Kobe says Lakers could 'absolutely' make playoffs, noncommittal on retirement

Despite their abysmal 21-61 record last season, Kobe Bryant is confident of the Los Angeles Lakers' ability to make the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

Bryant, who is coming off a torn rotator cuff, spoke glowingly about his reconfigured team with Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports.

"Of course it can," Bryant said of his team's postseason odds. "Absolutely. We have talented players in their respective positions. We have some really young players. How exactly will the pieces of the puzzle fit? We really don’t know. We are going to (training) camp trying to piece this together just like every other team does."

Bryant praised the Lakers for their offseason. On the free agency front, the team acquired Lou Williams, Roy Hibbert, and Brandon Bass, while adding No. 2 overall pick D'Angelo Russell through the draft.

For Bryant, the trick will be finding the right fit.

"We have a very good mix of young and veteran leadership. The challenge is going to be blending the two and cutting down the learning curve," he said.

The real challenge before the Lakers, however, is the Western Conference. L.A. will likely need to secure 45 or more wins to make the playoffs - more than double its win total from last season.

To their credit, the Lakers have shored up their team with several key additions. Williams, Bass, and Hibbert represent decent veteran contributors, while players like Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and Russell classify as high-upside prospects. If Bryant manages to stay healthy, there's a slight chance of the stars aligning in the Lakers' favor.

In the meantime, the spotlight remains on Bryant, who's nearing the end of his legendary career. Bryant was asked about retirement scenarios, and, although his stance seems to have softened, he remains mostly undecided on his future.

"I’m making this very simple," Bryant said of retirement. "Either I like playing the game and going through this process or I don’t. I try to strip it down to the simplest form. Either I like playing some more or I don’t. But I think that decision needs to be made after the season. It’s hard to make a decision like that before the season."

Bryant was also receptive to the idea of potentially playing in Italy, where he was born, or in China, where many of his business interests are rooted.

"I can see myself doing that. I can see myself doing a lot of stuff. That’s a whole other question," he said. "I will make some decisions when I decide to hang it up."