The Los Angeles Lakers have struggled in recent years, missing the playoffs for four straight seasons and racking up more losses than the once-mighty franchise is accustomed to. Two of those losing seasons came during the reign of ex-head coach Byron Scott, who quickly lost favor with fans despite his history as a member of the “Showtime” Lakers teams of the 1980s.
Ultimately, last summer Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss, who were then in charge of Los Angeles’ front office, made the decision not to bring Scott back for a third season. Instead, they hired Golden State Warriors assistant Luke Walton, who was charged with changing the culture of the team and developing the young talent they had amassed.