Byron Scott is now the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers when both sides have agreed on a contract signing. ESPN.com reports that Scott and the Lakers came in to terms on a four-year, $17 million deal which includes a team option on the final year of the contract. The former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach acknowledge his new coaching position on KCBS-TV Saturday night.
"It feels fantastic," he told KCBS-TV. "This is a dream come true. I always wanted to coach the Lakers, especially when I got to coaching. It's so unreal. I have to thank Mitch, Jeanie and Jim Buss to give me this opportunity."
Byron Scott was instrumental to the New Orleans Hornets previous success. The team had a 56-26 winning record on the 2007-2008 season and reached the second round of the playoffs when Super Star point guard Chris Paul was still orchestrating the team's offense. During this season, Scott was selected as the head coach of the 2008 Western Conference All-Star team and was awarded the 2007-2008 NBA Coach of the Year. The Hornets, however, were unable to reach the next level and the team eventually parted ways with Byron Scott on 2009. The following year, Scott became head coach of a Cleveland Cavaliers team days after LeBron decided to sign with the Miami Heat. It was clearly an out-and-out mess Cavalier team testament to its 19-63 record which was the second worst record in the NBA.
This time, Byron Scott will become head coach of a reeling Lakers team. Once the undisputed Kings of Los Angeles, the Lakers have watched the Clippers take over their crown for two consecutive seasons now. The team missed out on Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Kevin Love, and any big name that you can think off this summer in the 2014 NBA Free Agency. They also lost Pau Gasol to the Chicago Bulls and are now overpaying decaying veterans and absorbed Jeremy Lin's huge contract from the Houston Rockets.
But at least the Lakers now have a new head coach after they fired Mike D'Antoni. Kobe Bryant is unrealistically demanding instant contention with the little years left on his aging legs. Someone like Byron Scott may be the type of addition that would help ease the myriad of problems happening in Laker Land. But he could also perhaps be the latest misstep in the darkest era in Lakers History.
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