It is no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers were spiraling in the wrong direction over the past few seasons, during an awkward rebuilding phase. With Kobe Bryant nearing retirement, former head coach Byron Scott was left with the daunting task of managing both an NBA legend’s final years and a developing young core.
Scott’s stint with the Lakers didn’t exactly pan out as expected, with the Lakers putting up the worst stretch in franchise history. Alas, Scott was promptly fired shortly after, which brought forth the new regime of Luke Walton.
The former ‘Showtime’ wing player amassed a dismal 38-120 record during his stint with the Lakers, far removed from his two NBA Finals appearances with the New Jersey Nets. Scott was stopped by TMZ Sports and was asked a series of questions regarding his outlook and the outlook of the Lakers. When asked if he would personally make a return to coaching in the NBA, Scott gave a specific answer:
“No, I’ve had enough of it,” Scott reiterated. “Enjoying the retired life and working at ESPN. I love that and I’m going to continue to do that.”
Scott has turned into a regular on ESPN shows such as ‘The Jump’, giving in wisdom from his days as a championship player and as a coach. With a career 454-647 record as a coach, it seems as though Scott doesn’t want to dive back into the rigors of coaching through an NBA season.
However, Scott also took the time the address the current situation regarding the Lakers and his friend, President Magic Johnson. The team has heavily banked their season on the emergence of No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball, who Scott has quite the praise for:
“Lonzo Ball is a good player, very good player,” Scott stated. “I think he has a chance to be an All-Star.”
Scott would go on to say that it would be rather difficult for the Lakers to make the playoffs this season. Although he doesn’t envision it happening, he gave them the benefit of the doubt by stating they have a chance if they play to their full capabilities.
The optimism surrounding the Lakers right now is something that hasn’t been seen in quite some time, coming off of an impactful offseason which saw them make major additions via the draft, trade, and free agency.
With the additions of Ball, Brook Lopez and Kentavious Caldwell Pope, the Lakers attempt to escape their recent struggles and ascend towards the playoff race during a pivotal offseason.