Lakers coach Byron Scott unsure if Kobe Bryant would play pick-up basketball after retirement. (photo by John McCoy/Los Angeles News Group)

The concerns about Kobe Bryant’s durability sounded ridiculous to the Lakers’ 37-year-old star. Then again, when has Bryant not found those questions dumb?

Bryant scoffed about any possible decline during his early 30’s as he won back-to-back NBA titles. Bryant laughed at it again when he received innovative treatments to push back Father Time. Bryant dismissed the uncertainties when he rehabbed from three season-ending injuries to his left Achilles tendon (April 2013), left knee (Dec. 2013) and right shoulder (Dec. 2015).

So it seemed hardly surprising that Bryant sneered again about his health during his 20th and final NBA season.

“What’s long-term?” Bryant asked rhetorically in early December. Bryant then joked with a reporter, “Equinox pick-up games, dude. I’ll post your (butt) up there. It doesn’t matter.”

Apparently it matters to Lakers coach Byron Scott.

He called it “50-50” that Bryant will play when the Lakers (14-55) host the Memphis Grizzlies (41-30) on Tuesday at Staples Center after missing six of the past 10 games with right shoulder soreness. But the variables on how much Bryant plays in the Lakers’ last 13 games goes beyond whether he feels just physically fine to compete that night.

“You have to look out for yourself, too. You want to make sure that you don’t do some serious serious damage to it and 10 years from now, you regret it,” Scott said. “I would love for him to play all the games just like you guys would and the fans. But I don’t think that’s possible.”

No doubt, Scott has mostly deferred to Bryant on his playing status. In the past month, Bryant has made it a bigger priority to play in final road games and at home games against either a marquee opponent or player. But Scott remained mostly concerned about Bryant’s status for the Lakers’ season finale on April 13 against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center.

Said Scott: “I want you to play in that last game and be able to walk off the court.”

Bryant has stressed the same things, but what about his dismissiveness toward being healthy enough to play at Equinox during his retirement?

“He should be because I played in some Equinox pickup games and those games aren’t friendly,” Scott said, laughing. “Obviously he wasn’t real concerned about it [earlier]. I think he was all about he present. But as we got further and further along into the season, I think he also was thinking about the future.”
Continue reading “Byron Scott concerned about Kobe Bryant’s health post-retirement” »

Lakers forward Nick Young denies allegations that he and Jordan Clarkson harassed two women. AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Lakers forward Nick Young disputed an allegation that he and Clarkson harassed two women on Sunday night.

Alexis Jones, an activist devoted toward women’s equality, uploaded photos of Young and Clarkson in a car on her Instagram account. Jones then accused them of sexually harassing her and her 68-year-old mother.

“Aye if you want some attention take a pic of me and say anything next to it and post. The world we live in,” Young said in a tweet that has since been deleted.

Young also is considering filing a lawsuit against Jones, according to a source familiar with his thinking.

Lakers spokesman John Black said he spoke with Jones earlier on Monday. Black added the organization is taking the accusation “very seriously” and looking into the situation.

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will be at the Lakers’ game on Tuesday against Memphis at Staples Center to make what the NBA called a “major announcement.” AP Photo/Kathy Willens

The NBA appears likely to attract buzz in the next few years at Staples Center. The variables could go beyond how well the Lakers rebuild or if the Clippers make a deep playoff push.

The NBA and AEG plan to make what they call “major announcement” at Staples Center on Tuesday prior to when the Lakers (14-55) host the Memphis Grizzlies (40-30).

What the “major announcement” will entail could not be immediately confirmed. But it appears likely the news will entail Staples Center planning to host the NBA All-Star game in 2018. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, AEG President and CEO Dan Beckerman, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission President Kathy Schloessman will attend a pre-game press conference.

This would mark the third time Staples Center has hosted the NBA All-Star game since opening in 1999, including in 2004 and 2011.

Former Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal collected his second of third All-Star MVP trophies in 2004, while Lakers guard Kobe Bryant secured his fourth and final All-Star MVP honor in 2011. NBA All-Star weekend in 2011 also featured the Lakers unveiling Jerry West’s statue outside Staples Center as well as Clippers forward Blake Griffin winning the Dunk Contest.

