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NBA roundup: Bryant’s return delayed three weeks
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant’s return to the court will not occur for at least three weeks, the team announced Tuesday night.
Bryant recently said he would return from a knee injury by the All-Star Game on Feb. 16 but that he would allow someone more deserving to play for the Western Conference team after he was voted in. He has played just six games this season.
The fractured knee he sustained on Dec. 19 was initially expected to keep him out six weeks, putting his return at around Jan. 30. However, the setback means he will not be back before late February.
With the 35-year-old veteran still experiencing pain and swelling, team physician Steve Lombardo recommended that Bryant maintain his regimen of non-weight-bearing exercise, mostly stationary-bicycle work. The Lakers announced that Bryant would be re-examined in around three weeks.
–Deputy commissioner Adam Silver will recommend to the NBA’s Board of Governors that Mark Tatum succeed him when he takes over as commissioner, according to multiple reports.
Commissioner David Stern is retiring and Silver will succeed him Feb. 1. Tatum is the NBA’s executive vice president of global marketing partnership.
Tatum has worked in the NBA since 1999. He oversees marketing for the NBA, WNBA, NBA Development League and USA Basketball. He is the main point person with some of the NBA’s biggest sponsors, including Coke, Nike and Gatorade. He has also forged new relationships with companies including Diageo, which is the NBA’s official spirits sponsor this season.
–The Phoenix Suns signed guard Leandro Barbosa for the rest of the season.
Barbosa, 31, played nine games over the course of two 10-day contracts and is averaging 8.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 21.4 minutes this season.
–The Philadelphia 76ers assigned guard Lorenzo Brown to the Delaware 87ers of the NBA Development League.
This is Brown’s fifth assignment to Delaware this season, where he has averaged 18 points, seven assists and five rebounds over eight games. He has also played 19 games for the Sixers.
