We can all see the finish line. It grows closer by the second, presenting itself as the end of an organizational epoch, the end of a relationship. The finish line’s visibility isn’t new, but only now is there a discernible level of tangibility, only now does it feel real. While it is tough to sway attention from this particular verisimilitude, the end of Kobe Bryant’s career shouldn’t be the full focus of his 20th season.
While it’s easy to tumble down the rabbit hole of what Bryant’s retirement means for this season, there are still at least 82 Lakers basketball games between now and when that ostensibly becomes a real thing.