Reporting from PHILADELPHIA — Kobe Bryant’s decision to retire brings to a close one of professional basketball’s most storied careers.
But it also gives the Lakers, mired in one of their worst seasons ever, a big gift and hope for a new era: Bryant’s $25-million salary is coming off the books, allowing Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak to go shopping for some free agents with money in his pocket, raising hopes that the team can return to its former glory.
In fact, the Lakers have only seven players under contract next season for a total of $26.3 million. NBA team payrolls will spike to about $90 million thanks to a lucrative new national TV deal, so it’s hard not to envision Lakers executives smiling a bit despite the team’s worst start since 1957.
The Lakers are a pitiful 2-14 and almost certainly will miss the playoffs for the third consecutive season — a first for the proud franchise. They are about to start an eight-game trip, but the chances are improving that they’ll keep their top-three-protected lottery pick next year because of their poor record. And there will be a potential shopping spree next July.
The team must build around its younger starters, point guard D’Angelo Russell, 19, forward Julius Randle, 21, and shooting guard Jordan Clarkson, 23. The rebuilding plan also includes landing some key free agents.
Whether any free agents take the Lakers’ money is another story. They struck out on the last six big-name free agents they pursued: Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Carmelo Anthony, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Monroe and DeAndre Jordan.
It’s not clear what kept those stars away. Maybe they didn’t want to play with an aging Bryant, or maybe they didn’t want to join a team coming off so few victories. For whatever reason, even the Lakers’ vastly successful tradition didn’t bring them in.
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant pauses for a moment as confetti streams down at the Staples Center following his final game on April 13, 2016. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant, the teenager obtained by the Lakers in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets, takes part in an ad shoot for Adidas at Will Rogers State Beach. (Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant was already shooting his first commercial before taking his first shot for the Lakers. (Los Angeles Times)
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Laker rookie Kobe Bryant, 18, listens to coach Del Harris during a break in a 129-99 victory over the Washington Bullets at the Forum. Bryant scored 13 points. (Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant drives against Utah center Greg Ostertag in the Western Conference Finals at the Forum in Inglewood. Utah won 109-98 to give the Jazz a 3-0 lead in the series. (Paul Morse / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant is dejected after losing the ball late in the second half of Game 3 of the 1999 Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs at the Forum. The Lakers lost, 103-91, giving the Spurs a 3-0 advantage in the series. The Spurs went on to win the series 4-0. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant drives past Chris Webber in Game 4 of the first round of the 2000 Western Conference playoffs at Arco Arena in Sacramento. The Kings won, 101-88, but the Lakers went on to win the series in five games and advanced to face the Phoenix Suns in the next round. (Bob Galbraith / Associated Press)
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Despite Jason Kidd’s hand in his face, Kobe Bryant puts up the winning shot in the Lakers’ 97-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals at Staples Arena. The Lakers won the series, 4-1. (K.C. Alfred / Associated Press)
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Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal had a moment to relax after winning their first title together in the 2000 NBA Finals. The two kicked back after a 116-111 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 at Staples Center. Bryant is holding the championship trophy and O’Neal has his Finals MVP trophy. (Paul Morse / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant performs on stage at the House of Blues in West Hollywood in 2000 during a celebration of the launch of his record label, Heads High Entertainment. (Clarence Williams / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant is swarmed by teammates Derek Fisher, Rick Fox and Shaquille O’Neal as he heads to the foul line in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Bryant scored 45 points as the Lakers beat the Spurs, 104-90, on their way to a sweep of the series. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant goes up for a dunk in the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during Game 3 of the 2001 Western Conference finals at Staples Center. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers players Kobe Bryant, left, Lindsey Hunter and Shaquille O’Neal celebrate their NBA title victory over the New Jersey Nets on June 12, 2002. (Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant, with his wife, Vanessa, at his side, holds a news conference at Staples Center in 2003 to discuss accusations by a 19-year-old Colorado woman that he sexually assaulted her. He conceded he was guilty of adultery, but he declared he was innocent of charges of felonious sexual assault. The charges were later dropped. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Los Angeles Lakers Karl Malone, left, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton and Shaquille O’Neal before their preseason opener with the Los Angeles Clippers. It was Bryant’s first game since sexual assault charges were filed against him in Colorado. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant, left, looks at his defense attorney Pamela Mackey as he is advised by Eagle County Judge Frederick Gannett during his felony sexual assault hearing in Eagle, Colo., on Aug. 6, 2003. (Barry Gutierrez / Associated Press)
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Hours after pleading not guilty to a felony sexual assault charge in Colorado, an exhausted Kobe Bryant is congratulated by teammate Derek Fisher after the Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs, 98-90, in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals at the Staples Center. Bryant scored 42 points as the Lakers tied the series at 2-2. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant writhes in pain after injuring his right ankle during the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 13, 2005, in Los Angeles. Bryant was injured when he landed awkwardly on his right foot while going for a rebound under the Cavaliers’ basket and had to be helped off the court. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant and his new backcourt partner, William “Smush” Parker, during a 2005 preseason game against Utah at the Anaheim Pond. (Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant stands next to coach Phil Jackson during a playoff game against the Phoenix Suns in April 2006. (Matt York / Associated Press)
