OPINION: If Kobe wants to win, he can't settle

Bryant only appeared in six games in 2013. The five-time NBA champion suffered a fractured tibia last December.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has some decisions to make. That is, does he want to win a sixth NBA title or sit idle, merely as a basketball ambassador of sorts, and let the Lakers run out the clock on his playing career?

Last Friday, Bryant told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that he was content with the the effort from the Lakers' free agency moves.

"I can sit here and tell you with 100 percent honesty that I'm happy with the effort the organization put forward this summer," Bryant said.

Kobe said he's happy about the effort of the Lakers' front office, that doesn't mean he's happy with the Lakers roster as currently constructed.

I agree with Kobe about the effort, it was exceptional. General Manager Mitch Kupchak made a herculean effort to lure in Carmelo Anthony, offering him a max contract. But they couldn't get him. They couldn't get Luol Deng, Chandler Parsons or Trevor Ariza. And it seems the Lakers won't land Kevin Love or Eric Bledsoe, either.

However, the Lakers did pick up Carlos Boozer after the Bulls waived him. They also got Jeremy Lin and 24-year-old Ed Davis, previously with Memphis. Jordan Hill, Ryan Kelly and Nick Young will all be returning for another season with the team as well.

Now let's turn back to the star of this story, the Black Mamba.

What I gathered from Kobe's comments:

This isn't the Mamba of old. This is a more reserved version of Kobe. Kobe Bryant from a decade ago wouldn't hesitate to speak his mind and put the Lakers on notice when he saw the front office wasn't getting the talent around him needed to win championships. This is a guy who once went on the radio during the summer of '07 and publicly demanded the Lakers trade him. Where is this version of Kobe hiding?

Bryant said, in June, he's 100 percent healthy and ready to play. A healthy Kobe Bryant, that's a good start. But one has to think about "What ifs." What if Kobe gets hurt again early in the season? He'll be 36 years old in August. He's logged a lot of NBA minutes and put many miles on his body, and no matter the type of possible injury that could befall him, he can't beat Father Time. Bryant is a tough guy, but he'll only be able to play through so much pain at his advanced age.

So, how bad does Kobe want to win right now? Surely he can't be complacent with riding out another underachieving season with this Lakers' squad. The addition Jeremy Lin and a poor jump-shooting Carlos Boozer simply won't get it done. The Lakers will need to make more moves this season.

Kobe doesn't have a few losing seasons to burn. If he wants another title, he needs to speak up or ask for a trade. The Lakers, sitting in the tougher Western Conference, aren't even the marquee team in L.A. anymore, that title belongs to the Clippers. The Clippers have even taken over as the dominant team in Staples Center. Free agents would rather sign with the team in red and blue than the team in purple and gold. That's a problem.

I'm not saying it's time for the Lakers to hit the panic button here before the preseason even begins, because the NBA season is very long. There's still plenty of time to make moves, but the Lakers are thinking about the Lakers and Kobe is thinking about Kobe. Those are two totally different agendas to serve, and if Kobe wants to match Michael Jordan in rings, he can't be complacent with the L.A. Lakers.