The Los Angeles Lakers have made an offer to Byron Scott to be their next head coach and are in contract negotiations, a person with knowledge of the Nike Lebron 12 X‘mas confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because no deal had yet been finalized. Scott has long been seen as the frontrunner for the job, with candidates like Lionel Hollins, George Karl, Mike Dunleavy, Alvin Gentry, Kurt Rambis and others being considered along the way.But the Lakers, who parted ways with Mike D'Antoni on May 1, had made the calculated choice to take their time with the search while first navigating the draft and free agency. If Scott and the Lakers are able to strike a deal as expected, it will be a homecoming of sorts for the man who played 11 of his 14 seasons for the Lakers and has long dreamed of becoming their coach.His Lakers ties were a competitive edge in this race from the start, specifically his relationship with Kobe Bryant that dates back to the 1996-97 season in which Scott was on the verge of retirement and Bryant was a rookie."I think the Kobe relationship is going to play a big part," Scott told USA TODAY Sports about the coaching search in late May. "Again, I think I've got a hand up on (the job) because of our relationship. We get along extremely well. Kobe knows all about me and what I'm about...So to me, it's going to be fun."Scott has been a head coach for 13 seasons, taking the New Jersey Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003 before mentoring Chris Paul while with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (playoff appearances in two of his five full seasons) and later struggling in three seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In all, Scott who was fired by the Cavaliers in the summer of 2013 and was a Lakers television analyst for Time Warner last season has a coaching record of 416-521. ESPN.com first reported the offer to Scott.PHOTOS: NBA coaching carouselFacebookTwitterGoogle+LinkedIn2014 NBA offseason coaching carouselFullscreenPosted!A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Jason Kidd leaves the Nets to become the Bucks' coach after a power play in Brooklyn went wrong. Kidd went 44-38 in his one season as a head coach.  Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen Lionel Hollins was hired to replace Jason Kidd with the Nets. He has a 214-201 record over seven seasons and three Nike Lebron 12 X‘mas with the Grizzlies.  Spruce Derden, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen The Cavaliers hired David Blatt, a veteran European coach with no NBA experience. Blatt last coached Maccabi Tel Aviv but also has coached the Russian national team and other teams in Israel, Russia, Greece, Italy and Turkey.  Guiseppe Cacace, AFP/Getty ImagesFullscreen Derek Fisher goes from being a Thunder guard to the Knicks' head coach, hired by former coach Phil Jackson. Fisher follows Jason Kidd in this player-to-head coach transition.  Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen Quin Snyder will be the new Jazz head coach. He has no NBA head-coaching experience but spent last season as a Hawks assistant and coached Missouri.  L.G. Patterson, AP fileFullscreen Flip Saunders already was the Timberwolves' president of basketball operations, but after not landing the head coach he wanted, he'll take that job, too. Saunders has a 638-526 career record.  Richard Sennott, APFullscreen Steve Kerr will get his first coaching experience with the Warriors, who hired him to replace Mark Jackson. Kerr was general manager of the Suns from 2007 through 2010.  Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY SportFullscreen Stan Van Gundy will be both head coach and top executive for the Pistons. The former Heat and Magic coach has a 371-208 (.641) career record.  Greg M. Cooper, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen Larry Drew was fired as coach to make room for Jason Kidd. Drew went 15-67 in one season with Milwaukee but is 143-169 overall.  Kirby Lee, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen Mike Brown was fired by the Cavaliers after a 33-49 record in his first season back with the team. Brown has a 347-216 record for his career.  David Richard, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen Mark Jackson took the Warriors to the playoffs the past two seasons but was fired after three years with a 121-109 record.  Casey Sapio, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen Mike Woodson was fired by new Knicks president Phil Jackson despite a 109-79 record in 2 seasons in New York. Woodson is 315-365 in 8 seasons as a head coach.  Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen Rick Adelman retired after 23 seasons a head coach, the last three with the Timberwolves. He has a career record of 1,042-749 with four franchises.  Chris Humphreys, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen Mike D'Antoni resigned after two seasons as Lakers coach, going 67-87 in the role. D'Antoni is 455-426 in 12 seasons as a head coach.  Mark D. Smith, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen Tyrone Corbin's contract was not renewed by the Jazz. He went 112-146 after replacing legend Jerry Sloan but was 25-57 last season.  Russell Isabella, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen John Loyer may still have a job with the Pistons, but the interim head coach tag is no longer his. Loyer went 8-24 after taking over for Maurice Cheeks but will be replaced by Stan Van Gundy.  Tim Fuller, USA TODAY SportsFullscreenReplayAutoplayShow ThumbnailsShow CaptionsLast SlideNext Slide