(Reuters) - Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak created some buzz by saying future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant had told him that next season would be his last with the Lakers, but the team said on Friday that was no surprise.
"He has indicated to me that this is it," Kupchak said about Bryant told SiriusXM NBA Radio on Thursday.
However, the Lakers, whom Bryant has won five NBA titles with, said that has been the team's assumption for some time.
"There's nothing new to it at all. Nothing that's different from any comments Mitch has made over the past several months," Lakers spokesman John Black told Reuters.