NBA: Bryant wants Howard, Gasol back for 2013-14 season

If Kobe Bryant were general manager of his team, the Los Angeles Lakers, he would make sure free agent Dwight Howard stays, and opt not to trade fellow big man Pau Gasol.

Describing the forthcoming offseason as "interesting," Bryant tweeted Monday (Tuesday, PHL time) that he hoped the Lakers avoid drastic moves such as parting ways with Howard and Gasol.

Interesting off season looming.. Will spend time with d12 #stay and talk with the Buss family in hopes that Pau stays as well #my2cents

— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) May 21, 2013

Bryant said that he would "spend time" with Howard, to pitch to him the notion of re-signing with the Lakers, and talk to the Buss family, who own and run the Lakers, in the hopes of convincing them not to deal Gasol for other players.

The Lakers finished with a 45-37 record, taking the seventh seed in the Western Conference, but they were swept in four games by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.

Injuries dealt the Lakers a bad hand, with Steve Nash, Steve Blake, Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, and Metta World Peace, all missing significant amounts of games. Bryant himself missed the tail-end of the season, as well as the postseason, after tearing his Achilles tendon.

While LA can offer Howard more money and an additional year (five instead of the four of other teams), it is still not a lock that he will choose to stay with his current club, as squads like the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Brooklyn Nets are also showing interest in tabbing the All-Star center.

The Lakers are on the books for $78.19 million in salaries next season, without re-signing Howard, putting them above this season's luxury tax threshold of $70.3 million. Starting next season though, the fines for being above that line become more punitive, with an incremental rate based on their salary.

Really?? Me. Retire?? Soon, but not yet Vino still has work to do #35 #OG #kbvff

— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) May 20, 2013

Bryant previously also shot down the possibility of retirement before the next season, tweeting out "Soon, but not yet. Vino still has work to do."

Many fans however feared the worse when he wrote on his Facebook that there would be a "surprise announcement," on Sunday (Monday, PHL time). Bryant's announcement instead turned out to be a charity event entitled "Kobe Up Close" as part of the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation. - AMD, GMA News