Longtime NBA reporter Sam Smith speculates in his Monday column for NBA.com about the future of 36-year-old Lakers star Kobe Bryant. With the Lakers off to a 1-5 start and little hope for a turnaround on the horizon, Smith figures Bryant, who is signed through next season, isn’t long for Los Angeles.

Smith suggests the Knicks represent the best destination for Bryant and the best trading partner for the Lakers, but he also makes a case for Bryant heading to D.C. in exchange for Bradley Beal, Nene and another player.

“It’s about young stars with the Lakers, which is why they are where they are,” Smith writes. “Magic and Worthy, Shaq and Kobe. But as much as Lakers’ fans believe it’s about Kobe, Lakers’ management would have to jump at a chance for a young star to accelerate their rebuilding. Which is why Kobe to the Wizards may be the one. “The Wizards have a young, potential star shooting guard in Bradley Beal. You can build with a player like him. Then you give the Lakers Nene and another player since the Wizards have plenty of guys they’re not much using to include in trade. For the Wizards, it’s the chance to take a shot, which they really don’t have now. With the addition of Paul Pierce, the Wizards are about now. Adding someone like Kobe with Pierce, John Wall and Marcin Gortat gives them a shot at the top of the weak East. And how sweet would it be for Kobe to go where Michael Jordan couldn’t win and get somewhere? Kobe’s not getting that sixth title. Maybe besting Jordan that way would appeal to him.”

Bullets Forever’s Jake Whitacre and CSN’s Ben Standig do a fine job identifying the issues with Smith’s proposal. While Bryant’s experience and killer instinct could improve the Wizards’ postseason prospects this season, trading for him and his massive salary would also compromise the Wizards’ future, including John Wall’s development and the team’s ability to lure Kevin Durant as a free agent in 2016.

The Wizards have benefited from a soft schedule, but they’re 5-2 without Beal, who is 15 years younger than Bryant and making progress in his recovery from a broken left wrist. Beal is an important part of the Wizards’ present and future, and the memories of Jordan finishing his career in a Wizards uniform aren’t far enough in the past.

Bryant was asked last week if he sees any parallels between what he’s going through now and Jordan’s final two seasons with the Wizards.

“Um, no,” Bryant said. “No. Not really. Well maybe. I mean, maybe. I guess. I don’t know. … I can see where you guys are thinking there are similarities there. I also think probably you’re reaching for content at this point, which is OK. I mean, I get it.”

The same could probably be said about Smith’s Kobe-to-D.C. idea.