Swaggy P on life without Kobe: 'Just give me the ball and get out of the way'
Credit Nick Young for this much: He knows the best way for the Los Angeles Lakers to tank.
With Monday's news that Kobe Bryant will undergo rotator cuff surgery that will almost surely end his 2014-15 season, Young spoke as if he's ready to take up Bryant's mantle on offense. This is Robin taking over for Batman, so to speak
"Just give me the ball and get out of the way," Young said Monday. "It's a big responsibility. I've got to go out there and play to the best of my abilities every night."
Young was joking, even if that's the most Swaggy P quote of all Swaggy P quotes, but a good deal of Bryant's scoring load could realistically fall on his shoulders. Head coach Byron Scott said he has no idea who can fill Bryant's void, on or off the court, and he'll have to hope Bryant is in Young's ear to motivate him.
He'll also have to hope Young is just better than he's been so far this season. While his 39 percent mark from long range and his 3.7 free throw attempts per game have saved his overall efficiency some, Young is averaging 14.1 points, down from last season's 17.9, and shooting a career-worst 35.8 percent on 2-point shots, a ridiculous rate.
His production has been slightly better when Bryant's not sharing the floor with him this year, meaning this could be Young's chance to attack Bryant's 32,482 career points, as he's claimed he'll do.
| Swaggy P | with Bryant | without Bryant |
|---|---|---|
| Pts/36 | 18.6 | 22.7 |
| FGA/36 | 14.4 | 19.0 |
| FG% | 36.5% | 37.6% |
| 3FG% | 35.1% | 40.8% |
| Ast/36 | 0.4 | 2.0 |
This is all assuming Young even gets the chance to fill Bryant's shoes after getting benched on Sunday, something he doesn't seem to agree with.
Nick Young on Byron Scott not liking his body language: "He’s the coach & he’s seeing what he’s seeing. It’s not my place to get into that"
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 26, 2015
Nick Young: "There’s never a day that goes by that I don’t want to be out on the court. I love being here & love playing basketball."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 26, 2015
Young, who sprained his right ankle in practice Monday and is questionable Tuesday, is really exactly what the Lakers need right now. He can absorb a good deal of Bryant's shots and provide enough harmless entertainment for Lakers fans, all while making sure they don't actually play better in his stead.
With the focus firmly on 2015-16 and beyond for the Lakers, a fall from their 12-33 mark may be exactly what the franchise needs. So yes, just hand Swaggy P the ball and get out of his way.