The Lakers remain of their same mind — they do not intend to trade Bryant — but are increasingly concerned about Bryant's thoughts of leaving the Lakers.

"Whatever was discussed between Kobe and Dr. Buss will remain private between the two of them," Lakers spokesman John Black said.

Bryant was in Barcelona on a family holiday at the suggestion of Shammond Williams, who is returning to play in Spain after one season with the Lakers. Bryant met with Buss on Friday after visiting soccer team FC Barcelona on Thursday.

Buss had been vacationing in China, but went to Spain and met Bryant before going on to London. Buss is expected back later this month before leaving again for another month-long European vacation.

The Lakers have been trying to upgrade the roster around Bryant, who asked for significant changes at the end of the Lakers' season. But the Lakers have declined the Indiana Pacers' overture to trade Jermaine O'Neal, a longtime Bryant friend and six-time All-Star power forward-center, because they refuse to give up both Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum.

Neither Odom nor Bynum has been an All-Star, but they are the Lakers' two most desirable trade assets besides Bryant. The Lakers have also been trying to trade their three picks in the June 28 draft to get veteran help for Bryant.

If the Lakers shift gears and set out to trade Bryant, who has a no-trade clause that empowers him largely to dictate his next destination, they would face a daunting task. Bryant was able to negotiate the clause into his 2004 contract because the league's collective bargaining agreement allows veterans with at least eight years in the NBA and four years with the same team to prohibit trades upon re-signing.

So even though Bryant said at one point that he'd go to "Pluto," he could steer himself to another large market such as Chicago or New York — he met with and was impressed by Bulls and Knicks officials in 2004 — while refusing to go if he deemed a trade was costing his new team too much talent in return.

Bryant also has the maximum-allowed 15 percent trade bonus on remaining salary (one option year excluded) in his contract, meaning he is understood to receive an extra $9.6 million from his new team if he is traded this summer, $6.6 million if next summer. That financial boost further makes a trade Bryant's best course of action if he wants to leave the Lakers. A lesser option for him would be exercising the right to opt out of his contract in 2009, which would leave the Lakers without compensation.