I Didn't Think Scott Was That Bad Really

[True Lakers Fan]

But he wasn't that great either. I think as a former head coach that developed players like Chris Paul that he was a small disappointment, even though he was really hired to please Kobe and make Kobe's farewell tour a good one. If it hadn't been for Luke Walton becoming such a hot commodity on the market this summer, Scott should have been given another year. Obviously the opportunity to get the hottest coach in the NBA like Walton - that was too good to pass on

Sorry Scott - and Good luck - you brought us championships as a player and you're still one of the greatest Lakers of all time.

 

[trojanfan12]

But he wasn't that great either. I think as a former head coach that developed players like Chris Paul that he was a small disappointment, even though he was really hired to please Kobe and make Kobe's farewell tour a good one. If it hadn't been for Luke Walton becoming such a hot commodity on the market this summer, Scott should have been given another year. Obviously the opportunity to get the hottest coach in the NBA like Walton - that was too good to pass on

Sorry Scott - and Good luck - you brought us championships as a player and you're still one of the greatest Lakers of all time.

I agree with this up to a point.

Do I think Byron got a fair shot? No, I don't. I don't think anyone looking at it at all objectively would say that he got a fair shot. Once Kobe went down, his first roster was full of a bunch of guys just trying to earn another season in the NBA and Clarkson. Then this past season, he had a bunch of kids and 175 year old Kobe on his farewell tour. So, end of the day, the last 2 rosters weren't going to be winning many games even if they had Pop coaching them.

However, that does not absolve him of the fact that he didn't really develop any of his players. The one thing that I think most agreed on that he had done successfully as a head coach was help the development of CP3 and Kyrie Irving. I think people hoped that at the very least, he would work well with and develop Russell. The problem is that when if became apparent that what he was trying to do wasn't working, he kept on doing it, rather than try a different tactic.

 

[Retroram52]

Some of B. Scott's decisions on his offense and rotations made little sense like playing Bass at the five and sitting Black a very good five. Bass effectively has left because this was one factor that Bass included in his decision to test the market. The defense never materialized and that was one of Scott's stalwart promises. It just didn't happen.

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

yeah, I never understood him not playing and developing Black when Bass isn't a 5 and Hibbert gave us nothing. there was no reason to play Hibbert all those minutes to give us 6 & 5 and have Black barely playing.

even Sacre can offer more than what Hibbert gave this season.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

yeah, I never understood him not playing and developing Black when Bass isn't a 5 and Hibbert gave us nothing. there was no reason to play Hibbert all those minutes to give us 6 & 5 and have Black barely playing.

even Sacre can offer more than what Hibbert gave this season.

Some sites are now saying that Russell and Randle's growth was stunted by Scott and that even without the first round draft pick, the Lakers believe they have a good core of players to work with

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Playing Kobe at the Forward position was also a decision I didn't like

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

Playing Kobe at the Forward position was also a decision I didn't like

Well, they needed to play him there for two reasons: 1) he was no longer fast enough to handle guarding SG's and 2) it allowed them to keep Clarkson on the floor instead of coming off the bench.

It actually made a lot of sense to move Kobe to SF.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Well, they needed to play him there for two reasons: 1) he was no longer fast enough to handle guarding SG's and 2) it allowed them to keep Clarkson on the floor instead of coming off the bench.

It actually made a lot of sense to move Kobe to SF.

He should have retired already - He did the one thing that he said he would never do - Keep playing when he was done. Not that I was surprised - Nothing wrong with that when they offer you 25 million a year

 

[trojanfan12]

He should have retired already - He did the one thing that he said he would never do - Keep playing when he was done. Not that I was surprised - Nothing wrong with that when they offer you 25 million a year

To be fair, he suffered 3 major injuries over his previous 3 seasons. When he was last able to play a full season (when he tore his Achilles) he played at a very high level and almost singlehandedly dragged the Lakers to the playoffs.

The end result was that he really had no way of knowing how much he truly had left. Imo, it is to his credit that he realized after a few games this season that he was done. That's why he sat next to Byron in one of the early games, just before he announced his retirement and told him that this is it...he's done.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

To be fair, he suffered 3 major injuries over his previous 3 seasons. When he was last able to play a full season (when he tore his Achilles) he played at a very high level and almost singlehandedly dragged the Lakers to the playoffs.

