Byron Scott out as Lakers coach after two seasons

After overseeing the Lakers finish with their worst record in franchise history for two consecutive years, Byron Scott will not coach the team in the 2016-17 season. Instead, the Lakers declined to pick up Scott’s options for both his third and fourth season. The third year of his deal was not fully guaranteed, according to a league source familiar with the terms.

“We would like to thank Byron for his hard work, dedication and loyalty over the last two years, but have decided it is in the best interest of the organization to make a change at this time,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement.

It is not immediately clear who will replace Scott or if any of his assistants will be retained, including Paul Pressey, Mark Madsen, Larry Lewis and Thomas Scott. The Lakers lost out on potential coaching candidates after mulling Scott’s future for the week. Those possibilities included Tom Thibodeau (Miesota) and Scott Brooks (Washington), both of whom would have been interested in the job, according to sources familiar with their thinking. Possible replacements could include Golden State Warriors assistant Luke Walton, former Rockets and Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, Coecticut coach Kevin Ollie and San Antonio Spurs assistant Ettore Messina.

Scott will end his two-year stint with the Lakers with a combined 38-126 record, which pits up just above George Mikan for the franchise’s worst all-time wiing percentage among its 20 coaches. Scott compiled a .232 wiing percentage, while Mikan had a .231 wiing percentage when the 1958 Mieapolis Lakers went 9-30.

• WHICKER: Byron Scott failed in a no-win situation

Though the Lakers finished with a 17-65 record, second worst in the NBA, they had sympathy for Scott amid the numerous challenges surrounding the 2015-16 season.

After facing season-ending injuries for three consecutive seasons, Kobe Bryant nursed nearly season-long soreness in his right shoulder. Although he played 66 games, Bryant averaged 17.6 points on a career-low 35.8 percent shooting and often did not know his playing status until just before tipoff.

The Lakers were also mindful of how they assembled their roster, which featured an intriguing core of young players and newly arrived veterans.

Rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell, second-year forward Julius Randle, second-year guard Jordan Clarkson, rookie forward Larry Nance Jr. and rookie forward Anthony Brown all represent the Lakers’ long-term future with potential. Yet, the Lakers also saw Russell and Randle, in particular, struggle with playing consistently. The Lakers liked the veteran presence from Roy Hibbert, Brandon Bass, Metta World Peace and Lou Williams, but none of those players made enough of an impact to change the bottom-line results.

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During his introductory press conference two years ago, Scott vowed to revamp the team’s defense after former Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni oversaw a team that ranked 29th out of 30 NBA teams in points allowed (109.2) and 24th in defensive field goal percentage (46.8).

Yet, the Lakers finished with similar numbers under Scott. In the 2014-15 season, the Lakers finished 29th in points allowed (105.3) and defensive field-goal percentage (46.6). Last season, the Lakers fared 26th in points allowed (106.9) and 29th in defensive field-goal percentage (47.3).

Scott also faced varying degrees of support and conce inteally about how he handled the Lakers’ young players.

Some lauded Scott’s no-nonsense approach. He yanked the starting spots from Russell and Randle 20 games into the season amid frustration with both the team’s slow starts and their consistency. Scott rarely dialed back the intensity of his practices during the season. He never hesitated to critique them both privately and publicly.

Some found the approach counterproductive. They thought it inhibited the young players’ growth and confidence. Scott’s continuous support of Bryant and other veterans also sent mixed signals on both how he would hold all of his players accountable and divide up playing time.

“I know he’s hoping that he coaches here forever,” Kupchak said of Scott during his exit meeting. “But a lot of times, what we do, is we’re really preparing for the next GM or the next coach, and that’s tough sometimes.”