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Kobe Bryant walks off the court with his wife, Vanessa, and daughter Natalia after scoring a career-high 81 points in a Lakers win over the Toronto Raptors at Staples Center on Jan. 22, 2006. (Noah Graham / NBAE/Getty Images)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant scores in front of Toronto’s Matt Bonner on his way to scoring 81 points during the Lakers’ 122-104 victory on Jan. 22, 2006. (Matt A. Brown / Associated Press)
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Kobe Bryant celebrates the Lakers’ victory over the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant celebrates after winning his fourth NBA title following the Lakers’ win over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals. (Emmanuel Dunand /AFP/Getty Images)
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Kobe Bryant celebrates the Lakers’ Game 7 victory over the Boston Celtics in the 2010 NBA Finals at Staples Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant holds the NBA championship trophy during the team’s 2010 NBA title victory parade. (David McNew / Getty Images)
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Kobe Bryant shows off what he can do with a basketball during an event in Milan, Italy, in September 2011. (Luca Bruno / Associated Press)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant goes up for a shot over New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler during a game in December 2011. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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U.S. players Kevin Durant, left, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant celebrate after winning the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. (Charles Krupa / Associated Press)
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Kobe Bryant writhes in pain after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during a game against the Golden State Warriors on April 12, 2013. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant warms up before playing against the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 8, 2013, in his first game back from a torn Achilles tendon. (Harry How / Getty Images)
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Kobe Bryant is congratulated by teammates after passing Michael Jordan on the NBA’s all-time scoring list during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 14, 2014. (Jeff Wheeler / TNS)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant goes to hug his family after his final NBA game on April 13, 2016. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant poses with his family after getting his jerseys retired before a game between the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on Dec. 18, 2017. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
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Lakers legend Kobe Bryant walks off the court after his jersey retirement ceremony at the Staples Center in 2017. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant smiles after winning an Academy Award for best animated short film for “Dear Basketball” on March 4, 2018. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant shares a laugh with his daughter Gianna while attending a women’s basketball game between Long Beach State and Oregon on Dec. 14, 2019. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / Associated Press)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant watches a tribute video at Staples Center before the final game of his career on April 13, 2016. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
But the Lakers will have fewer excuses next year. They will be tens of millions of dollars under the NBA’s salary cap, an impressively large blank check without Bryant.
Next summer they will doggedly pursue free agent superstar Kevin Durant, as will countless other teams. They can also look at adding unrestricted free agents such as Atlanta center Al Horford, Memphis guard Mike Conley, Miami center Hassan Whiteside and Sacramento guard Rajon Rondo.
The Lakers will also consider harder-to-sign restricted free agents that include Detroit center Andre Drummond, Golden State forward Harrison Barnes and Utah center Rudy Gobert. Talented small forwards DeMar DeRozan of Toronto and Gordon Hayward of Utah will become free agents if they decline contract options with their teams.
The Lakers must also re-sign guard Clarkson, who had only a two-year contract because he was a second-round draft pick in 2014. He will be a restricted free agent and is going to cost the Lakers perhaps $10 million annually for four years.
Even though the Lakers face almost completely unbound financial freedom next summer, their fans face 4 1/2 long months with Bryant and their current roster.
Bryant’s shooting accuracy is a meager 30.5%, worst in the league this season, and his defense is no longer passable. He knows it, which is why he announced he would retire at the end of the season, after the Lakers’ final regular-season game April 13 against Utah at Staples Center.
The 37-year-old Bryant was introspective and humorous in his sit-down with reporters Sunday after making only four of 20 shots in the Lakers’ 107-103 loss to Indiana at Staples Center.
“So . . . what’s new?” was how he opened the 20-minute news conference.
He was brutally honest in assessing his now-sagging game but conveyed anything but sadness.
“I see the beauty in not being able to blow past defenders anymore,” he said. “I see the beauty in getting up in the morning and being in pain, because I know all of the hard work that it took to get to this point.”
He joked about the age discrepancy between him and the younger Lakers starters Russell, Randle and Clarkson.
“I feel like their grandfather. I’m like a triple O.G.,” he said, using slang for original gangster.
The Lakers play the winless Philadelphia 76ers (0-18) on Tuesday, a game notable not only for early jockeying among bad teams seeking a top spot in the draft lottery, but because it’s Bryant’s last NBA stop in his hometown.
Philadelphia fans never really accepted Bryant, booing him mercilessly whenever he played there. Regardless, he softened when asked about Tuesday’s game.
“It’s going to be beautiful,” he said. “So much of my game was developed in Philadelphia.”
Bryant promised there would be no crying on the court at any time during the next several months and he even revealed his most memorable NBA moment. Surprisingly, it didn’t involve the night he scored 81 points against Toronto or any of his five championship runs.
“Nothing beats getting drafted. That’s the beginning of it all,” he said, referring to that 1996 night when he was selected by the Charlotte Hornets, who traded his rights to the Lakers.
The Lakers are hoping that the 2016 draft will be as meaningful to their franchise as it was for Bryant 19 years ago.
mike.bresnahan@latimes.com
Twitter: @Mike_Bresnahan
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