Analysis: The strange silence coming from the Lakers regarding Scott’s future
Lakers Coach Byron Scott and GM Mitch Kupchak have said little about the coach’s status with the team heading into the final two months of the season.
The general manager won’t say anything substantive about his head coach. The head coach won’t share what the general manager has said to him.
If this strange silence in Lakerland was designed to subdue the rampant speculation about Byron Scott’s future as coach, it will almost certainly have the opposite effect.
As if the Lakers aren’t already enough of a circus.
Scott added to the intrigue Thursday when he mentioned that he spoke to General Manager Mitch Kupchak the previous day but refused to provide any details about their conversation.
Asked if Kupchak offered him any clarity on his status, Scott scrunched his mouth and gently bobbed his head. Whatever trace of a smile that was on his face vanished.
“Our conversation was a good conversation,” Scott said.
Clearly, they didn’t talk about extending his contract.
Scott’s conversation with Kupchak occurred sometime after the general manager addressed the media.
When asked about Scott’s performance by reporters Wednesday, Kupchak declined to answer the question. His rationale was doing so could send him tumbling down a rabbit hole of Scott-related inquiries.
But, really, would it really be that much trouble to say something nice about the embattled coach?
That Kupchak spoke to Scott later in the day indicates that he was aware of how his silence might be interpreted.
Scott wouldn’t or couldn’t clear the air Thursday.
“You guys are going to speculate anyway, so what the hell,” said Scott, who sounded resigned.
Whatever his fate, there will be plenty of more days like this. Nearly two months remain in the regular season.
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