With the last two seasons being the worst in franchise history for the Los Angeles Lakers, ex-head coach Byron Scott only became less desirable. The Lakers chose not to extend Scott’s contract and have named Luke Walton as their new head coach.
Talking on The Dan Patrick Show, Scott admitted to feeling “blindsided” by the decision, but also knew what he was getting into when he took the job.
“That’s what I expected. When I took the job, when we sat down, Mitch [Kupchak] and I and Jim [Buss], that was the whole premise of the conversation,” Scott said, referring to his job interviews he had with the Lakers’ general manager and executive vice president of players personnel. “These next two or three years are going to be pretty tough. Can I handle the situation. I said, I can handle it. I’ll get the team to come to work every single day with a smile on my face and be very positive. It’s my nature to keep working. That’s what I continued to do.”
“Mitch Kupchak called me to come to the office and told me they weren’t going to extend my contract,” said Scott, who had team options for his third and fourth seasons. “That’s basically how it played out.”
Scott went 21-61 in his first season and 17-65 this season, which was the last of Kobe Bryant’s career. He stressed that he still has love for the organization he won championships for as a player.
Scott stressed, “I don’t have any ill will feelings toward the organization.” After spending 11 of his 14 NBA seasons with the Lakers and winning three league championships during the beloved “Showtime Era.” Hence, Scott maintained, “I still love the Lakers organization. I wish them all the best.”
The Lakers brought in Byron Scott hopeful that his Laker background would contribute to a resurgence for the franchise. Circumstances didn’t work in Scott’s favor, whether it was the flurry of injuries the team suffered last season or struggling to connect with his younger players this season. Whether or not the Lakers were still optimistic about supporting Scott, his era as head coach is now too associated with the stigma of losing.
We’ll see how Walton, who also won championships as a Laker, handles sitting in the hottest seat in LA.
