The emphasis in Los Angeles is on young, developing talent. At the same time, Kobe Bryant is in the midst of his farewell tour with performances that sometimes evoke memories of a brilliant career and, just as often, remind us that Father Time is undefeatable.
This is the state of the current Purple and Gold—an odd mixture of past, present and future, overseen by the ghosts of championships past in both Bryant and Byron Scott.
But if Bryant can at least still wield on-court firepower while also mentoring teammates, Scott seems to be ebbing further and further from relevancy.
Indeed, if the Lakers’ current head coach were to receive a power ranking, it would be at the lowest end of a sliding scale. Scott seems out of touch with the modern NBA, and he's equally unable to connect when it comes to fundamental basketball principles.
Meanwhile, the roster members, some rising and others fading, continue their dogged march forward.
Stats are courtesy of NBA.com, ESPN.com and Basketball-Reference.com and are current as of the start of games December 28.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
