GM: If Lakers miss out on free agents because of Kobe Bryant 'we don't want them'

Are players scared of being on a team with the Black Mamba?

The idea that the Los Angeles Lakers may miss out on free agents because of star Kobe Bryant's status is simply not something general manager Mitch Kupchak is willing to entertain.

Kupchak said in an interview Thursday that the star guard has indicated he will call it quits when his contract expires after the 2015-16 season. However, Bryant took to Twitter to deny he had already made the decision, the same sentiment he offered only a few months ago.

If what the L.A. GM said is correct, the five-time NBA champion's presence during the final season of his career - or his unknown status for 2016 and beyond - could be making players hesitant to choose to sign with the Lakers.

If that's the case, those players are not the right ones for the team.

"But if there is a player out there like that, that won't come here for that reason, then we don't want them," explained Kupchak.

"Every great player is demanding and focused, and if you don't want to play for a guy like him (Kobe Bryant) that's driven to do nothing but win championships and work hard, then you shouldn't be here. You should go someplace else."

Kupchak certainly does not mince words, but it will be interesting to see how the Lakers' offseason plays out nonetheless. They have ample cap space, the No. 2 pick, a returning Julius Randle, Bryant and little else, and the decision of whether to go all-in for what may be Bryant's final season or maintain flexibility for the post-Bryant era is a tough one.