Lakers head coach Byron Scott may need to make a change regarding Kobe Bryant’s minutes

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott was either going to develop the young players and hope to win a few games or play to win every time out. Unfortunately, it seems like there is no rhyme, reason or even consistency in how Scott is running his team. As a coach expected to either win or develop young talent, he’s doing neither.

Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell‘s roles as starters aren’t the problem, but rather Kobe Bryant playing for 30-plus minutes is; that’s something that should be addressed and now. Kobe announced his retirement a few weeks ago. At that point, Scott should have changed the goal of the season.

The original goal was to win and make the playoffs, but a lot had to go right for that to happen. First Kobe had to be playing like his younger self, and that wasn’t going to happen, the best we could ask for is that he is even two-thirds of where he was let’s say five years ago.

Every now and again you will see some of that Kobe brilliance. Most of the young players seem to feel it’s their job to feed Kobe to please the crowds. After all they are paying money now to see him and the more that he gets the attention, the more enamored they become.

Why not call it a day during a year of rebuilding and say goodbye to a Lakers legend who fans all over the world adore? If you are going to rebuild, then let the young guys play and know you’re going to lose. If they win, great, but sit the aging veteran star on the bench; let him play a few minutes a quarter, and that’s it.

Even if he does make $25 million this year, the Lakers organization has paid Kobe to recuperate for the last two years, if they have him playing 3-5 minutes per quarter, that’s better than the last two years, right? Kobe will not only have fresh legs, but he will be itching to play well and make a difference.

If you are a realist, you would know that this was never supposed to be a winning team. You wished and hoped for a playoff team, but knew in your gut that it would take a miracle. The Lakers have a great PR team; writers were almost sold early on that there was a possibility of a finally enjoying a winning season. Losing games isn’t the problem; the problem is the young players are not getting the minutes they need to jell as a team, to learn, to grow and feel comfortable playing in the NBA.

Maybe instead of benching Randle and Russell, Scott should bench Kobe or at least reduce his minutes. The Lakers are losing every game and he’s not playing the young players the majority of the game, so it really can’t get any worse. Kobe can coach the young players when they are on the bench and he can continue that attitude he had when he was on fire against the Wizards to help energize and support these young Lakers.

Larry Nance Jr. showed fans in the Toronto game that he had some energy on defense, was shooting efficiently (but only on four shots in 29 minutes), and rebounding the ball during the game. Julius Randle isn’t too happy about the coaches decision to have him come off the bench; you could tell in his post game presser after the Lakers lost another game to the Raptors. Randle was asked how he felt coming off the bench and said, “I can control only what I can control.” James Worthy also said on the broadcast that he doesn’t understand what Coach Scott was doing.

D’Angelo Russell‘s answer to the same question, “Playing off the ball was just something I have to get used too, so if that’s what coach wants…we just never finish the game.” Both of the Lakers young stars have the same mindset, but Randle appears to be more upset about the situation. Both players played 21 minutes each tonight, Kobe and Jordan Clarkson played 32 minutes each, and Lou Williams got 31 minutes.

After the news of Scott’s decision to bench Randle and Russell, Twitter was ablaze with ‘tank talk.’ If we are going to tank, and that’s been decided by management, coaches, or the players, then just start tanking and leave Kobe on the bench longer. They want the minutes to go to the younger players as opposed to the veterans.

A happy Kobe told reporters tonight post-game that he is helping the kids trying to find themselves, and he was happy when he found out he shot 50 percent in the game. He also told them that when he plays the Lakers are better, so it’s up to him to be better. But he can’t be let off the hook, right?

Lakers fans are not looking for just wins now; they are looking to watch the youth play the game and for the veterans to teach them how to be successful in the NBA. Fans love Bryant as a legend of the game and want to celebrate his final season. They can do that by getting a taste of Kobe in each game, but also letting him relax on the bench and soak it all in.