After the resignation of Mike D’Antoni, the Los Angeles Lakers eventually hired their former player, Byron Scott. In his first season as the head coach, the Lakers suffered their worst win percentage in franchise history and are headed to the NBA Lottery for the second consecutive season.
— Think You Know Everything About Kobe Bryant? Take The Ultimate Kobe Quiz! —
While the Lakers lost numerous players to season-ending injuries including Kobe Bryant and Julius Randle, Scott reflected on his first season and believes he could do better according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:
“I did OK. I don’t think I did great,” Scott said. “I could do better.”
To start the season, Scott was highly criticized for how he managed Kobe Bryant’s minutes. Coming off two major injuries, Bryant was among the league leaders in minutes in his 19th season. While the five-time champion played well during this stretch, the high usage rate and minutes eventually forced him to sit out games due to general soreness and his season was cut short once again with a torn rotator cuff.
Heading into the off-season, the Lakers will look to improve their roster and give Scott a chance to coach a competitive team. After earning the 27th and 34th picks in the NBA Draft, the franchise hopes to keep their top-five protected pick at the NBA Draft Lottery on May 19.
After the NBA Draft which features Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Lakers will be major players in free agency as they hope to sign a superstar like Kevin Love. With a projected $28 million in cap space, the Lakers will have an opportunity to dramatically improve their roster and take a positive step forward in their rebuilding process.
[divide]Are The Lakers Shopping Nick Young This Summer?