The NBA also hosted All-Star games in Los Angeles both at the L.A. Sports Arena (1963) and at the Forum (1972, 1983).

USA Today’s Sam Amick first reported last month the initial discussions the NBA had about Staples Center hosting the All-Star game in 2018.

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com

Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell was happy to hear he will close out games for the rest of the season. (Photo by Stephen Carr / Daily Breeze)

The towel draped around D’Angelo Russell’s head as he sat on the bench and watched his teammates close out games. The images hardly looked as fun as one of Russell’s dazzling passes or shots.

But with the Lakers’ starting lineup laboring through slow starts, coach Byron Scott leaned on his reserves and their superior collective play. So, Russell stressed he “wasn’t aggravated,” mindful that those reserves helped the Lakers climb out of double-digit deficits. But Russell sounded pleased with the news that Scott will feature him late in games, including when the Lakers (14-55) host the Memphis Grizzlies (40-30) on Tuesday at Staples Center.

“That’s great,” Russell said after practice on Monday at the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo. “It’s a great thing to hear.”
Continue reading “Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell says it’s “great to hear” he’ll close out games regardless of play” »

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is considered “50-50” to play on Tuesday vs. the Memphis Grizzlies
(Photo by Keith Birmingham/ Pasadena Star-News)

It has become the most pressing question among reporters. Same with Lakers fans who want to buy tickets.

Will Kobe Bryant play?

“I don’t mind it,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said. “I just don’t have answers. I wish I did. Sometimes I don’t know until up to game time.”

That includes when the Lakers (14-55) host the Memphis Grizzlies (40-30) on Tuesday at Staples Center. Scott considered the chances of Bryant’s return at “50-50” after he missed six of the previous 10 games because of his sore right shoulder. Scott said he has not determined if he would start Larry Nance Jr. at the small forward spot if Bryant cannot play. But consider Scott’s odds as meaning very little.

Scott said he had not talked with Bryant on Monday. Scott also reported a “75-25” chance Bryant would play last Friday against Phoenix that morning, only for Bryant to tell him otherwise in the afternoon.

“You got good math. It’s a lot worse than 75-25,” Scott said to a reporter, laughing. “Obviously the 50-50, you don’t feel good about that when you feel good about 75-25.”
Continue reading “Lakers’ Byron Scott calls it “50-50” for Kobe Bryant to play vs. Memphis” »

Lakers coach Byron Scott remains undecided if Kobe Bryant will play on a pair of back-to-backs this week. (photo by John McCoy/Los Angeles News Group)

Kobe Bryant’s goal seems pretty simple.

The Lakers’ 37-year-old star wants to play in as many of the 13 remaining games as sore right shoulder will allow him. But his track record has shown that Bryant will not miss any final appearances in road venues or any home games against marquee teams or opponents.

That left Lakers coach Byron Scott still optimistic Bryant could play both when the Lakers (14-55) host the Memphis Grizzlies (40-30) on Tuesday at Staples Center and in Wednesday’s contest against Phoenix. But after Bryant missing six of the past 10 games because of his injury, the Lakers are still listing him as questionable.

“I hope he feels a whole lot better. That’s the biggest thing,” Scott said. “As much as I understand his priorities in he feels he needs to play, I still feel he has to take care of himself. I’m looking out for him 10 years down the line. I don’t want him to get some permanent damage in his shoulder where they have to do something reconstructive or crazy. That’s the only thing I’m saying to him right now.”

Scott plans to have more conversations with Bryant on Monday and likely on Tuesday leading up to game time.

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com

Lakers coach Byron Scott has considered starting Larry Nance Jr. at times at the small forward position (Photo by Stephen Carr / Daily Breeze)

His first NBA season has taken Larry Nance Jr. seemingly everywhere.

He has defied gravity with jaw-dropping dunks. He has shed his reputation as an energy player into a versatile one. He has played seamlessly in any role asked of him as a starter and reserve.

