National Basketball Association

Byron Scott warns Nick Young he may not fit in next year

Published Apr. 5, 2015 5:30 p.m. ET

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By Larry Brown

Byron Scott has been critical of Nick Young throughout the NBA season, and that continued on Saturday when he talked about the injured guard.

Young, who missed the beginning of the season with a thumb injury, is expected to be out the rest of the season with a fractured knee. When talking about Young after Lakers practice Saturday, Scott was critical of the guard’s game and cautioned that he might not be a fit on the team next year.

“I consider Nick either a home run or a strikeout-type guy on the offensive end. Just like I told him, he has to elevate his game. He has to grow as a basketball player if he wants to continue to play in this league for a long time. He has to get better at moving without the ball, he has to be better at defending people a little bit better and be a better off-the-ball defender as well,” Scott said via ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.

“There’s areas in his game that he has to improve, and if he doesn’t, there’s no telling what we’re going to do this year in the free agent market. But if we get the guys we want then he’s got a challenge next year on his hands, as far as being in that rotation and playing consistent minutes.”

Young is still under contract with the Lakers for another three seasons, so it would be a surprise to see them move him. But if Scott dislikes him, then they might not have a choice in the matter.

Whether it’s being critical of his game or ripping his funky hairstyle, Scott has not held back when talking about Swaggy P. this year. That probably has not sat well with Young, who is more touchy than the average athlete.

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