The end result was that he really had no way of knowing how much he truly had left. Imo, it is to his credit that he realized after a few games this season that he was done. That's why he sat next to Byron in one of the early games, just before he announced his retirement and told him that this is it...he's done.

Well you can't blame him for taking that last 50 million for the last two years. He was done then, but I would have offered him 12-15 million/year for two more years, but I expect the Lakers made their money off of marketing - the seized the opportunity on that really well - lol. The only down side is that Scott really did stunt the growth of Russell and Randle. Mitch had no choice but to fire him in order to protect their investment

 

[trojanfan12]

Well you can't blame him for taking that last 50 million for the last two years. He was done then, but I would have offered him 12-15 million/year for two more years, but I expect the Lakers made their money off of marketing - the seized the opportunity on that really well - lol. The only down side is that Scott really did stunt the growth of Russell and Randle. Mitch had no choice but to fire him in order to protect their investment

I disagree. He may have been done then, but there was no way to know that for certain because of the injuries.

From a basketball perspective, he definitely should have taken less. But let's be real, I don't care how much money someone has, if they are offered $50 million over 2 years, they're taking it. Plus, as you suggest, they made a lot more money off of him than they paid him.

Even with the money they gave him, they still had enough space for another max level player. Guys just didn't want to come because Kobe was no longer a guaranteed deep playoff run.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I disagree. He may have been done then, but there was no way to know that for certain because of the injuries.

From a basketball perspective, he definitely should have taken less. But let's be real, I don't care how much money someone has, if they are offered $50 million over 2 years, they're taking it. Plus, as you suggest, they made a lot more money off of him than they paid him.

Even with the money they gave him, they still had enough space for another max level player. Guys just didn't want to come because Kobe was no longer a guaranteed deep playoff run.

History did not favor a complete recovery for Kobe. Jason Kidd is about the only one that made a recovery good enough to help the Mavericks win their only championship(hopefully I'm remembering this right), but as I have said before - no matter how worthless a person is - Nobody turns down that kind of money and there is delusional factor - Thinking that even though you're a 38 year old athlete with a broken up body, that you're still 25 in your prime and can still do it. We all think that at times - Come on now

 

[trojanfan12]

History did not favor a complete recovery for Kobe. Jason Kidd is about the only one that made a recovery good enough to help the Mavericks win their only championship(hopefully I'm remembering this right), but as I have said before - no matter how worthless a person is - Nobody turns down that kind of money and there is delusional factor - Thinking that even though you're a 38 year old athlete with a broken up body, that you're still 25 in your prime and can still do it. We all think that at times - Come on now

I don't think Kobe expected to be able to play like he did at 25, but I think he expected to have more left than he did. I think he expected to at least be close to the player he was the season he blew out his Achilles.

He found out that Father Time was the one guy he couldn't beat and called it a career. I have no issues with how he went out.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I don't think Kobe expected to be able to play like he did at 25, but I think he expected to have more left than he did. I think he expected to at least be close to the player he was the season he blew out his Achilles.

He found out that Father Time was the one guy he couldn't beat and called it a career. I have no issues with how he went out.

Any time you can leave with an additional 50 million dollars for doing less - I just want to know where I can sign

 

[trojanfan12]

Any time you can leave with an additional 50 million dollars for doing less - I just want to know where I can sign

He only did less when you talk about his stats because he learned that he didn't have as much left in the tank as he thought. But, he did his job. He busted his ass to get back on the court, he prepared for the season and for every game. The games he played in, he played his ass off and gave everything he had, just as he always did. We're not talking Steve Nash taking money and not even showing up at the Lakers facility, etc.

Also, considering how much money he made the Lakers, especially this past season with the farewell tour...he more than earned that money.

 

[shopson67]

Job well done, Tank Commander Scott!

 

[Rambunctious]

If the Lakers had won even 40% of their games under Scott I may agree with the OP but come on. They were terrible. Scott had to go for the sake of the franchise. I would dump more than a few players from last season too.