Kobe Bryant’s next professional basketball game should be for the Los Angeles D-Fenders. 

Yes, you read that right. The D-Fenders, not the Lakers. The Los Angeles D-Fenders are the Lakers NBA D-League affiliate.

I understand that Kobe Bryant is still one of the greatest players of this generation and maybe of all-time. The statistics do not lie. Bryant is a 16-time All-Star, former MVP, five-time NBA Champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, has scored 31,700 points; the list goes on. There are two other numbers that require mentioning as well, 35 and 18. That is his age and number of seasons played. I’m not even going to include his international experience with the Olympic team.

The fact is that Bryant is not the young, springy athlete he once was. The age and the injuries are adding up. His six-game stint before his latest injury was less than impressive. After the Achilles injury, Bryant sat out for a while before being allowed to participate in on-court activities. He practiced for a bit with the team and then was thrown to the fire. That’s the typical rehab process for all the NBA athletes, all of them except Rajon Rondo. Rondo actually opted to go to the D-League prior to returning to action for the Boston Celtics. He cited his reason as wanting to have some in-game action without interrupting the team’s routine by scrimmaging on an off-day. 

The D-League is in no way shape or form comparable to the competition level of the NBA. What the D-League does offer are NBA-capable players that will provide a good challenge for rehabbing players. D-League players arguably play harder because they are fighting for a contract in the league.

Before considering it a slap in the face to send Bryant and other players to the D-League before allowing them to return to action, let’s analyze the benefits. It is not uncommon to send big-name players to a minor league-type system in other sports. The MLB uses this practice faithfully. It is not only accepted but expected. There is no name too big to be assigned to the minors. Last year, Alex Rodriguez was a member of the Charleston Riverdogs.

If the NBA uses the D-League in this fashion, it would definitely work to its favor. 

Sending players to the D-League initially is a great way to assess the injury after the player has been cleared. Evaluations of how the players’ bodies respond to in-game situations can be completed. There would also be a chance to determine if there were any complications during the healing of the injury before placing them back into an NBA lineup.

D-League assignments will help the players. Basketball is as much about timing and rhythm as anything else. Instead of wasting a number of NBA games to regain this timing and rhythm, D-League games can be used to get the player back in game situations and regain some of their confidence. Playing at real-game speed helps with regain conditioning, as well.

General managers also have the opportunity to find a hidden gem in the D-League. How often do D-League players have an opportunity to prove themselves against a proven Hall of Famer? If a D-League player can hold his own against the likes of a Rondo or Kobe, he’ll likely be able to find a roster spot on someone’s team.

Rondo’s decision could be a blip on the radar or the spark of a great idea. Just don’t be surprised if you see Kobe in a different purple and gold uniform.

Spencer is a senior in LAS. He can be reached at [email protected].