Byron Scott was just as surprised as you and I when the Los Angeles Lakers canned him last week.
Scott, 55, thought he still had support in the front-office and time to turn things around.
The former Laker diplomatically says he wishes the organization well going forward.
Per the LA Daily News
Scott’s combined 38-126 record finished just above George Mikan for the franchise’s worst all-time winning percentage among its 20 coaches. So much that the newly hired Luke Walton compiled more wins as Golden State’s interim head coach (39-4) this season than Scott collected through two years.
Yet, Scott hardly could rely on Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to splash opponents with three-pointers. Nor could he plug in Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala to fill any needed role. Hence, Scott appeared on the “Dan Patrick Show” on Monday and reported feeling “a little blindsided” when the Lakers fired him last week even if he described the last two years as “very rough.” […] “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.”
The Lakers resisted firing Scott during his second season because of two challenging variables. They remained mindful of what Scott called a “juggling act.” How can he manage both (Kobe) Bryant’s workload and farewell tour in his 20th and final NBA season, while also developing their core roster in D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Anthony Brown?
