Sunday night saw the first substantial change to the Lakers lineup not brought on by injury with the demotion of Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer and the promotion of Ronnie Price and Ed Davis.
The result was nearly identical to most other Lakers’ games this season, a blowout defeat with the Lakers hardly competing in the second half.
Afterwards, though, head coach Byron Scott did not panic on the new rotation, insisting that it would stay in place for the near future.
On the surface, this doesn’t seem like good news. The Lakers point guards tonight both responded with lackluster performances in new roles, combining for six points and neither looking comfortable in the new positions.
Meanwhile, veteran Carlos Boozer was not only displeased with the move, but also left the arena without talking to the media after the game.
Byron Scott says Carlos Boozer wasn't happy about lineup change (1/2): "Wasn't happy about it, which made me happy."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) December 8, 2014
More Byron Scott on Carlos Boozer (2/2): "If he was happy about it then I know right then, that it didn't mean anything to him."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) December 8, 2014
Carlos Boozer left without speaking to reporters
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) December 8, 2014
Clearly, not all the Lakers are happy with the move. However, as professionals, you’d expect them to handle it with professionalism.
The positive to this is that it allows the players to fit into their roles better, but if they aren’t suited for said roles, you’re forcing the issue for quite a long time. In 15-20 games, the Lakers will be halfway through the season and any chance at competing will likely be a lost cause.
Do you think Scott is smart for keeping this new lineup for 15-20 games? Let us know why or why not in the comments below.