In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes under the header, “When The Time Comes For The Lakers To Clean House, Jeanie Buss Will Be Up For It.” Following a franchise-worst 49-point loss on Sunday, it seems clear Buss has "smartly begun to seriously ponder a spring cleaning of the front office tandem” of VP/Basketball Operations Jim Buss and GM Mitch Kupchak. No decision “needs to be made for several months.” It will “take some gumption for her to push her brother aside despite his infamous public timeline set three years ago.” This “will be her most important, yet painful, decision since she took over the team” in the wake of her father Jerry Buss’ death four years ago (L.A. TIMES, 1/25).
HANDS-OFF APPROACH: In New Orleans, Josh Katzenstein notes Saints Exec VP & GM Mickey Loomis is the only NFL GM to “hold an executive role with an NBA franchise.” Loomis is Exec VP/Basketball Operations with the Pelicans, but said that he has “little to do with the day-to-day operations." Loomis: “It's probably overblown the amount of actual time and work that I have to do with the Pelicans. It's something [Owner Tom] Benson has asked me to do, but, again, I think it's overblown the amount of actual work that I do (with the Pelicans)" (NOLA.com, 1/24).
SAILING AWAY: In S.F., Richard Procter noted the MLB Giants have “completed the acquisition of the California Spirit, a luxury yacht” through their Giants Enterprises arm, which was founded in ’00 to “monetize AT&T Ballpark when it’s not hosting baseball games.” Giants Enterprises Senior VP Stephen Revetria “declined to disclose financial terms of the deal.” He said that the Giants are currently “refurbishing the Spirit, a 100-foot yacht that can entertain about 130 passengers” (BIZJOURNALS.com, 1/20).
