Byron Scott demotes D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle, takes them out of the starting lineup

I believe that Scott is simply a bad coach. I'm very surprised that he is still there. What tanking? They could not win a ballgame anyway (as you can figure out from their record). Now he is breaking the confidence of the Lakers most valuable assets. It'll take a great effort to make them confident players again. There will never be a better opportunity to let these players develop playing against the best in the NBA than this season. Look how Wiggins developed in Minny, when he could play big minutes from the beginning. I think both Randle and Russell would now be grateful if the Lakers traded them.

 

This isn't the first time Byron Scott has benched a star player. Remember Jeremy Lin?

 

No. Who is that?

 

While other teams are about 3 pt, fast pace, defense, team work, Byron Scott is about intense to the point of throwing up practices. Because that's how you win top pick in this league.


“Usually I have a couple guys that are throwing up,” Scott said.

Rookie D’Angelo Russell said he got a taste of Scott’s love for conditioning during summer league practices.

“You knew what it was going to be so you just got to go through it,” he said.

Tuesday’s practice was just a glimpse at what’s to come, Scott said. The Lakers practiced three hours in the afternoon, and will practice twice daily each of the next two days.

As things get going, Scott said, he will up the intensity.

“It was a pretty good introduction,” he said of the first practice. “Will I ramp it up a little bit more? Yeah. If we’re going to lose some games this year, it’s not going to be because we’re not in shape. A lack of condition. If we’re going to lose games, it’s going to be because some teams are just better than we were that night.

“But the one thing I want our team to be is, in that fourth quarter, I want our team to be strong mentally as well as physically and then we’ll see what happens.”

 

Sounds like Byron Scott is trying to bring back the Pat Riley Laker mojo from the 80s.