A Sore Achilles Has Lakers Trainer Gary Vitti Recommending Kobe Bryant Take Time Off

Los Angeles Lakers v Sacramento Kings
Getty Image / Ezra Shaw

It hasn’t exactly been an endless parade of glory, confetti, and puppy dog snuggles for Lakers fans in 2015-16, but at least there’s the warm fuzzy feeling that comes with Kobe Bryant‘s goodbye tour. Can’t take that away, right? Well…

A sore right Achilles attached to #24 has been identified as a problem by longtime Lakers trainer Gary Vitti. Yes, we’re talking about the same Achilles issue that had Kobe exiting early in the Lakers 95-91 win over New Orleans and listed as “questionable” for tomorrow night’s inevitable crushing at the hands of Golden State. If Vitti has his way about it, the Lakers legend will take some time off to get healthy.

Despite the injury woes, Kobe seems pretty adamant on not trimming down the number of dates on his victory lap. Here’s how ESPN’s Baxter Holmes broke down the situation on Twitter:

It’s a weird situation for basketball fans to be in. Is injured post-prime Kobe better than no Kobe at all if you bought tickets for his last game in Oakland, or are we just greedy monsters that should really let this 37-year-old rest his weary bones, tendons, organs, and fluids? The answer’s probably somewhere in the middle, we suppose.

Speaking of final seasons, 2015-16 marks Vitti’s final one as a trainer for the Lakers. He’s been with the franchise for a whopping 32 years. Hopefully we get a tell-all book by 2018 about Kurt Rambis’ approach to calf safety.

(Via @BaxterHolmes)

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