Kobe Bryant: (Shoulder) Diagnosed With Torn Rotator Cuff

An MRI revealed Bryant (shoulder) has a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, Mike Trudell of Lakers.com reports.

Analysis:

Bryant injured the shoulder in the second half of Wednesday's game against the Pelicans. He remained in the game but was clearly favoring the shoulder and played left-handed, for the most part. Bryant will be re-examined by team doctors later Thursday, after which the Lakers are expected to release a prognosis. While Bryant has not shied away from playing through pain in the past, the Lakers have almost nothing to lose at this point, so shutting him down may be the best course of action.