Byron Scott's fitting return to Los Angeles comes at a well needed time

Photo Courtesy of Jason Miller-Getty Images

Greetings all, I know it has been a while since my last post, but with the latest news on Byron Scott's return, I had to be back!

Scott, a three-time NBA champion and intricate part of the Showtime Era, has been under the Lakers radar for quite a while but on Saturday, news broke out of his signing with the purple and gold. Although there has not been much bright spots for the Lakers in this off season, Scott is a great addition to the team given his well respected relationship and history with the organization. In addition, Scott is not jumping into the upcoming season with a empty slate; he knows what type of situation the team is in given his work as a television analyst for the Time Warner Cable Sportnet program, the television spot that has taken over much of the Lakers coverage as of the 2012-2013 season.

Many have wondered how Scott and Kobe will mesh but since the two were close teammates at one point, I think that Bryant will sure to have a good connection with the 53-year old veteran coach. As a matter of fact, there had been numerous reports that Bryant made it clear that Scott would be a great individual to lead the team in the 2014-2015 campaign weeks prior to the initial reports of Scott's selection.

He is also familiar to coaching guys like Chris Paul and Jason Kidd so working with a player like Bryant should not be all too difficult for Scott to handle. What will be hard to handle is the press and ensuing fans that may still feel skeptic about Scott's capabilities as a coach. However, no one should have anything to worry at all.

Scott is already known to be quite a capable coach, having won the NBA Coach of the Year award back in 2008 as well as coaching in two NBA All-Star games (of which took place in 2002 and 2008). He also managed to lead the New Jersey Nets to the NBA Finals in two consecutive years but faltered both times, first to the Lakers (2002) and then the Spurs (2003).

Scott has a lot of work to do with parts of a team that may not look too promising. Bryant is entering into his 19th season in the Association with a roster full of 1-2 year contracts. Jeremy Lin, Carlos Boozer, and Julius Randle will surely help the team rack up much more victories than last year but without a well-sought out game plan, the purple and gold will not succeed for long stretches. Based on the outcome of the last few seasons, it is clear that a leader on the floor is not necessarily enough; every team needs a coach that is able to set a rhythm and pace that everyone will respect and agree upon, someone that Bryant can trust and not feel the urge to take over every single time he is out there. Phil Jackson had that magic but Mike's did not.

Jackson and Bryant had history and that enabled the two to effectively lead the team to great memorable years in Los Angeles that seem so distant as of late. Scott and Bryant also have history, a history stronger than most of the candidates up for the job this past year. This is why Scott has been the logical choice since the beginning, the same reason why many believed Brian Shaw could have taken the helm when Jackson retired.

The Lakers need a familiar face, a person to rally behind, especially if that person is the one who will primarily call the shots. Scott gives the Lakers that familiarity and also has the credentials to prove that he is no new face to winning and succeeding.

Now I am not saying that this upcoming journey will be an easy one, but at the same time, I believe that the fans must learn to patient with Scott and their beloved team. The Lakers will likely take some time to grow and develop; there will not be instantaneous success. With new pieces to work with, I believe that Scott will have his hands full once training camp begins. However, I am confident that this year will be interesting, to say the least.