Bryant and Kupchak talk, but no change apparent

With his trip to Spain behind him and an uncertain future ahead, Kobe Bryant spent Friday morning in a familiar place.

The unhappy superstar met with Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak for about an hour at the team’s training facility in El Segundo.

Although it was believed that their first face-to-face meeting since the nine-time All-Star made a public plea to rehire Jerry West didn’t change Bryant’s mind as far as his trade demand, it did open a new dialogue between Bryant and management, sources said.

Kupchak declined to provide any specifics of their conversation, which took place a day after Minnesota forward Kevin Garnett reportedly vetoed a trade to Boston.

“We did meet, and what was said between the two of us will remain between us,” Kupchak said.

Bryant’s agent, Rob Pelinka, was unavailable for comment.

Bryant, who demanded a trade more than three weeks ago, arrived Friday before 9 a.m., the sight of his white Bentley in the players’ parking lot creating a buzz for team employees who arrived after he did.

In a strange twist, center Andrew Bynum was working out downstairs at the facility during Bryant’s visit. Bryant has criticized the Lakers’ front office for not trading Bynum last season to New Jersey for eight-time All-Star point guard Jason Kidd.

Bryant and Bynum did not speak Friday.

Last Friday, Bryant met with Lakers owner Jerry Buss in Spain and reiterated his demand for a trade. Bryant, who will be 29 in August, has four years and $88.6 million left on his contract, although he can void it in two years.

The Lakers have maintained that they do not plan to trade Bryant. Buss, in a statement last month, said the team would “continue to pursue every avenue possible to improve our team with him as the cornerstone.”

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 mike.bresnahan@latimes.com