Credit – USA TODAY Sports
Ever since the Lakers fired their Head Coach Darvin Ham, the mainstream media has been obsessing over his replacement.
The potential candidates’ list has included the likes of Ty Lue, JJ Redick, and Terry Stotts. However, some experts like ‘ShowTime’ Lakers legend Byron Scott have come up with a radical solution.
Scott recently half-jokingly floated the idea of LeBron James becoming a player coach like Bill Russell was back in the day. These comments by the Lakers legend opened up the floor for debate on the matter.
However, it also provided an opportunity for Skip Bayless to fire some shots at the NBA’s All-Time Leading Scorer.
As per Bayless, Byron Scott’s suggestion will never be implemented by LeBron because that would entail him taking full responsibility of his losses. James will never become a player-coach so that he can escape the accountability factor that comes with a coaching job.
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On his The Skip Bayless Show, the 72-year-old said,
“The GOAT needs a scapegoat. I did love Byron’s solution and he said this somewhat sarcastically, but very realistically. He said, you know, ‘LeBron should coach LeBron.’ Byron Scott suggested something that I have brought up before in years past. Why not LeBron coach yourself?”
The FS1 analyst underlined that James has the “highest IQ” in the NBA and could “pull off” such a challenging gambit. However, the veteran analyst re-iterated that the Lakers superstar won’t accept such a role because he’d want to evade the accountability that comes with it.
“He’d have no more excuse. If LeBron failed as player-coach, he couldn’t fire himself. Could he? No way he’d do that. No way he’d submit to the pressure of that, the expectation of that,” Bayless added.
While James being a player-coach is an unrealistic narrative, it is unclear who the Lakers would prefer as their new HC. As of now, they are pondering over the choices at their disposal.
A coach that suits LeBron James
While LeBron James will probably not take the role of player-coach, murmurs are strong that the Lakers would bring in someone who can be in sync with him. During his recent sit-down on The Mark Jackson Show, Patrick Ewing also posited the belief that the Lakers will need to hire a personality who can mesh with the legendary NBA athlete.
Therefore, JJ Redick has been figuring in the rumor mills too. Redick has turned heads with his basketball knowledge for many years. And his collaboration with LBJ on the Mind the Game podcast can be the deal-clincher. However, will the Lakers bank on someone who has never even been an Assistant Coach in the league?
The responsibilities of handling a locker room full of veterans can be challenging for the 37-year-old. Since the Suns have fired Frank Vogel, there are speculations that the LA franchise can avail his services as well. But as of now, everything is up in the air for the LakeShow.
