Kobe Bryant's injury should send a strong signal to Lakers' Buss Family to find a dominant perimeter player to replace him. Even if he tries so hard, Nick Young is not the answer even if he claimed that he's now better than the "Black Mamba."

According to Hoops Habit, except when top prospect, Kansas center Joel Embiid, falls way down to fifth through eight where the Lakers are projected to take their pick, Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss should draft a guard or forward that the 35-year-old Kobe Bryant can take under his wing as he winds down his career.

The website suggested Dante Exum, who earlier said that he only wants to play for the Lakers and has the added advantage of sharing the same agent as Kobe Bryant's. The Aussie point guard can "force his way to L.A." if he "refuses to work out" for the other teams. With a good player he can mentor, Kobe Bryant's injury will have a greater chance to heal as the "Black Mamba" cuts his playing time.

Meanwhile, in an interview with E! , Nick Young has made the claim that, with the Kobe Bryant injury, he's now better than No. 24.

"Right now, you know, you can't guard me right now," he said. Of course, he prefaced that with a statement that "Kobe will kill me for this one."

In the April 24 op-ed piece, titled "What will the Lakers get from Kobe Bryant next season?" Eric Pincus of the L.A. Times suggested that Kobe Bryant's injury plus his advancing age will limit his minutes on the floor.

Kobe Bryant just signed a two-year extension worth $48.5 million with the Lakers even while rehabbing his Achilles injury. This season, he averaged 13.8 points and 6.3 assists playing a shade under 30 minutes a game.

"Pencil Bryant in at 21 points and 4.7 assists a night, accounting for reduced minutes," Eric Pincus wrote. "Will that be enough to help the Lakers return to playoff contention?"