How Kobe Bryant's Role with Team USA Foreshadows L.A. Lakers Plans Next Season

The Los Angeles Lakers have seen a few versions of Kobe Bryant over the years, as is to be expected when you're talking about such a multi-talented competitor.

Although he had more help last season than he did back in 2005-06, the 33-year-old superstar was once again the Alpha and Omega of head coach Mike Brown's offense. Though Andrew Bynum saw an increased role and Pau Gasol remained a dangerous third-option, this wasn't the same Kobe who so readily deferred to Shaquille O'Neal.

This was a version of Kobe who understood his team would rise and fall on the basis of his ability to score points and create plays.

Accordingly, it was also a version that had to handle the basketball with stunning frequency, culminating in a usage rate that ranked among the highest in league history.

Things may be about to change, though, and Bryant's increased off-the-ball role with Team USA could give us a hint of how they will change.

As the Orange County Register's Kevin Ding explains, adding Steve Nash into the fold should make all the difference: 

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Nash's arrival means that Bryant doesn't have to go back to that ball-handling, playmaking past. Nash is both glad to and incredibly gifted at doing the care taking and giving. That means Bryant gets the cushy, glamorous gig that O'Neal enjoyed back in 2000.

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Just as guys like Chris Paul and LeBron James will take care of the rock throughout the course of the London Summer Olympics, Nash will bear that burden for the Lakers next season.

It may take some time for Los Angeles' all-world shooting guard to become accustomed to the role.

Even when Shaq was getting more than his share of the touches, it was still Bryant's responsibility to handle the ball on the perimeter and create opportunities for the rest of the squad. There's a reason he averaged five or more assists in each of Shaq's last four campaigns with the Lakers.

Don't expect Bryant to become the West Coast's version of Ray Allen overnight.

While he's more than capable of excelling in a catch-and-shoot role, he's still far too versatile a scorer to be utilized one-dimensionally.

Whether posting up or toying with the defense in isolation, Kobe's craftiness and athleticism will remain vital assets in any title push.

His cohorts just won't be quite so dependent on those plays this time around. 

Therein lies the value of Steve Nash. It's not just that he makes highlight-worthy passes; it's that he understands how to space the floor and put his teammates in a position to succeed.

That will benefit Pau Gasol the most, but it will also avail Andrew Bynum of some easy shots and Kobe Bryant of a few more clean looks. Kobe may not be suiting up on a roster littered with Olympic superstars next season, but he'll still be able to take a step back.

The team will still be in his hands. Just not his hands alone.