Luke Walton’s recent lineup changes have earned him comparisons to Lakers’ former head coach Byron Scott, but the two could not be more different.
Lakers’ head coach Luke Walton has been in hot water lately because of his changes to starting lineup. Particularly, his decision to move D’Angelo Russell to the bench in favor of Jordan Clarkson.
Some have compared what the former Warriors assistant coach is doing to what Byron Scot did last year, but that’s just not fair and I’m going to tell you why.
1. Walton is doing it with good intentions
I remember reading a Byron Scott quote recently where he said, “that wood has a good way of talking to your butt…” While Scott made it his mission to attack the guys he was benching through the media, Luke has done the opposite.
Luke Walton has told the media multiple times that D’Angelo has done great this season, but they’re trying to figure out things about other players, like Clarkson. He has not taken any shots at Russell and is simply doing the right thing for the franchise here. He already knows what Russell can do, but the rest of the guys are still competing for roster spots next year.
2. Walton has a championship coaching pedigree
Like Byron Scott, Walton won multiple rings with the Lakers. Unlike Scott, Walton has won a ring as an assistant coach with the Warriors. A lot of people will think he just carried Steve Kerr’s coattails, but an argument can be made Walton got the Dubs to play better for him than Kerr ever has. Walton guided the team to an unprecedented 39-4 start without Kerr including 24 straight victories.
The point is Walton knows what he’s doing. He’s trying to see if there are any other pieces on the current roster that will fit his game plan. In Luke, we should trust. Once he gets the right pieces there’s no reason why the Lakers shouldn’t be at the top once again.
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3. Walton works with the new front office regime
Whatever decisions Walton’s making are fully supported by new POBO and GM Magic Johnson and Pelinka. Both members of the new regime have been very involved in the process. Both have been seen at practice and speaking with the players. The communication between the three is big because it shows their all have the same vision for the team.
Scott, on the other hand, didn’t have Mitch or Jim Buss coming down to practices or talking to guys. It might not seem like a big deal but look what happened to them. Since Magic and Pelinka are more involved with Walton and the team it seems like they’re headed in the right direction.
Next: Walton wants Clarkson to be more vocal
Do you trust the new regime and Luke Walton? Let us know in the comments section and don’t forget to follow us on twitter @TheLakeShowLife.