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Byron Scott does not think Kobe Bryant will eventually become a coach

Byron Scott does not think Kobe Bryant will eventually become a coach

Here’s the Los Angeles Daily News reporting Lakers head coach Byron Scott’s views on Kobe Bryant’s eventual post-playing days:

Scott then quickly reiterated his doubts Bryant would ever coach.

“He would be like Earvin (Johnson),” said Scott, referring to Johnson’s brief Lakers coaching stint that entailed a 5-11 record in the 1993-94 season. “Kobe would be in the locker room like Earvin throwing stuff and going crazy. It’s a tough job. Those two guys, as competitive as they are and as much as they won back on their day, both of them would be beating up players.”

Scott conceded he threw “a tantrum or two” early in his coaching career that included stops with the former New Jersey Nets (2000-04), former New Orleans Hornets (2004-09) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2010-13).

Scott said he has since mellowed. How did that happen?

“Just the experience of knowing these guys don’t do it the way we did it,” said Scott.

Lakers officially eliminated from playoff contention

Lakers officially eliminated from playoff contention

Here’s ESPN Los Angeles reporting what was inevitable:

The Lakers were eliminated from playoff contention Tuesday, marking their earliest elimination since the franchise moved to L.A. before the 1960-61 season.

The Lakers were officially knocked out when the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Brooklyn Nets.

They later beat the Detroit Pistons 93-85 to improve to 17-46.

Their elimination marks only the seventh time in franchise history that the Lakers will miss the postseason and only the second time that they’ve missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons (1974-75 and 1975-76).

Hassan Whiteside racking up lots of NBA fines

Hassan Whiteside racking up lots of NBA fines

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on talented Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside, who is having a breakout season but must tone a couple things down on the floor:

This time the financial penalty for Hassan Whiteside was not as severe, but the impact to the Miami Heat is more extreme.

With Whiteside suspended for Wednesday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets at AmericanAirlines Arena for his Monday blow to the back of the neck of Boston Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk, the Heat will be reduced to Chris Andersen as their lone available center in the key matchup for playoff seeding.

The loss of salary for the suspension equates to $7,000 for Whiteside, less than half of the $15,000 he was fined for last week’s skirmish with Phoenix Suns center Alex Len, with no suspension accompanying that NBA sanction.

Joel Embiid is wearing a walking boot again

Joel Embiid is wearing a walking boot again

Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting on injured 76ers rookie Joel Embiid:

Brett Brown wants folks to relax.

The 76ers coach confirmed Tuesday that Joel Embiid is once again in a walking boot. Brown added that the rookie center is just experiencing “soreness” in his right foot, and that Embiid’s doctor’s visit Tuesday in Los Angeles was long scheduled.

“People shouldn’t overreact,” Brown said after practice at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. “I get why we all can. But it’s not a situation all the people need to overact to.”

A report Monday stated that Embiid had a “minor setback” and apparently was wearing a walking boot. The rookie, who has yet to play, was in California on Tuesday for the doctor’s appointment.

Lakers sign Jabari Brown to 10-day contract

Lakers sign Jabari Brown to 10-day contract

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Jabari Brown to a 10-day contract, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Brown, who was most recently a member of the Lakers NBA Development League affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders, joins the team after leading the D-League in scoring at 24.4 points per game to go along with 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 39 games (25 starts). A 2015 NBA D-League All-Star, Brown tallied two of the highest single-game scoring outputs in the D-League this season, finishing with 50 points on January 10th at Sioux Falls and 48 points on February 28th versus Bakersfield.

Brown, a 6’4” rookie out of Missouri and a teammate of Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson last season in college, averaged 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 2013-14 before declaring himself eligible for the 2014 NBA Draft. An Oakland, Calif. native, Brown later signed with the Lakers for NBA training camp in 2014.

The Lakers roster now stands at 16 players after being granted a hardship waiver exception from the NBA.

Hassan Whiteside suspended for elbow to Kelly Olynyk

Hassan Whiteside suspended for elbow to Kelly Olynyk

Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside has been suspended one game without pay for elbowing Boston Celtics center Kelly Olynyk in the back of the neck, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter of Boston’s 100-90 win over Miami on Monday, March 9, at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Whiteside will serve his suspension tomorrow when the Heat hosts the Brooklyn Nets.

