Is There A Doctor (Jerry Buss) In The House? The Lakers Need A Quick Fix
Jeanie Buss should be ashamed of herself!
What she’s done to the Los Angeles Lakers, a pristine organization, is unfathomable.
From triumph to tragedy!
From success to disaster!
From stability to shambles!
From historic to horrific!
From yesterday to today!
Is this how you reward your father’s faith in you?
Deserved Better
Dr. Jerry Buss was a masterful, success driven, brilliant minded, all encompassing patriarch, whose skills and talents resulted in one of the most prestigious and storied franchises in all of sports.
His daughter is a confused, under qualified, dysfunctional, incompetent decision maker, who has torn this once iconic role mode of a franchise, to shreds.
The Doctor, who purchased the Lakers, Kings and Great Western Forum for $67.5M in 1979, died on February 18, 2012 of kidney failure.
Jeanie, whom Jerry groomed to be his successor, took immediate control and the franchise has spiraled out of control ever since.
Disgraceful And Disgusting
As successful as the Lakers were under Jerry, 10 NBA championships, Jeanie’s reign has been characterized by chaos and turmoil.
I will give her credit however, she is consistent: one bad decision after another!
The latest, the hiring Kobe Bryant‘s agent – Rob Pelinka – might have been the worst since Shaquille O’Neal talked his way out of town, possibly costing the Lakers titles No. 17 and 18.
Pelinka, with NO front office experience, was hired as the team’s general manager.
Huh?
Not Very Popular
He is not revered by many of the front office personnel he haggled with during contract negotiations.
So now you expect those same general managers to sit down and talk trade with the Lakers?
Remember what New Orleans wanted for Antonio Davis at the deadline?
Practically every valuable asset the Lakers owned!
So now Pelinka’s running the show.
That’s because team president Magic Johnson, who was in charge of basketball operations, didn’t let the door hit him on the way out.
On April 9, the “savior” unbeknownst to anyone, walked out of his office for the final time.
Johnson, whose smile could fill Staples Center, decided he had had enough.
Allegedly stabbed in the back by secret e-mails sent from the general general to Buss, Magic called it a career.
Others throughout the league have corroborated Magic’s allegations.
Rob’s Rebuttal
Pelinka denied the charges.
“These things are surprising to hear and disheartening.
“But I look forward to the opportunity to talk with him and sit down with him and work through them just like any relationship.
“They just simply are not true.
“I stand beside him, I stand with him as a colleague, as a partner, I’ve always supported everything he’s done and will continue to.”
I think I’ll have to side with Magic on this one.
Adios!
Nonetheless, in an impromptu press conference outside the Lakers locker room, a teary eyed Johnson said good bye.
“I was happier when I wasn’t the president,” No. 32 said. “I’m a free bird and I can’t be handcuffed. This is a good day.”
Who he was, was a flamboyant, effervescent, extrovert whose off the cuff remarks frequently got him in hot water with the league.
The Lakers paid dearly for many of Johnson’s spur of the moment comments.
An entrepreneur with business world savvy, Johnson, like Pelinka, had never worked in the front office.
And as jovial as he was, Magic did make some curious moves that understandably defused an energetic fan base.
Head Scratching Moves
Magic’s dislike of D’Angelo Russell’s maturity level caused him to jettison the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft to Brooklyn.
To his credit the ‘Hall Of Famer’ did acquire Kyle Kuzma, Brooklyn’s 27th pick, in the 2017 draft.
The following summer, he let Julius Randle walk, with no compensation from New Orleans.
The precursor was that the front office saved $18M in cap space to pursue LeBron James.
Before last season, Johnson let Brook Lopez walk. Then he asked the Clippers if they’d be interested in promising center Ivica Zubac?
It was reported that Jerry West and a Clippers dinner entourage were dumbfounded and hysterical over the proposal.
The Clippers agreed to send alleged three point shooter Mike Muscala to the Lakers for Zubac and throw in Michael Beasley.
In 17 games with the Lakers, Muscala shot .368 percent from beyond the arc while averaging 5.9 points per game.
The President Was MIA
Still, Pelinka’s biggest beef with Magic was that he was an absentee president.
Johnson pretty much limited his front office appearances to formal meetings. And he didn’t do much scouting.
His 1980’s rival, Larry Bird, WAS a successful front office executive in Indiana, where he ran the Pacers for 14 years.
Big difference: Bird surrounded himself with Kevin Pirtichard, who was formally the Trail Blazers GM and did all the dirty work. The tandem reached the post season 10 times.
To the contrary, the Lakers front office looked more like the 405 at rush hour.
“Too many voices,” Johnson surmised of the Lakers hierarchy.
The front office roster is standing room only!
Power Struggle
Chief Operating Officer Tim Harris is the business guru.
Joey Buss is the president of the South Bay Lakers.
Jesse Buss is the Lakers director of scouting.
Former player and coach Kurt Rambis is a special adviser.
His wife Linda, a long time and close friend of Jeanie’s, is executive director of special projects.
Both husband and wife have Jeanie’s ear and have gained considerable influence in the decision making process.
Nick Mazzella, director of basketball research and analysis and Ryan West, the team’s director of player personnel, are also a part of the elite inner circle.
So what’s the problem here? Can’t Jeanie make a decision without consulting half the city?
Why doesn’t she just stand outside Staples Center and poll the passersby?
What If It’s 50/50
What happens if half her staff agrees with her and other half opposes.? What then?
Magic found out.
Just prior to his exit, Johnson had decided to fire coach Like Walton.
“We had three meetings. I showed her (Jeanie) the things he did well and the things he didn’t do well and said, ‘Listen, we gotta get a better coach.’
“The first day it was, ‘Let’s think about it.’ The second day it was, ‘OK, you can fire him.’ The third day: ‘Um, we should try to work it out.’
“So we went back and forth like that, and then she brought Tim Harris into the meeting.”
Tim liked Luke, they’re good friends. He obviously wanted the Lakers to keep their coach.
“I looked up and said, ‘Wait a minute. I only answer to Jeanie. Now I got Tim involved.’
Hum…?
“I don’t have the power I thought I had to make the decisions. ‘And I said it’s time for me to go,’ he concluded.
So then, should Magic Johnson likewise be ashamed of himself ?
The Orange County Register Contributed To This Article
John Stellman
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