Former Lakers coach Byron Scott said he “felt betrayed, lied to and deceived” by former GM Mitch Kupchak and former team president Jim Buss, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News writes. Scott said that the pair of executives promised him that the team would pick up his third-year option on his contract and he believes that they made him a scapegoat for the franchise’s struggles during Kobe Bryant‘s final season. He also believes the front office used him to manage Bryant.
“If I asked him to do certain things, Kobe would do it because of his respect for me,” said Scott. “Basically, you just wanted me there to help you guys get through the next two years, so Kobe doesn’t go crazy on you guys. I would be the one that can handle it. They know me. I’m not going to back down. I’m not going to be intimidated by anybody.”
Here’s more from Los Angeles:
- Scott remains a big fan of Julius Randle, but he’s not as bullish on D’Angelo Russell, Medina passes along in the same piece. “I don’t know if his work ethic has gotten any better. Some of the people I’ve talked to in the organization said that it hasn’t,” Scott said of Russell. “I just wish him all the best. The maturity level will catch up to him sooner or later when he realizes it’s an honor and a privilege to be in the NBA and be in the position that he’s in. He has to take full advantage of it.”
- Team president Magic Johnson only considers one player on the Lakers to be untouchable, Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com relays. “I would say probably the only player that we would say, hey, we would probably not move is Brandon Ingram,” Johnson in an ESPN radio appearance. “I think that we’re excited about Brandon, his length, his size, his agility, his athleticism. And then when you think about, you know, he was a baby coming in, in his first year last season and we see that he really has a high ceiling and we’re excited about what he can possibly turn into.”
- The Lakers have hired Gunnar Peterson as their Director of Strength and Endurance Training, per NBA.com. Peterson has worked with many entertainers and athletes as a fitness trainer.
Ingram will be special
I hope this lights a fire for the rest of kids! Good job Magic! Go Lakers
I don’t see the value in Randle. Less value than Okafor, which is saying something. Randle is a PTBNL type of add to any trade.
Well that sounds overly pessimistic.
Hes up for an extension after next season right? I mean what has he really shown you so far?
averages close to a double double, he’s far from garbage. He can definitely improve his mid range shot to help him out around the rim. He’s not going to be a Max player, but he’s not as bad as you make him sound
That’s crazy, Randle is a beast in the open court. He passes and rebounds really well for a 4. His game has improved his game from when he came in and there is no reason to believe he won’t keep improving. He has had flashes of really special play. Look at how many triple doubles he has last year. He needs to be more consistent but what 22 year old doesn’t need to be more consistent.
Okafor on the other hand has regressed and already looks like the biggest bust from that draft. Phily couldn’t give him away at the deadline.
Randle should have stayed 4 years in college.