
Former Lakers standout Byron Scott and the team came to an agreement for him to become the team’s next head coach on Saturday. (chris Chambers / Getty Images)
It took three months before clarity ever emerged on who would coach the Lakers. They narrowed in on a familiar face in Byron Scott, whose four-year, $17 million deal with a team option on his last season was officially signed on Monday.
“After an extensive and thorough search, we’re proud to welcome Byron back to the Lakers family as our next head coach,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement. “Byron has proven himself at the highest levels of the game as both a player and a coach in his almost 30 years of NBA experience. His leadership skills and track record for success make him the ideal person to lead this franchise forward.”
That may bring closure to a frenetic offseason in which the Lakers drafted Julius Randle, struck out on LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, lost Pau Gasol and added a flurry of players to fill a once vacant roster. But what’s next in the Lakers trying to restore their prominence after finishing last season with the word record in L.A. franchise history? Below are five things to watch for pertaining to Scott’s role in turning this proud organization around.
1. Scott already has plenty of equity.
Lakers fans already like Scott for reasons going beyond not being named Mike Brown or Mike D’Antoni. Scott has extensive ties with the Lakers stemmed from winning three NBA championships during the Showtime Era and playing 10 of his 14 NBA seasons here. That puts Scott at an immediate advantage in winning over the public and having organizational even amid a rebuilding period.
“I am ecstatic to once again be a Laker and to have the opportunity to work alongside Mitch and the Buss family,” Scott said in a statement. “I know firsthand what it takes to bring a championship to this city, and as someone who both grew up in L.A. and played the majority of my career here, I know how passionate and dedicated our fans are. I will give everything I have to fulfill the championship expectations that our supporters have for us, and that we have for ourselves.”
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