Kobe misses Carmelo meeting; will meet with free agent Thursday evening

An altered meeting time has forced Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant to miss his team's meeting with coveted free agent Carmelo Anthony on Thursday, a source for ESPN has learned

Despite missing the meeting, ESPN reports Bryant intends to meet with Anthony later in the evening. Bryant is en route from his European vacation and hoped to arrive in Los Angeles in time, but the initial meeting time was changed, forcing Bryant to make alternate plans to try and help lure Anthony to the City of Angels.

Bryant's meeting with the star free agent will occur after the New York Knicks make their pitch to Anthony. 

There's no indication yet on how the meeting between the two sides went, but it appears to have concluded just before 6 p.m. ET.

Reports indicate the Lakers are prepared to make Anthony a four-year, $96.8-million proposal, the maximum they can offer.