LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Byron Scott of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on in the first half while taking on the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on April 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott will not be returning to the Staples Center in the fall after two terrible seasons, the team announced.
Scott, 55, coached the Lakers for the two worst seasons in the 16-time NBA champion franchise’s history, accumulating a record of 38-126.
The departure of Scott, who still had two seasons left on his contract, came just 10 days after Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, 37, played his last game and retired after 20 seasons with the team.
The Lakers finished with the NBA’s second-worst record at 17-65 this season, losing four more games than in its previous franchise-worst season in 2014-2015.
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Team general manager Mitch Kupchak stated: “We would like to thank Byron for his hard work, dedication and loyalty over the last two years, but have decided it is in the best interest of the organization to make a change at this time.” Kupchack recently praised Scott for the way he handled Bryant’s farewell season. Bryant scored 60 points in his final game, a victory over the Utah Jazz.
Scott won three NBA titles as a shooting guard for the Lakers in the 1980s, playing alongside Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy on some of the greatest teams in NBA history.
“This is my dream job, and obviously you want the opportunity to turn it all around,” Scott said. “But I understand the business of basketball, and it’s all about wins and losses.”
The Lakers are now looking for their fifth head coach since Phil Jackson left in 2011.
Mike Brown and Mike D’Antoni were also fired and Bernie Bickerstaff was also interim coach for a short spell.
The team will keep its high draft pick if it finishes in the top 3 of the NBA draft lottery next month and will also have more than $40million in salary cap room to offer free agents.
The once-glamorous franchise has been incredibly unsuccessful in attracting or keeping marquee free agents over the past four seasons, notably losing Dwight Howard to the Houston Rockets and Pau Gasol to the Chicago Bulls.
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 13: Byron Scott of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on in the first half while taking on the Utah Jazz at Staples Center on April 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.
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