Lakers Exec VP/Business Operations Jeanie Buss last night said that she will "hold" team Exec VP/Player Personnel Jim Buss to his claim, made last year, that he "would step down if the franchise isn't contending within three years," according to Eric Pincus of the L.A. TIMES. She said, "It was a private conversation with our family but I understand why he said it. ... He presented a challenge to himself, but I don't know why he made that public." The transition since team Owner Jerry Buss died in February '13 after a long battle with cancer "has begun to settle into a working norm." Jeanie Buss said that she "still trusts her father's plan on how the Lakers should operate." She said of her brother, "We have our comfort level in that he's doing what his strengths are, and he knows, whatever he needs, he just has to pick up the phone. ... My brother has skills that are better than me. He could always beat me in Monopoly. I respect that he knows what's going on." Pincus notes Jeanie "took a more active, albeit limited, role this summer in trying to sway big-name free agents to join the Lakers." She said, "It's important, especially for the high-profile players ... that they know who the key players are in an organization, both on the basketball side and on the business side. I'm part of the overall message, but when it comes to basketball, they excuse me from the room. I'm not part of the basketball discussion" (L.A. TIMES, 1/7). Meanwhile, Jeanie said of the notion of the 11-24 Lakers tanking, "Try to tank to keep it this year, because we'd just have to give it away next year -- that doesn't resonate with me. I think it's impossible to tell your coach and tell your players, 'Try not to win.' That goes against everything an organization is about" (L.A. TIMES, 1/7).
KOBE STAKE: In L.A., Mark Medina reports Jeanie yesterday "defended the Lakers’ plan" to sign G Kobe Bryant to a two-year, $48.5M extension. Buss "touted the benefits of Bryant’s skill-set, marketing and the message the team sent by taking care of a player who helped the Lakers win five NBA championships through 19 seasons." She said, "It was the best way to spend the money we had. I think 90 percent of the teams in the NBA would take Kobe Bryant for that amount of money. They have $24 million worth of players that they would gladly trade for Kobe Bryant. I stand behind that decision" (
L.A. DAILY NEWS, 1/7).
