Following Friday’s 17-point loss to Memphis, head coach Byron Scott cited a lack of leadership as a key factor, as Kobe Bryant sat out with a sore shoulder.
Though it’ll be difficult for anybody to replace Bryant — and 18-time All-Star and the league’s third-highest scorer of all-time — Scott is steadily seeing more from rookie D’Angelo Russell.
“I think he’s being a little reluctant,” Scott said at Sunday’s practice. “And I think the guys respect him. But I think they’re still sitting there like: ‘Alright, you’ve gotta still kind of show me that this is something that you want to do, as far as if you wanna lead.