Similar Days Lie Ahead

Kobe Bryant is persevering the best he can, the Lakers are as accommodating as an employer can be, the only unyielding part being the schedule, which carries on no matter the circumstances.

So, Friday night, Bryant fought the horror of his felony sexual assault charge and the dreariness of a long day in a Colorado courthouse, flew nearly two hours, inched through traffic and arrived at Staples Center at 7:53 p.m.

His representative had called the Lakers at 5:30, moments before a private jet lifted off from an airport in Eagle County, to say Bryant was on his way, that Bryant would be there no matter what.

It is possible there will be more days like it too. While the next motions hearing, Jan. 23, is an off day for the Lakers, it appears there will be more motions hearings, perhaps many more, and that Bryant will be required to attend them.

In the fall, when Bryant returned to the team, Coach Phil Jackson said he’d hoped a trial date would be set and that the affair would be pushed to the periphery of their season. Instead, the hearing dates keep coming, Bryant’s schedule keeps changing, and there is no finite end to it.

“We just have to be very open to what Kobe’s going to need to do at certain times in the season,” Jackson said. “There will be two- to three-day periods of time he’s going to need to check out and check into something that’s entirely different than basketball.

“The guys are very open to it and very supportive of him and that’s good. [Bryant] thinks he can focus and divide his time and come back and refocus. It’s tough for him to get as much concerted energy to focus directly on what we’re trying to do, though. I think he’ll get better at it as the season goes on.”

Jackson marveled at Bryant’s ability to move through the distractions that, for Bryant, are life altering. Through 23 games, Bryant led the Lakers in scoring.

“I really don’t think it impacts his play as much as it impacts his mood,” Jackson said. “I don’t think it’s going to be an issue. [But] I want him to be a receptive and happy player. That’s important. It’s going to be difficult for him to face this, given his mood swings.”

There are no alternatives, according to General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

“We’ve prepared as if this is going to be the way the year’s going to be,” Kupchak said. “At the very beginning, we had to use the word ‘flexible.’ That’s what we’re going to have to be.... We do know it’s not going to go away. From the get-go, we told him he had to do whatever he had to do. If he misses a day, he misses a day. There’s nothing we can do.”

Because of his veteran team and a veteran coach, Kupchak said, “I don’t think it’s a burden. There isn’t a player or a coach who’s said, ‘This is not right.’ ”

*

The NBA trading deadline is two months away. While there has been more early activity than usual, mostly out of Boston, Kupchak said he would lean toward maintaining his current roster.

The Lakers soon will have Rick Fox back, and hope to get a look at rookie Brian Cook.

“We’re not active right now for two reasons, really,” Kupchak said. “I don’t want to be active because we’re playing pretty well. Also, if you’re doing well, you don’t want the news of your players being out there. You make a couple calls and the whole world knows about it.”