Lakers fire coach Byron Scott: 4 things to know

The Los Angeles Lakers have fired head coach Byron Scott, the team announced on Sunday. Scott coached the Lakers for the past two seasons, going 38-126 as the team was in the midst of a rebuild and a farewell tour for superstar Kobe Bryant. He had team options on the third and fourth years of his contract.

“We would like to thank Byron for his hard work, dedication and loyalty over the last two years, but have decided it is in the best interest of the organization to make a change at this time,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement.

Scott took criticism not just for his record with the Lakers, but for his treatment of young players, most notably D’Angelo Russell. Scott sees himself as an “old-school” coach, and in his first season in Los Angeles, he downplayed the significance of 3-pointers. The move is not altogether surprising, though the timing of it is.

Here are five things to know:

1. This was the right move: The No. 1 priority for the Lakers needs to be the development of Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and whomever they draft in June (assuming that they keep their pick and do not send it to the Philadelphia 76ers — it goes to the Sixers if it falls outside the top three). It was clear that Scott was not good at communicating with the players who will determine Los Angeles’ future, and it’s not as if he was alienating them while winning.

For all of Scott’s quotes about toughness and defense, his teams have not reflected his personality. In that respect, his stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2010 to 2013 was not …

continue reading in source www.cbssports.com