HoopsHype.com Rumors

On Friday, Kobe Bryant got a visit from Lakers Vice President Jim Buss, General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Coach Mike D'Antoni. Bryant is still on crutches, recovering from April 13 surgery to repair a torn left Achilles' tendon. The Lakers All-Star guard uploaded a picture to his Instagram account with the caption, "Got a few more visitors today ... Jimmy B, Mitch K and Mike D. We talked about the season, next season and more importantly about the strategy for this upcoming series #lakerfam #amnestywho?? Lol #coachvino." Bryant is expected to be out for six to nine months. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Mitch Kupchak, Mike D'Antoni, Injuries, Jim Buss 

Jessica Camerato: #Knicks Mike Woodson and #Lakers Mike D’Antoni named #NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month (April). Twitter @JCameratoNBA

Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Mike Woodson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

Lakers Coach Mike D'Antoni will be back next season, General Manager Mitch Kupchak said Wednesday. "Yeah, he's back. I think he's done a great job," Kupchak told The Times. "There's been no discussions otherwise. "He's made adjustments. He's been flexible. He's evaluated how he coaches as the season's progressed. He's listened to the players. He's very easy to work with and we think in particular since the meeting the day of the Memphis game, yeah." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

The Lakers have remained patient with D'Antoni. "Much has been made of the injuries, and the coaching change [in November] and no training camp, which is certainly a part of it," Kupchak said of their up-and-down season. "It takes a while. You're in New York coaching and you see the Lakers once or twice a year, you don't know the personnel. And the injury situation when he got here, Steve Nash had the broken leg. There's just too much going on to really look at it any other way." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

Arash Markazi: D'Antoni on who takes the last shot with Kobe out: "We'll run a play and the ball will find whoever's open." Twitter @ArashMarkazi

Los Angeles Lakers, Mike D'Antoni 

But while D'Antoni has as much sympathy for Bryant as anyone after he tore the Achilles tendon in his left foot on Friday night and is expected to miss at least six months, he doesn't agree with those who see it as direct result of the excessive playing time and said he would "probably do it again" if faced with the same situation. "It was the decision that we had to make at the time, and it was the decision (that was made) with Kobe," D'Antoni told USA TODAY Sports on Sunday before his team hosted San Antonio. "He was very insistent on it. I was a little reluctant, but he said he could do it. He felt great. "We kept checking every day with the trainers and him — where are ya? How are ya? What are you doing? And to be honest with ya, I don't think one has anything to do with the other." USA Today Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Mike D'Antoni, Injuries 

Speaking to the media for the first time since Kobe Bryant tore his left Achilles tendon Friday in Los Angeles, Nets interim coach P.J. Carlesimo came to the defense of Mike D’Antoni Sunday afternoon before the Nets faced the Raptors. “Sure,” Carlesimo said when asked if Bryant’s injury impacted his thought process about playing his stars in the season’s final few games. “But guys get hurt in practice. “It’s an unfortunate thing. I think the bigger thing, the one that really hurts, is late in the game. That’s the one you agonize over. How big a lead is a safe lead, when do you get guys off the floor? … That’s the one you really can’t afford to have people in there when it’s unnecessary. “When you’re playing for a playoff position, and in particular you’re playing a guy that would play 48 minutes if you’d let him, I think there’s been a lot of unfair commentary directed towards Mike. The only way you get Kobe off the floor is if you pull him off the floor.” New York Post

Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Kobe Bryant, Injury, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Injuries, PJ Carlesimo 

Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni told news reporters at Sunday's shootaround that point guard Steve Nash will not play Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs. USA Today Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Steve Nash, Mike D'Antoni, Injuries 

"I don't think Mike is at blame here," Kupchak said. "Even if you take Kobe out of a game, there's a lot of times where he'll just get up and put himself back in." Long Beach Press-Telegram

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

D'Antoni conceded that scenario might not have happened if not for the Lakers (43-37) entering tonight's game against San Antonio with only a one-game lead over Utah (42-38) for the Western Conference's eighth and final playoff spot with two games remaining. "I would have thought about it if we were comfortably in the playoffs," D'Antoni said. "When you're trying to win at all costs, sometimes you make decisions that "Ehhh, maybe it would've been better if not.' But at the time, you don't know what was going to happen." Long Beach Press-Telegram

