"How do you rein in Kobe?" - Lakers insider reveals Andrew Bynum's question to front office during extension talks

“How do you rein in Kobe?” – Lakers insider reveals Andrew Bynum’s question to front office during extension talks originally appeared on Basketball Network.

Playing with Kobe Bryant was both a blessing and a curse, and Andrew Bynum experienced this during his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers. In his extension negotiation with the Lakers front office in 2012, Bynum wanted clarity on whether Kobe would step aside.

“Andrew’s question in contract talks was: ‘How are you going to rein in Kobe?'” an anonymous Lakers insider told ESPN’s Henry Abbott. “We couldn’t give direct answers. My immediate thought was, Well, he doesn’t want to play with Kobe if we can’t answer that question.”

The silence only meant one thing: There was no stopping Kobe from doing things his way, and the Lakers brass understood that. L.A. failed to extend the 7-footer beyond 2012-13, so they sent him to Philadelphia in the trade that brought Dwight Howard to Hollywood.

Bynum believed Bryant held him back

By the time he was dealt, Bynum had emerged as one of the league’s top centers, averaging close to 19 points, 12 boards and two blocks in 2011-12. He and Bryant had already won two titles, and some felt his size could’ve made a difference in the 2008 Finals.

Looking back on his time with the Lakers, Bynum explained how playing with the Black Mamba was a double-edged sword.

“I thought it really helped me a lot, obviously at first, because he draws so much attention it’s hard for guys to double-team and key on you, so it helped me tremendously,” Bynum told a group of reporters, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “Later, I felt I was able to get the ball more and do more things with the ball, so I could definitely see how it could stunt growth.”

Bynum entered the league straight out of high school and made steady strides every year. By 2012, he had developed into a polished low-post scorer with solid instincts on both ends of the floor. It’s not hard to imagine him taking another leap if the offense had been tailored more around him.

Interestingly, Bryant understood where Bynum came from. He drew parallels to his time with Shaquille O’Neal and preached sacrifice when there is more than one mouth to feed on the basketball court.

“Same thing with me and Shaq,” the two-time Finals MVP stated. “You kind of offset each other to a certain extent. So, I mean, that’s true. When he gets back and he’s healthy, he’ll come out here and he’ll be the focal point of their attack and he’ll be getting the ball more and you’ll see big games from him more consistently.”

Unfortunately, 2011-12 was Bynum’s last healthy season. He never suited up in a Sixers uniform unless a press conference with him holding up Philly’s blue jersey counts. Andrew played one more season, spending time between Cleveland and Indiana until he was out of the league for good.

Nobody wanted to play with Kobe

Abbott’s original ESPN Magazine piece focused on Bryant’s final years and the belief that his presence drove away star free agents. From LeBron James and Paul George to Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh, the Lakers struck out on every major name — and ended up signing a past-his-prime Carlos Boozer instead.

Abbott also detailed L.A.’s meeting with Howard in 2013 and how Bryant practically dashed any hope of re-signing the two-time Defensive Player of the Year.

“As the Lakers’ contingent settled into the conference room’s ergonomic chairs,” Abbott wrote. “It was clear that two-time MVP point guard Steve Nash, in a nice crisp shirt, listening attentively, was running Kupchak’s game plan. But Bryant showed up, according to a person in the room, in “hoops shorts, a T-shirt and a gold chain.” He had also packed an attitude.”

Howard raised concerns about being the media scapegoat during the Lakers’ disappointing season, but Bryant didn’t offer much support. He tried to teach Howard how to toughen up and understand what winning demands, but it wasn’t the message Dwight wanted to hear. Days later, Howard signed with the Houston Rockets.

Kobe was notoriously hard to play with, but he never denied that. In his mind, the Lakers were the gold standard, demanding sacrifice, accountability, and a mindset that didn’t flinch when things got uncomfortable. To Bryant, passing the torch meant handing it to someone who understood that pressure was supposed to be the lifestyle now.

Bryant never cared much about being liked; he cared about who could handle the weight of being a Laker. If that turned off certain stars, so be it.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.

“How do you rein in Kobe?” – Lakers insider reveals Andrew Bynum’s question to front office during extension talks

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