The Latest Laker Fiasco: Byron Scott Is Fired

Gregg Popovich has coached the San Antonio Spurs for 18 years and the Spurs have made the playoffs every year.

RC Buford is the general manager. Buford and Popovich work extremely well together. They annually bring in another good player to support their longtime stars.

This is a model franchise.

The Lakers used to be a model franchise. They won the NBA championship 16 times. Players left other teams to join them. This was a prized destination.

But today we see that three coaches have been hired and fired since Jerry Buss died and left the franchise to son Jim Buss and daughter Jeannie Buss.

Last week Byron Scott was fired. Before him Mike Brown and Mike DAntoni were hired, then fired.

Instead of continuity the Lakers now have chaos. It’s a shame.

Hey, Jim, Jeanie and General Manager Mitch Kupchak, it’s time to understand the Lakers will remain terrible no matter who becomes the next coach if the roster isn’t greatly improved.

No coach could have done well with the rosters the Lakers have had in the last four years.

Who’s fault is it? Does Jim Buss restrict Kupchak? I don’t know. Does Kupchak have free reign but has been unable to attract prime players? I don’t have answers except to know the present administration isn’t getting the job done.

Pau Gasol was making $19 million a season but the Lakers chased him away. Did Jim Buss think Jordan Hill, a forward who was making only $9 million, could play center just as well? I don’t know but Hill wasn’t a center.

This season another forward, Brandon Bass, logged a lot of minutes at center in relief of starter Roy Hibbert. He was out of position too as the Lakers won only 17 games.

By the way, Bass has become a free agent and says he’s not coming back to the Lakers.

In the long history of professional sports some owners have taken the easy way out -- fire the coach – instead of admitting they deserved a large share of the blame. The Lakers appear to be in this category now.

Free agents know the Lakers are struggling with their identity. It’s not a healthy environment for the Lakers to be in after they were rejected by the free agents they went after last summer.

In a recent column I suggested the Lakers should hire a well-respected alumnus, perhaps Jerry West, to lure free agents.

But I’m hearing the Lakers are waiting for Phil Jackson to escape his New York Knicks contract a year from now to come back to them. He was a great coach but will he have a major impact in attracting free agents? We’ll see.

But first, are the Lakers going to be awful for a fifth consecutive year? is that the best we can hope for?

I won’t be excited when the Lakers name their new coach because he isn’t likely to have the talent necessary for a dramatic climb in the standings.

No matter who he is.