Kobe Bryant Rejoins Lakers but Won’t Play

Kobe Bryant rejoined the Los Angeles Lakers in Orlando, but he won’t play Sunday against the Magic. Bryant, on the injured list with a cut on his finger, needs more time to heal and is listed as day to day.

The team’s medical staff examined the cut at practice Saturday and determined the stitches would stay in for now, Lakers spokeswoman Alison Bogli said.

Bryant refused to speak to reporters before the team bus departed for practice at the Orlando mansion of teammate Shaquille O’Neal. He appeared to be wearing only a small white bandage over the cut, which required nine to 10 stitches.

Bryant was back with the Lakers after not showing up for a game in Philadelphia on Thursday, leaving the team wondering about his whereabouts until shortly before tipoff.

Bryant’s agent told the Lakers that the star guard would join them in Orlando for the fifth game of their seven-game road trip.

“I didn’t ask him for an excuse,” coach Phil Jackson said Saturday. “I didn’t think he needed one. It wasn’t important to me that he was standing there or sitting on the bench or whatever. The important thing was he was going to be down here. So, I didn’t get into it about that.”

Bryant has missed five games since putting his hand through a window Jan. 29. He has sat out 12 total games this season because of the finger, a sprained right shoulder and a sore right knee

He is averaging 21.7 points, his worst in five seasons, and his .422 shooting percentage is the lowest since his rookie season in 1996-97.