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

Bryant needed someone to save him from himself, and Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni didn't have the strength to do it. Bryant mocked the suggestion this could've been his final game in the NBA, that his career could've come crashing down on Friday night. Before Bryant ripped that Lakers uniform off his back at Staples Center, he was talking comeback, talking about studying those who had returned fastest from Achilles injuries, and doing it even faster. Yahoo! Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Mike D'Antoni, Injuries, Tim Grover 

Did the decision by Kobe and Mike D'Antoni not to rest contribute to this severe injury? D'Antoni said: "I will ... second-guess it and look at it, but he is an incredible competitor and it happened -- and we will go forward." About all the playing time recently being an issues to debate, D'Antoni said: "It is like putting my head against a wall, and he just wouldn't budge on it. And there is a part of me that didn't want him to budge, because he's incredible. It is one of those things." Sulia

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Mike D'Antoni, Injuries 

Kobe's heavy minutes (45.7 mins over his last six games) aren't an issue for the Lakers ... "He’s been feeling fine," Pau Gasol said. "He’s not complaining. So, why would we? Right? That’s the bottom line. He’s experienced enough, he’s been through enough that he can handle it. He can handle himself. So, we’re not worried about anything at this point. We all try to give it our best and he’s doing his part." Added Mike D'Antoni: "He said he’s fine. There’s no effect. He feels good and he’s ready to go." Sulia

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Mike D'Antoni, Injuries 

Ramona Shelburne: DAntoni on Pau: "earlier he was hurt..the system was screwed up & we were trying to figure out what we were doing" Twitter @ramonashelburne

Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol, Mike D'Antoni 

Mike D’Antoni’s exit from the Big Apple was unceremonious at best, but the former New York Knicks head coach may have the last laugh if he’s able to get his asking price for his estate in Rye, NY. Roughly five years since he inked a 4- year, $24 million contract with New York and nearly a year removed from his resignation (and with his new team, the Los Angeles Lakers, fighting for their playoff lives), the coach fondly known as “Pringles” is finally getting around to selling the suburban New York home. D’Antoni and his wife, Laurel, purchased the seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom Colonial in late 2008, shortly after joining the Knicks. The couple is said to have paid $5.75 million for the 7,142-square-foot estate, which was built in 2004, but look to make a considerable profit on the home after listing it for $6.95 million. Realtor

Los Angeles Lakers, Mike D'Antoni, New York, Real Estate 

Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni knows the risk of playing Kobe Bryant as many minutes as he has during the past four games. He also knows the risks of not using the Lakers' best player as much as possible as the team frantically tries to make the playoffs. "We're playing a little bit with fire," D'Antoni said of Bryant, who has played 46 minutes a game the past four games. "We wouldn't like to but we put ourselves in the position we have to. "We're short-handed right now and we're playing it very tight. Normally this wouldn't happen but we put ourselves in a hole and Kobe is our best bet going forward to win games. He said he's going to retire after a year so we're going to get our money's worth for two years. I don't know what to tell you." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Mike D'Antoni 

D'Antoni said Sunday he felt the Lakers needed to win all five of their remaining games in order to ensure they'd make the playoffs. That was an opinion, not a fact. But with the Jazz holding the tiebreaker -- meaning the Lakers need to finish a game ahead of them -- it might not be far from the truth. "The bottom line, we need to win five straight," D'Antoni said. "We've got ourselves to where we need to win five in a row and we get in the playoffs and that's what we want to do." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Mike D'Antoni 

Here's what Jeff Van Gundy had to say about Lakers Coach Mike D'Antoni - interesting perspective Van Gundy credits Coach Mike D'Antoni for guiding the Lakers through a challenging year. "He's never looked to lash out and say, 'Are you guys nuts? I was thrown into this situation and you're going to blame me?''' said Van Gundy. "He's resisted that temptation because it is nuts when you think about it." Sulia

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jeff Van Gundy 

Instead, the Lakers have a chance to make the playoffs despite the injuries, coaching changes and chemistry issues. "They go about their business," said Van Gundy. "They haven't lashed out as they were earlier in the year, pointing fingers of blame. I think they've really conducted themselves very well and I think that, in a large part, has to do with then even-keel demeanor of Mike D'Antoni." "The easiest thing to do when a team struggles or a team doesn't have the number of wins that their fans expect them to is to start pointing the fingers of blame at coaches," he continued. "That's easier to stomach than just to say, 'We're in a little bit more of a down period. We don't have a real good team this year.' I think that's where the Lakers are." Sulia

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jeff Van Gundy 

Eric Pincus: "Mike Conley has turned into a premier point guard" - Mike D'Antoni Twitter @EricPincus

Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Mike D'Antoni, Mike Conley