Byron Scott is a fan of Luke Walton and thinks he's doing the best he can with the Lakers -- but tells TMZ Sports it's obvious his job as head coach in L.A. is just about over.
"Listen, I think Luke did a great job under the circumstances," Scott tells us ... "He's in a situation that's extremely, extremely tough."
"At the end of the day, I can tell you this from past experience, coach is always first to go. That's just how it is."
Of course, Scott is referring to his own run as head coach of the Lakers which lasted from 2014 to 2016 .