Before the Luke Walton Era began in Los Angeles, Byron Scott was running the Lakers show as Kobe Bryant gracefully eased into retirement. Two seasons and only 38 wins into Scott's four-year contract as coach, however, the team cut ties with him, leaving him with a sour taste in his mouth with how things went down.
In a candid interview with the Orange County Register, Scott says he "felt betrayed, lied to and deceived" by the Lakers front office. He claims neither Jim Buss nor Mitch Kupchak held true to their promise to pick up Scott's team option for the 2016-17 season. Scott suggested they only kept him on as coach to manage Kobe Bryant before the guard hung up his sneakers for good -- and eventually made Scott a scapegoat for the lack of success on the floor.
"If I asked him to do certain things, Kobe would do it because of his respect for me," Scott said. "Basically, you just wanted me there to help you guys get through the next two years, so Kobe doesn't go crazy on you guys. I would be the one that can handle it. They know me. I'm not going to back down. I'm not going to be intimidated by anybody."
Since Scott's tenure, the Lakers have moved on from former executives Buss and Kupchak and placed Magic Johnson in charge as president of basketball operations. The organization remains committed to Walton, despite winning just 26 games last season, as the team looks to rebuild around the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA Draft next month and a promising young core of talent.
As for Scott and his future in coaching, he says the college level might be his next stop so he can avoid politics at the professional ranks.
"They give you more time and you have a little bit more security," Scott said. "There are too many teams in the NBA where owners and general managers say one thing and then the next year do another. I just don't like the disloyalty and the politics that are going on a lot in the NBA. If I coach again, the collegiate level would be the better fit for me."
