LA Lakers' Byron Scott loves having Brandon Bass as part of the mix

The smile on Byron Scott’s face widened as he gushed about Brandon Bass’ hustle. Scott chuckled when he recalled Bass’ refusal to wear a mask to protect his recently poked eye.

So it seemed expected when Scott earlier told Bass four words that conveyed how he hopes his NBA future unfolds.

“‘I love you here,’” Scott recalled telling Bass.

With a player option next season worth $3.1 million, Bass can avoid much attention as he has all season by exercising it. Or Bass can open opt out in hopes for a longer deal either with the Lakers or elsewhere. As Scott predicted, “I’m sure he’ll get a bunch of offers.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Bass told Los Angeles News Group. “I’m a special type of player and person to be around this type of group. I think I can help develop these young guys. I want them to be successful. I would love to see them grow and would love it to be here. But you never know what happens.”

Bass has averaged a modest 7.0 points and 4.3 rebounds. But after nursing an eye injury that kept him out of Tuesday’s contest against Sacramento, Bass retued on Friday against Phoenix off of a recent tear. In the previous 11 contests, Bass has averaged 10.2 points on 60.7 percent shooting and 5.0 rebounds.

“I just try to go out there and play the right way,” Bass said. “I let things happen instead of trying to force the issue.”

That might have gone unnoticed amid Kobe Bryant’s farewell and the development of D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson. But not to Scott.

“I love Brandon Bass,” said Scott, who coached him in New Orleans during his rookie season (2005-06). “I love his work ethic. I love his professionalism. I love his attitude. I love that you know when you put him in the game, you know what you’re going to get.”

The Lakers are going to get a rebounder. The Lakers are going to get a undersized, 6’8, 250-pound forward who makes up for his height disadvantage with quickness. The Lakers are going to get a 10-year veteran eager to mentor his younger teammates more with actions than with words.

“I feel like doing all the right things defensively and offensively,” Bass said. “With moving the ball, communicating with them and doing little things, they can put in the back of their head, ‘This is how we’re going to play. That’s how we’re going to succeed.’”

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After playing with Chris Paul in New Orleans, Bass has recently told Lakers rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell to emulate how he runs the Clippers’ offense.

“‘Control the game and make everybody better,’” Bass recalled saying. “‘Its’ your responsibility as a point guard to know where everybody is good at and how to get everybody involved.”

Memory lane

While former UCLA standouts Earl Watson and Baron Davis struggled to pay attention in class, Kobe Bryant spent all of that time working.

Watson, the Suns’ coach, frequently saw Bryant report to the Wooden Center before Lakers training camp for a workout beginning at 7:45 a.m. Watson would then see Bryant leave the gym around 1:45 p.m. only to retu for pick-up scrimmages at 3 p.m.

“Kobe set the tone for Baron and I to work hard, stay focused, be extreme and be an addict to our game,” Watson said. “The game of basketball became his addiction.”