James Worthy is loath to criticize former teammate Byron Scott
In-studio NBA analysts, let’s be honest, don’t usually create heaps of legendary reports. Yes, Charles Barkley continues to entertain (even if we’re not entirely sure if he watches League Pass) and someone like Bobby Jackson will pop up from time to time, but the limitations of the medium and the fact that many are paid (however indirectly) by the team they “cover” tends to get in the way of anything memorable.
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This is why it isn’t the biggest journalistic crime in late-night, deep local cable history if these ex-players play favorites. Against an ex-coach. In the face of an opposing team they haven’t bothered to watch all season. In favor of a buddy, and/or ex-teammate.
The last bit is in direct reference to Time Warner Cable SportsNet’s James Worthy. A Los Angeles Laker legend and three-time NBA champion that won each of those rings alongside Byron Scott. Scott is the beleaguered Los Angeles coach that is currently leading the West’s worst team. Worthy, asked by the very definition of his job to comment on each of the team’s 43 losses (in 54 tries, this season), appears to have a hard time taking Scott to task in comparison to the work of his predecessor.
From a talk with Bill Oram, in the middle of a fantastic piece, at the Orange County Register:
(Emphasis mine.)
“But for decisions made by Byron right now, going through this experimental growth period, there’s nothing to be critical of.”
What.
While TWC SportsNet is not owned by the Lakers, the network could fairly be considered an extension of the organization. The team’s official television partner, it is the home for all games, nightly studio shows and original programming. The sides are in the fourth year of a 20-year agreement reportedly worth $3 billion.
Oh.
For those that have understandably ignored the Lakers this season as the NBA hits its All-Star break, we’ll try to recap in ways that won’t take 2400 words.
This is a rebuilding team that needs to finish within the top three of the lottery in order to keep its first round draft pick. The franchise drafted a 19-year old guard in D’Angelo Russell last June to pair with similarly-fresh Julius Randle, who played all of 14 minutes in 2014-15 before breaking his leg and missing his entire season. The squad is also filled with future rotation hopefuls that need seasoning and guidance, something to give prospective free agents incentive to want to team up with during the offseason, when the Lakers will have oodles of salary cap space and the allure of Los Angeles.
It also features Kobe Bryant, in his final year, taking nearly 17 shots per game in 29 minutes a contest, making 35 percent of his looks. Predicted to be a breadwinner for Los Angeles in his final season, paid more than any other player, presiding over a team that is on its way toward a fourth consecutive season of record-low ratings.
All while Scott designates reserve roles for Randle (for five weeks, starting in December) and Russell (ongoing, since mid-December). While the Lakers have the worst defense in the NBA and second-worst offense. While Kobe, on the farewell tour, shoots 6-25 in a visit to Indianapolis on Monday.
The latter would be permissible. Outside of perhaps Allen Iverson, Kobe is the most entertaining shot-misser of his generation (I swear that this is not a diss), and there is not a lot to in Indianapolis on a Monday night (that was a diss) – the Pacers won, the fans got what they wanted. Letting Randle shoot just nine times (he made five, with 19 rebounds) while the Laker guards combined to shoot 20-73 is something altogether different, as the Lakers supposedly look to the future.
James Worthy, however, is unconcerned:
“I think Byron’s right,” Worthy said. “Sometimes you have to allow younger players to watch from the bench.”
Sometimes you have to let older players watch from the bench. Watching from the pine and determining how, exactly, you’ll fit in is incredibly important to all players of varying shapes, sizes, roles, and ages. Harrison Barnes, to these eyes, came back a better player from his midseason injury woes due to his time watching the Warriors in street clothes.
You can have it both ways, though. Scott isn’t to be completely shamed for benching Russell: Kobe Bryant didn’t start until his third season. It’s the brusque manner in which Scott has handled his younger crew that could act as a career-altering batch of alienation, something that tends to run deep with those of whom that are two weeks away from turning 20.
What’s Worthy going to do, though?
As the OCR (don’t call it that) correctly pointed out, he did rip on former Laker coach Mike D’Antoni for not having a firm grasp on his team, but despite the presence of Kobe (who idolized D’Antoni when he played in Italy) and the kind-of presence of former Suns compatriot Steve Nash, D’Antoni never should have coached that team.
James Worthy is there to provide pabulum for a team that is attempting to lose games in the months before, Los Angeles hopes, the Lakers can rebuild with Bryant out of the picture and with the punters rushing back to watch Laker games on cable.
He’s going to make every excuse for his friend and former teammate Byron Scott, who probably has just two months left as Laker coach. Scott is the most visible link between Worthy’s era, Kobe Bryant’s era (Scott was a teammate of Kobe’s in 1996-97), and whatever the heck comes next after the Kobester retires. It’s probably not worth it to kick around a friend, no matter how poor a job he might be doing, just for the sake of barely-watched cable fodder in February.
Does that make James Worthy a respected journalist? Nah, but that’s not what we’re after in this silly sports realm, and that’s just fine.
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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KDonhoops
