Kobe Bryant met with reporters for the last time this season and neither he nor general manager Mitch Kupchak painted sketches of an imploding Lakers franchise.

"In terms of this being the decline of the Lakers, this is nonsense," Bryant said Wednesday. "I remember they had a pretty good era in the '80s and they didn't win three in a row. They didn't break that team up.

"Do I believe we can come back and win it again? I absolutely believe that. If this team came back as is, I believe we can win."

Bryant sat out most of the Lakers' practices this season, something he hoped to change because some teammates "felt like they could take days off because I'm not there.

"It's like your big brother not being around. … It's upsetting to me. They knew going in what my knee situation was. We communicated that with them. It's upsetting, it's disappointing to me because I wasn't able to get out there with them every day.

"Next season will be different. I have this whole off-season to get strong just so I can get out there and kick their [butt] in practice and we'll have no excuses."