On Saturday, Kobe Bryant had surgery on his torn Achilles tendon, which ends his season with two games remaining in the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff chase, the Associated Press reports.

Lakers trainer Gary Vitti thinks Bryant will need at least six to nine months for recovery. This is the most serious injury of his 17-year NBA career. Given Bryant’s history of swift recovery from countless minor injuries, Vitti and the Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak both believe that the 34-year-old guard could be back for their season opener in the fall.

Kupchak said, “I think that’s a realistic goal for him, based on what he was talking about this morning.”

Kobe Bryant completely tore his left Achilles tendon late in the Laker’s 118-116 win over Golden State on Friday night, he fell on the hardwood after pushing off his planted foot in an ordinary move toward the hoop. Although the basketball star stayed in the game to hit two tying free throws with 3:08 to play, his season was over.

His foot will be immobilized for about a month to prevent him from stretching out the tendon, followed by a long rehabilitation process. No one knows how the injury will affect Bryant’s play, but his decision to have surgery less than 24 hours after getting hurt indicates he’s determined to get back on top shape immediately.

Vitti said that “he’s already taken the challenge.” The trainer added, “For us, it’s going to be trying to slow him down.”

And while it’s too far early to predict exactly when Bryant will be back in the game, the Lakers say they wouldn’t consider parting ways with their franchise player, who will make $30.5 million next year. If the Lakers will use the amnesty clause on Bryant in early July, they could possibly save $80 million in luxury taxes.

Kupchak said “that’s not even something that we’ve discussed.” He emphasized, “that’s the furthest thing from our mind right now.”

While the rest of the Lakers prepared for their final two regular-season games in a a very challenging season, Bryant’s injury left many Lakers fans wondering whether the club had done enough to protect Bryant from himself.