Byron Scott has come under criticism this year for relying on veterans instead of focusing on developing the team’s young players. Two of those veterans who played regularly, and usually well, were Brandon Bass and Lou Williams.
It now looks as if those two have seen their last minutes of the 2015-16 season.
Following the Lakers’ Sunday night loss to the Boston Celtics, Scott told the media that barring unforseen circumstances, Williams and Bass will sit the rest of the way, via Eric Pincus of the LA Times:
Byron Scott plans to sit Brandon Bass and Lou Williams the rest of the way, depending on schedule – to develop the kids
— Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) April 4, 2016
Williams has been in the rotation for most of the season and Coach Scott has relied on him to score whether on the bench or the starting lineup. In his first year with the Lakers, Williams has averaged 15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
As for Bass, his minutes have been fairly inconsistent, but he has been very productive whenever on the court. The forward from LSU has been putting up 7.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game for the Lakers this season.
With this emphasis on the younger players, expect the coaching staff to lean heavily on Russell, Randle and Jordan Clarkson to lead the way. Players like Larry Nance Jr. and Tarik Black will also see increased minutes down the stretch as well.
Randle has been one of the most productive Lakers this season and he is just one of nine players in the NBA to average a double-double in 2015-16. The rookie D’Angelo Russell has struggled recently, so fans are hoping that he can end the season off on a high note. Despite all the drama off the court, the only way to change his perception is to play like his career depends on it.