The past weeks have seen fans criticizing how Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott have been managing his players.
He has chosen to stick with Kobe Bryant despite the latter's struggles and refrained from using D'Angelo Russell, leaving many aghast at what it is the Lakers are trying to do. Are they out to win games or help their younger talents fully develop?
Scott says it is all about developing but from the looks of it, he is not ready to risk his younger players because they lack certain traits he sees in veterans like Bryant and Metta World Peace.
He emphasizes that the type of defense that Bryant and Peace bring are what he wants to see in the younger players like Russell, but one has to wonder how this can materialize if he doesn't get on their case and push them to do so?
Is he applying an old style of handling the players who are not listening by benching them in crucial stretches? Well, it could work; but the thing is why preach development if he is sticking with the veterans and opting not to sacrifice games?
Bryant is a far different person from Russell. Bryant has shown so much through his career and has proven to be a guy unafraid to take the shots.
Russell, on the other hand, is all about getting the whole team together, making others look good and then doing his thing next. The practice may not be typical for a hyped player, but that is how his amateur career went.
But unless Scott is willing to take the risk and let Russell orchestrate, this will never bear fruit. Scott will forever be locked on to his veterans, and one has to wonder what he will do once they hang it all up.
And that could come next season, assuming he is still at the helm. Bryant is retiring, meaning Scott has no other choice but to whip up the younger guys. He has to start somewhere and a wise choice would be to start now.
He cannot go on relying on the seasoned players; he has to move and develop younger players.