But Nance will experience something that will soon test the bandwidth on how much and how fast he can grow. Lakers coach Byron Scott has considered starting Nance at the small forward position despite his inexperience both at the spot and in taking 3-pointers.

“I expect him to struggle with it,” Scott said.

And yet Scott could make that lineup change whenever Kobe Bryant sits out with shoulder issues for a few simple reasons.

The Lakers do not expect rookie forward Anthony Brown to return this season despite receiving clearance to have his boot removed from his injured right foot. Lakers forward Nick Young has received healthy scratches for four consecutive games after averaging 7.3 points on 33.9 percent shooting. Lakers forward Metta World Peace appeared limited in his last two starts, posting a combined eight points on 3-of-12 shooting. And Scott believes Nance’s presence at the small forward spot could complement Julius Randle at the power forward position.

“This is a new position he’s learning, but the one thing with Larry is when you put him in that position, he’ll think a lot right now,” Scott said. “In his normal position, he just plays. The thing I expect for him is to learn the position as much as possible. But I still expect the energy.”
Continue reading “Byron Scott considering starting Larry Nance Jr. at small forward” »

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott plans to feature his young players to close games “no matter what.”
(Photo by Stephen Carr / Daily Breeze)

Through the next generation, the Lakers have high hopes that D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson will deliver star power and championships.

But for the past week, those three players sat in the fourth quarter amid Byron Scott’s hope they would learn after laboring through sluggish starts.

Until now.

Scott said those three will close out games “no matter what,” including when the Lakers (14-55) host the Memphis Grizzlies (40-30) on Tuesday at Staples Center.

“They have to figure it out,” Scott said on Sunday after practice. “My goal for the next 13 games is to allow them to be out there and play through the mistakes.”
Continue reading “Lakers’ Byron Scott to feature young core late in games “no matter what”” »

Lakers head coach Byron Scott, criticized the first unit for lacking trust.
(Photo by Keith Birmingham/ Pasadena Star-News)

The shots endlessly hit off the mark. Players appeared more intent to go one-on-one than pass the ball. They moved nearly in slow motion.

Later on, the points piled up nearly by the basket. Players made crisp passes and hit the open man. They ran at a swift pace as if someone hit the fast forward button.

Think the Lakers’ have split identities? They do. But it hardly resembles a Jekyll-and-Hyde persona. Instead, the Lakers showed in their 93-90 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday at Staples Center how their starting and reserve units have completely opposite personalities.

“Lack of trust with each other to me is evident,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said of his starting unit. “They don’t cover for each other.”

And the reserves?

“Maximum effort from those guys and they will play the right way,” Scott said. “They’ll try to get the ball to each other and play together. They’ll communicate with each other.”

Continue reading “Lakers’ Byron Scott faults starting unit for lacking trust” »

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant will sit out of Friday’s game vs Phoenix.
(Photo by Keith Birmingham/ Pasadena Star-News)

So much for Kobe Bryant’s optimism on Friday morning.

After the Lakers’ star reported his intentions to play in Friday’s game against the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center, Bryant will instead sit out because of continuous soreness in his right shoulder.

“I don’t know what changed,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said. “It was good this morning. This afternoon it didn’t feel good.”

This will mark the sixth game Bryant has missed in the previous 10 contests, all of which have been at home. Bryant’s participation has also followed a continual pattern in which he will appear in road games and home games against marquee players or opponents.

Yet, Scott still offered some sympathy, arguing, “When he tells me he can’t go, I know he’s hurting.”

“He has to think about himself more than anything and his future after basketball,” Scott said. “He doesn’t want to do damage to his shoulder so much that in 5-10 years from now he has to go get surgery again.”

Scott quickly revealed that Lakers forward Metta World Peace will start in Bryant’s place for the second consecutive game. But Scott sounded less sure if Bryant will sit on the bench, let alone attend the game.

“If I was thinking about it at that particular time, I probably would have said, ‘KB come to the game and support the guys. But I wasn’t thinking about that. I was thinking more about him. I didn’t get to that discussion.'”

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com