The Buss Kids Speak

[yinoma2001]

Some interesting snippets, more can be found at http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12000240/lakers-owner-jeanie-buss-says-tanking-unforgivable

Jim, you've taken a lot of criticism for some of the decisions the Lakers have made over the years. How have you learned to deal with that?
Jim: We knew we were going to have to deal with the economics of the new collective bargaining agreement. By correcting our situation, it was going to be painful. Unfortunately, on top of correcting we had some severe injuries that knocked top players out for a year at a time. So I accept the responsibility for the criticism. I don't think it's correct, but I accept it. I understand the pain of Lakers fans. I feel the pain of losing too. But I have to focus on how we get out of this. And when I look at the flexibility and the position that we're in, we can't be in a better position to move forward.

The contract -- two years, $48.5 million -- you gave Kobe Bryant in 2013 has been referred to as a going-away present, similar to the contract your father gave Magic Johnson at the end of his career. Was there a message being sent with that contract?
Jim: I think it does send a message. We've been sending that message for 30 years. We take care of our players. For me, I believed in Kobe's ability to play at a high level. He deserves it.
Jeanie: I think there are a handful of guys in the league who are worth as much as he is. He's worth every penny.

There's been a lot of talk that this season is going so badly that you should trade Kobe. Set him free, so to speak. Is there any chance that happens?
Jim: No. I love Kobe Bryant. I think L.A. loves Kobe Bryant. I don't envision him going anywhere. I don't see it.
Jeanie: I don't want to see Kobe Bryant leave. But we understand the realities of the sports world. Take Shaq, for example. He was traded and played for several other teams. But once he retired, he asked us to retire his jersey. He wanted to be remembered as a Laker. So while I get attached, I know what the realities are in this business. It's never going to change what we've accomplished together. But I don't look forward to the day that Kobe Bryant's not in purple and gold.

Your 2015 first-round pick is owed to Phoenix as part of the Steve Nash trade unless it's in the top five. There is already talk that you should tank to try to keep that pick. How do you respond to that?
Jim: It will never happen here, period. The question is insulting. Our fans understand there's a process. They believe in the process -- the coach, Kobe, the draft pick [Julius Randle] and the flexibility we have going forward.
Jeanie: The teams that use tanking as a strategy are doing damage. If you're in tanking mode, that means you've got young players who you're teaching bad habits to. I think that's unforgivable. If you're tanking and you have young players or you keep a short roster, you're playing guys out of their position or too many minutes, you're risking injury. It's irresponsible and I don't think it belongs in any league.

It sounds as if Jeanie has a difference of opinion on who should have been hired as coach.
Jim: I've been on record as saying [hiring D'Antoni] was my dad's decision. I know that makes Jeanie uncomfortable, but I'd sit down with him for hours going over Laker decisions. In my opinion, he was sharp.
Jeanie: [Interrupts] Dad was in the hospital. I would always run things by Dad too. But he was in the hospital, not feeling well, and that is why he counted on us to make the decisions. So I agree that he would have input, but he needed my suggestion or Jimmy's suggestion or [GM Mitch Kupchak's] suggestion because he was confined and did not have access to all the information that we did.

Where are the Lakers in five years?
Jim: On top.
Jeanie: [Gestures toward Jim] I'm looking to him to make it happen, so I'd like to hear about that.

Jim, how do you make that happen?
Jim: Flexibility. The cap room we have. Unfortunately, last year we were in a position to get a high draft pick. I didn't really want to be in that position, but we got Julius Randle. And we have the flexibility to sign max free agents in the next few years.

What vision are you selling? What's the pitch?
Jim: The pitch is we can go for two max players. And we have room to solidify the team with others. We can't sell who we're going to get because we don't know yet, and it's illegal to do that. We pursued LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony last summer. They were unique. LeBron makes a lot of money off the court. He's his own brand. Carmelo and his family love New York. And the way the collective bargaining agreement is, it encourages players to stay with their teams. I thought we did an incredible job pitching him. Jeanie did an incredible job, Mitch Kupchak, [Lakers VP of business operations and chief marketing officer] Tim Harris. But every free agent is unique and different. I don't think they're all going to be in the same position or make the same decisions as those two players did. So I'm excited about free agency coming up in the next two or three years.
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From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals

[yinoma2001]

What is interesting is how Jeannie didn't sound enthused with Jim saying MDA was his dad's decision, as Jeannie notes Dr. Buss was hospitalized and didn't have all the information.

Additionally, Jim talks about the new realities of the CBA yet intimates that they are still seeking the "max player" philosophy which is not an ideal long-term plan in this CBA (unless your players collude like Miami did, and that was pre-this CBA).

I do appreciate how Jim has accepted the criticism, and he is right, that if things panned out, would he get the credit? (probably not). He doesn't come out as the "idiot" that some people think he is.

You can sense the tension between the two. Hope they work things out quickly or this will be a difficult place to lure free agents IMO if it looks like there is dissension.
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From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals

[Purp 32]

Whoa, I was uncomfortable just reading that. Jeanie sounds like she was even coming to terms that Kobe could be traded or play for another team in the future. Did anyone else pick up that vibe?

[Purp&Gold]

"the question is insulting"

say hello to mediocrity.

[yinoma2001]

Yup. No outward tank. Will continue the max players or bust strategy.

Unless they are secretly lying to us all.
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From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals

[K28]

Jim is still in denial about his mistakes. We need to ride out three more years of his incompetence...and then hopefully he keeps his word and steps aside.

[Anthony Peeler]

One big mistake was centering the team around Steve Nash -- even if he's healthy, why would you center your team around a 38 year old PG?

I guess he was thinking short term, knowing that Kobe was old so you needed a veteran team rather than young players. Sometimes this works, as in the case of the Garnett, Piece, Allen Celtics, but sometimes it doesn't.

[J.C. Smith]

[yinoma2001]

[yinoma2001]

[Tark the Shark]

So the vision is to save money until two max FA's agree to come over.

[RCS926]

[eznoh]

Blah, blah, blah ... how soon can you sell the team?

Mike

[K28]

That flexibility that Jim is talking about...it's what is holding us back right now.

There will always be flexibility to fall back on when the rentals that sign up for the one year deals turn out to be not that great.

All Jim can talk about is max deals and name players....he still thinks that having the cap space (and little else) is all it will take to make them come.

When it comes down to it though..he has no idea how to build a team from the ground up. How to find good role players to complement the stars.

Like I said, he's in denial...mainly of his sheer level of incompetence.

[Gimme_the_rock]

Found it interesting that when discussing Kobe's extension, Jim spoke about it as a draw for potential free agents (of course, that WAS how the question was framed) while Jeannie seemed to talk about it from a more personal vantage point.

But when it came to discussing Kobe being potentially traded, Jim seemed resigned to the fact that Kobe is too important to move while Jeannie seemed to consider it within the realm of possibility.
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We back.

[RCS926]

[Gimme_the_rock]

[K28]

Jim is also a coward who still clings to blaming the D'Antoni hire on his terminally ill father.

Jeanie's discomfort and tension is understandable.

After all that has happened, the fact that Jim can't admit he made a mistake speaks volumes to me. He even has the gall to say he "takes responsibility" while actually doing no such thing.

[thurloly]

[RCS926]

[K28]

It is surprising how open Jeanie appears to the possibility of Kobe being moved. I still think it's a longshot to happen. That will be an extremely difficult contract to move and the fan backlash will be intense.

[yinoma2001]

[K28]

[Gimme_the_rock]

[Don Draper]

Lol that was painful to read. Just imagine how poorly these two get along with the younger siblings.