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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is expected to sit for the remainder of the 2013-14 NBA season

It looks like Laker fans will have to wait a little longer to see their superstar back out on the court.

It looks like Laker fans will have to wait a little longer to see their superstar back out on the court.

Despite his initial desire to return, Kobe Bryant will stay sidelined for the remainder of the 2013-14 NBA season, according to multiple media reports.

Bryant last donned the purple-and-gold on December 17 in a game against the Grizzlies, where he sustained a fractural injury in his knee.

He had initially wanted to return from the injury in about six weeks, but the recovery process has taken longer than expected, and thus Kobe has been advised to shut it down for the season.

Before injuring his knee in December, Bryant had already missed the season's first 19 games recovering from an Achilles injury; father time has his way with us all.

With the Lakers at the bottom of the barrel in the West, and only 18 games remaining, it makes sense for Bryant to stay sidelined, recover fully, and prepare for next season, which the Lakers hope, will go better than the past couple.

Bryant, for one, feels confident in the Lakers ability to quickly get back to contention.

"This offseason, with all the cap space, seems to be right in the Lakers' wheelhouse, in terms of turning things around pretty quickly," he stated. "We've never really faltered. We've normally made excellent decisions that put us back in contention."

A healthy Bryant would help.

For the season, Bryant played in only six games, by far his lowest total as a pro, and averaged 13.8 point and 6.3 assists per game.