So much for all that premature talk about Kobe Bryant retiring.
The morning after the Achilles tendon pop heard 'round Laker Nation, team trainer Gary Vitti said the timetable for Bryant's return is six to nine months and that he is aiming to return for the start of the 2013-14 regular season.
"That's the plan," Vitti said, according to the team's Twitter account.
Bryant, who shared his deepest thoughts on the matter by way of Facebook late Friday night, tweeted a picture of his MRI today as well.
Vitti, who is in his 30th season with the team, said Bryant suffered a third-degree rupture of the tendon. Surgery is scheduled for today at 1 p.m.
Vitti was also quick to dispute the much talked-about notion that Bryant's excessive playing time may have led to the injury.
"Some of its just bad luck," Vitti said. "The stuff out there about Kobe… to say he was injured because he played 48 (minutes) is a stretch."
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak was also quick to address questions about whether the team might use its amnesty clause on Bryant's contract, saying it was something that had not been discussed. If they didn't anticipate him playing for most of next season, it would be a way to preserve $30.4 million in salary cap space while planning for his possible re-signing when he becomes a free agent in summer 2014. Bryant would still be paid on his contract.
Bryant averaged 45.6 minutes in the last seven games, with the Lakers going 6-1 and Bryant averaging 28.9 points (42.4% shooting), 8.4 assists, 7.3 rebounds and 3.4 turnovers. The Lakers, who are one game up on Utah for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference but don't have the tiebreaker with the Jazz, still have a playoff push to finish without Bryant.
They host San Antonio on Sunday and then host Houston on Wednesday in the regular-season finale. The Jazz play at Minnesota on Monday and at Memphis on Wednesday.
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