Newly hired Lakers Coach Byron Scott took over the team’s Twitter feed Friday, giving his thoughts on the team’s prospects this season.
His top priority, Scott wrote, is “to get our team to play defense on a consistent basis every single night.”
That’s a welcome thought. given the Lakers gave up 109.2 points per game last season.
How does he intend to make that happen?
“Accountability is obviously the first step. Desire & dedication are the next steps,” Scott wrote.
The Lakers announced Scott’s hiring on July 28. As a player, Scott contributed to three NBA titles during the Showtime era.
In his final season in the league as a player, 1996-97, Scott was a teammate of Kobe Bryant.
“He was the most mature 18-year-old I had ever come across. He kind of kept to himself,” Scott wrote of Bryant.
Scott has an idea how he wants to deploy Bryant along with point guards Jeremy Lin and Steve Nash.
“We will have our share of PnR [pick and roll] because of those two guys & because of Kobe as well,” explained Scott. “[Bryant will] be going in the post, mid-post, & elbows a lot. There’ll be enough room for him to operate in space.”
The Lakers have six players at either center or power forward. Scott is going to have to sort through the options when training camp opens on Sept. 30.
Rookie Julius Randle, drafted with the seventh overall pick in June, will have to earn his time but Scott has high hopes for the left-handed forward from Kentucky.
“I think Julius has a lot of upside, great potential,” he wrote. “Like everyone else, he’s going to have to come in & work his way into the rotation. Which I’m confident he will.”
“The biggest challenge coming to a new team is getting to know your players & putting them in a position to be successful,” Scott continued.
As expected, Jordan Hill will get time at center — possibly as the starter. Newcomer Ed Davis, a power forward, may also get time at the five.
“I envision Jordan getting good minutes at center position, using his speed & athleticism to his advantage,” Scott wrote. “I like Ed’s size. He’s very good around the basket & can also block shots. He’s gonna have to play in the post.”
The Lakers also added Jordan Clarkson on draft night, acquiring the 46th overall pick from the Washington Wizards in a trade.
Clarkson has yet to sign with the team, but is expected to do so before training camp. Through five summer league games in Las Vegas with the Lakers, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 15.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 42.4% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range.
“I like what I saw of Jordan Clarkson,” Scott wrote. “[I] think he’s got great potential. I look at him now as just a guard, not a 1 or a 2.”
The Lakers have yet to round out Scott’s cast of assistants. “The coaching staff will probably be finalized in the next week,” he wrote.
Currently the team has assistant Johnny Davis, a holdover from Mike D’Antoni’s staff, under contract. Player development coaches Mark Madsen and Larry Lewis are likely to continue as part of Scott’s staff.
Scott also noted that his favorite player to play with was Magic Johnson, his top moment with the Lakers was winning the 1985 championship in Boston against the Celtics and he’s a big fan of the movie “Scarface.”
If Scott could play alongside a current NBA player, he would choose Chris Paul of the Clippers.
Finally, Scott’s answer to the stress of coaching is exercise.
“My stress release mentally & physically is to go to the weight room & get a work out in,” he wrote. “Helps me deal with the long season.”
Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.
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