Lakers' Scott once again planning to ease Kobe's workload

First, there was a preseason minutes limit. Then, it was a decrease in practice time and a change in post-game regimen. Now, it's something else, though it's hard to tell exactly what Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott plans to do next.

In any case, the workload on Kobe Bryant has to be eased.

Both Scott and Bryant said as much Monday. They seem at a loss for how else to manage the toll on his body, save for shutting him down occasionally.

"You know him," Scott said. "It's real difficult. He's such a competitor. He wants to go out there and play every minute that he can. The mind is willing, but sometimes the body is not."

Bryant has been clear that he prefers not to miss games, but seemed more resigned to that fate Sunday (see the story below). He's averaging 35.4 minutes at age 36, something a player that old has done just once since 2003-03. 

As the fatigue begins to show - Bryant is shooting just 33.5 percent over his last 10 games - Scott is considering giving Bryant a rare game off. Beyond that, Scott remained as vague as ever about the specifics of their plan to get Bryant rest:

We'll formulate a plan that suits him so when he is on the court, he can go out and play at full strength instead of trying to will his way through these games. He's such a competitor that he tries to will his way through it no matter how his body feels. I want him to get to the point where his body feels a lot better than it does right now.
...
I'm not going to sacrifice his well being for W's.

Whether Bryant wants it or not, the solution may be in fewer games and minutes. His current pace would see him finish with 2,906 minutes, the ninth-highest total ever for a player his age, which is ludicrous coming off an entire season lost due to a pair of major injuries.

There's one other option Scott and Bryant may not have considered: Free Swaggy.