakers to bring back Howard if his dreams of a sixth NBA title are ever to be realized.

"It's not like you have guys like Dwight Howard just walking around every day," he said. "Those guys are hard to find. They don't grow on trees. I think when you have somebody like that, with his talent level, you have to, you have to be able to keep him and lock him in with this franchise."

As for his own condition, Bryant said he remains committed to returning as soon as possible from the torn left Achilles tendon that ended his season just before the playoffs commenced.

"I'm shooting for November, December [at the] latest," he told ESPN. "That's my goal in my head. I'm really, really determined about getting there. When they think the tendon is strong enough for me to be able to progress to doing really heavy weights and more conditioning and things like that, then it's on me.”

 

 

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