5 Reasons the Lakers should hire Scott Brooks

With the Kobe Bryant era now over, Scott Brooks is the man to take the Los Angeles Lakers forward. 

With the Kobe Bryant farewell tour complete and the Los Angeles Lakers season mercifully over, several important decisions need to be made heading into a new, Mamba-less era in Southern California.

Possibly the most crucial topic on the Lakers’ off-season agenda is whether to keep current head coach Byron Scott or to pursue a different course of action. With Scott on the sidelines for the past two seasons, the Lakers went 38-126 (.302), set the franchise record for most losses in a season in consecutive years, and did not come close to sniffing the playoffs.

Even Scott himself seems to be uncertain of his immediate future with the team, revealing he has not been told anything definite by upper management.

If the organization does decide a change of direction is necessary, former Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks could be a very intriguing option. Although the 2010 NBA Coach of the Year has not made any official statement, rumors of Brooks’ interest in the possible opening have been widely reported.

Brooks, a native of California, coached Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and the Thunder for seven seasons from 2008 to 2015. OKC reached the NBA Finals in 2012, losing to the Miami Heat in five games but seemed poised to make several deep runs at the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the years to come.

However, after losing James Harden to the Houston Rockets, the Thunder never returned to the Finals under Brooks. Finally, a disappointing and injury-plagued season in 2015 resulted in Brooks being replaced by Billy Donovan.

Here are the five reasons Scott Brooks deserves a second chance with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Next: 5. Fresh Start