To view the play, click on this link.

Shawn Marion should be back soon for Cavs

Shawn Marion should return fairly soon for Cavs

Here’s ESPN.com reporting some good news for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are enjoying great success these days and will get a bit deeper in the fairly near future:

Shawn Marion returned to the practice court Monday for the first time in more than two weeks after being sidelined with a left hip strain.

“Shawn is out on the court, which is a good sign,” Cavaliers coach David Blatt said. “He’s still not ready. He’s definitely coming along in the process well.”

The Cavs begin a four-game road trip Tuesday in Dallas, then Thursday in San Antonio. Blatt said if Marion responds well to practice Wednesday, the 36-year-old forward could play on the tail end of the trip in Orlando and Miami.

Kobe Bryant wants Rajon Rondo to join Lakers this summer

Kobe Bryant wants Rajon Rondo to join Lakers this summer

Would you want to play with Kobe Bryant? In his prime, sure. What about now, as his career winds down? Depends on the other teammates, we’d assume. If Rajon Rondo has to make a decision and it’s going to be Rondo, old Kobe and a rebuilding project, that’s probably not too attractive to Rondo. Anyway, here’s ESPN Los Angeles reporting:

Rajon Rondo knows Kobe Bryant is recruiting him to join the Los Angeles Lakers when Rondo becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.

And the Dallas Mavericks point guard is obviously flattered to hear Bryant admit as much publicly, as Bryant did in late January.

But Bryant’s recruiting efforts appeared especially strong Sunday, when he appeared on the Lakers sideline for the first time since his season-ending shoulder injury Jan. 21 — just in time to watch Rondo’s Mavericks beat the Lakers 100-93.

“When he speaks, it speaks volumes,” Rondo said after finishing with eight points, nine assists, four rebounds and three turnovers. “It’s an honor and a compliment that he’d want to play with a guy like me, but right now, I’m focused on winning a championship with the Dallas Mavericks.”

Would Rondo want to play with Bryant, who will enter his 20th, and likely final, NBA season in 2015-16?

“I’m focused on what I have to do right now,” Rondo said. “It’s impossible to play with Kobe right now.”

Chandler Parsons concerned that his shoes were factor in his injury

Chandler Parsons concerned that his shoes were factor in his injury

Here’s ESPN Dallas reporting on something we don’t get to hear much about: the impact that shoes have on NBA player injuries. There are plenty of suspicions in many cases. But few quotes or info to go on. Here’s the report:

Dallas Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons returned Sunday after missing seven games due to an ankle injury.

His signature shoes were nowhere to be seen, however.

Parsons, who has a $1 million per year endorsement deal with the Chinese shoe company Anta, wore Jordan Brand sneakers with the logos covered during the Mavs’ 100-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers because of concerns that his shoes contributed to the sprain and bone bruise to his left ankle.

“I just am trying to figure out if it was one of the shoes that I was wearing that bothered me,” Parsons told ESPNDallas.com. “I just wanted to fix them and make them stiffer.

“The injury that I had, [Mavs athletic trainer Casey Smith] was telling me how [the Anta shoes] were a little too flexible in the ankle, so I guess they said Jordan Brand had a stiffer shoe. In the meantime, I blacked out the logo and am trying to wear those until my new shoe is out.”

Julius Randle returns to court for non-contact basketball drills

Julius Randle returns to court for non-contact basketball drills

Here’s the Orange County Register with an update on a promising Lakers rookie who has gained at least a partial NBA education this season but won’t really begin until 2015-16:

Officially speaking, Julius Randle’s rookie season will have consisted of 14 minutes of basketball before it ended with a cruel twist and a bad break.

Unmeasured by statistics, is the vast majority of his season that has consisted of two surgeries, multiple stints on crutches and monotonous hours on an elliptical machine.

Finally, Randle was back on the court with the Lakers on Monday, more than four months after breaking his tibia on opening night, and two months after surgery to replace a screw in his right foot.

While Randle will not play again this season, the Lakers are slowly adding to his workload, which on Monday meant working with the coaching staff on some post moves and shooting.