Development of young players will help determine Lakers’ future
Lakers Coach Byron Scott says second-year forward Julius Randle, left, and rookie guard D’Angelo Russell, right, must start playing “like a brotherhood” with other young players on the team.
The growth of D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle will determine how bright of a future the Lakers will have.
All three have shown progress this season, but they will have to continue to develop at a high level if the Lakers are to have any chance of returning to their normal heights in the NBA.
“It’s important for them to play together, because they are going to make some mistakes,” Lakers Coach Byron Scott said. “They’re all young. But it’s important for them to learn how to play with each other. It’s important for them to get some type of chemistry on that basketball court and hopefully off the court as well.
“Obviously they’re all in our plans of being with this organization and they have got to find a way to co-exist. And I think that’s the biggest key with all of them right now.”
Rookies Larry Nance Jr. and Anthony Brown are a part of “the equation” as well, Scott said.
But rookie Russell and second-year players Clarkson and Randle are the ones who are expected to bond.
“But you’ve got to get to a point in this game when you’re playing with each other like that, you’ve got to love each other,” Scott said. “It’s got to be like a brotherhood and that’s what we want them to get to.”
Bryant, Clarkson out
Kobe Bryant (sore right shoulder) and Clarkson (strained tendon in left knee) didn’t play Friday night’s game against Atlanta and both are questionable for Sunday’s game against Golden State.
Clarkson worked out at the shootaround Friday morning, but Scott didn’t like what he saw.
“Structurally everything is fine,” Scott said. “So that’s a good thing… But my fear is putting him back out there and he’s not 100% [Friday night] and he jumps off it once or twice and he comes down and he’s at the same place he was a few days ago. So I would rather just give it a couple more days of rest and treatment and see how he feels for Sunday.”
Scott said Bryant won’t be “pain-free” the rest of the season.
“Hopefully a few more days of rest and treatment will get it to the point where he can go out there and play,” Scott said.
Follow Broderick Turner on Twitter: @BA_Turner
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