Nick Young is in his eighth NBA season, and his 36.6 percent shooting mark is the worst he’s put up to this point of his professional career.
And his head coach knows it.
Byron Scott has been very honest this season in critiquing his players; just ask Jeremy Lin about that. He’s had words for Young, too, but the latest might hurt the most, simply because they ring so true.
From Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:“He’s not having a good year,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said of Young. “He’d be the first to admit that this hasn’t been the year he expected.” ...
“It’s like basketball is my girlfriend and she is mad at me,” said Young, who averaged a team-leading 17.9 points on a 44 percent clip last season under Mike D’Antoni. “I came to the house too late. She kicked me out. Then I fell down the stairs and hurt my leg.” ...
“He has to do a better job moving without the ball. It can’t be catch, then 18 dribbles and then he gets a shot,” Scott said. “When he does it that way, there’s one of two things. It’s a home run or a strikeout.”The timing of Scott’s statement was a bit curious, considering Young missed his sixth straight game Friday due to soreness in his left knee. But whether the words are true or not, it seems unnecessary to point this out publicly when the team is in the midst of such a dismal overall season.