Scott last coached the Cavaliers in 2012-2013 (USATSI)
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UPDATE: Byron Scott went on the NBA's SiriusXM radio station on Thursday and confirmed that the interview took place.
"It is true," Scott said. "I did interview with the Lakers. I talked to Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss and had a great time talking to those guys. Obviously I go way back with Mitch — teammates for a while, and won a couple of championships together. So it was good. That's basically all I can tell you. It was good, I had a lot of fun talking to them. And hopefully we'll be taking again soon, and we'll see what happens."
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The Los Angeles Lakers interviewed Byron Scott about their vacant head-coaching position on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Chris Broussard and USA Today's Sam Amick. Scott played for the Lakers from 1983 to 1993, and last coached in the NBA for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2010 to 2013.
Los Angeles general manager Mitch Kupchak spoke to reporters on a conference call on Wednesday, via USA Today:
"I'm sure (coaching candidate) names will come out within the next couple of days, but we have started our process and we intend to continue the process in terms of talking to potential coaches, whether they're informal or formal interviews," Kupchak said. "I would not anticipate hiring a coach in the next two to three weeks, but we'll interview several – more than three or four probably. Yes, we have begun."
…"I have to say we're leaning toward the type of the coach we would want (and) I would say there would be experience involved, certainly on some level, but not necessarily," Kupchak said. "There's no urgency right now, so it will be a more deliberate process."
Scott would definitely bring experience, having coached the New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. That could not be said for rumored candidate Derek Fisher, who is playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs and is also reportedly the "front-runner" for the New York Knicks job. On Wednesday, the Lakers interviewed veteran coach Mike Dunleavy, who coached the team from 1990 to 1992.
Los Angeles went 27-55 last season, and signing up to coach the team might mean waiting a while before getting back into the postseason. It's a marquee job in a huge market, but it would be a lot more attractive if there was more talent. Kobe Bryant will be 36 when the season starts, and the rest of the roster is essentially up in the air.
Scott compiled a 416-521 coaching record over 13 seasons.
Basketball Hot News
Report: Kevin Garnett expected to return to Nets for one more season
I can give you 12 million reasons Kevin Garnett will return to the Brooklyn Nets next season.
Okay, it’s more than just that, I imagine the way the season went and with it ending at the hands of LeBron James and the Miami Heat didn’t sit well, he’d like another shot. Watching him try to coach on the sidelines in the playoffs you can tell he still has a passion for the game.
Still, there were some reports he would potentially retire after this season, especially after he struggled in the postseason.
Don’t bet on that reports the New York Post (hat tip Eye on Basketball).
Still, all indications have been — despite the drop in production this season — Garnett will be back in Brooklyn for what would be the 20th season of his stellar NBA career. The fact is $12 million is an awful lot of money – no matter how much you’ve made in the past – and after playing much, much better over the final few months of the season, it would be easy to see Garnett agreeing to rejoin Pierce for one final season in Brooklyn before riding off into the sunset next summer.
So, how do you use KG next year?
He struggled playing the four yearly in the season next to Brook Lopez, shooting 36.4 percent in the team’s first 31 games. But after Lopez went down for the season with an injury and Garnett had to move over to the five in a small-ball lineup, he thrived shooting 55 percent.
Brook Lopez will be back next season, so how does coach Jason Kidd put both of them in position to thrive next year? Kidd has some work to do next season.
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