(USA Today) – Lakers head coach Byron Scott has a Herculean task in front of him, as he tries to bring the Los Angeles Lakers back to the forefront of the NBA after missing out on the playoffs last season. Kobe Bryant is finally healthy — for now — and Scott said after practice Tuesday that he’s impressed with Bryant’s progress.
“I’m expecting him to play 82 games and play well,” Scott declared. “To be honest with you, he’s a guy who’s going to still probably average 23, 24 points (per game). Our biggest thing is making sure he stays healthy.”
At 36, Bryant’s career is quickly coming to a close. His contract expires after the 2015-16 season, which would be his 20th in the league. Although Bryant has never publicly stated that he would be interested in becoming a coach after retiring as a player, Scott predicted that it wouldn’t be a good career move for the 16-time All-Star.