Lakers Majority Owner Mark Walter Discussion

Westy the brick layer, oof

 

I'll take it a step further - I don't even think the rationale behind the Westbrook trade was wrong. LeBron wanted another volume creator/ball-handler because he didn't think he could/didn't want to shoulder that burden for an entire season again. It's kind of crazy to look back at games from that 2020 season and see just how much LeBron was responsible for offensively. I also think that after the high ankle injury he knew there might be a permanent decline in athleticism. So I think LeBron went to Rob and Jeanie, told them he needed another guy to help shoulder the load, and that he and AD could figure out any kinks on the court. If one of the greatest players ever comes to you and says that, I mean its kind of hard not to trust him right?

Obviously, it turned into a disaster for a number of reasons. Russ wasn't as good as he used to be and was unwilling to change his game, LeBron and AD couldn't stay on the court, the supporting cast was abysmal, Vogel was a bad fit for that specific roster, and everyone underestimated how clunky a fit Russ was with LeBron and AD. I honestly don't blame Rob, Jeanie, or LeBron that much in hindsight. I think Solomon Hill diving into LeBron's leg changed everything.

 

Getting Westbrook was very Kupcakesque

Straight panic move and we all saw it at the time

Ugh

 

just go back to these classics and dump the travesty that is the current set of uniforms

 

and

 

s***...I'd take Westbrook over Gabe right now!!

 

The roster turnover for Lebron teams must be a Guinness Book of World record kind of think. Straight turnstile action. It gets old.

unless you win, then all if forgiven

 

Yeah. I think Jeanie will have some influence but mainly during this transition period. I think she will essentially slowly move to a smaller role and honestly I think that’s what she wants or she wouldn’t have sold.

Everyone around her needs to tighten up their resumes. Some will be gone quickly IMO. Natural casualties of a change in leadership and getting the franchise where it needs to be.

I think Rob either falls in line and shows he can fit in with the new regime or he’s out. I think the Luka deal buys him a bit of time but wouldn’t be shocked to see us move on with a guy they feel like fits their own vision.

Honestly, not really concerned about any of these folks because I think pretty much our whole front office is replaceable. Have felt that way for years and am really happy Jeannie sold the team to a group that has the resources to get us where we need to be.

There’s just no one that I will be sad to see go.

 

Again, I think Jesse and Joey deserve to stay based on doing a very good job with the scouting department. It would be a nice sentiment for a part of the Buss legacy to stay, especially since they have proven their worth.

 

If Westbrook were a 40% 3pt shooter, then all of the above would be true. But him being a 30% 3pt shooter (and sub-50% 2pt shooter and 65% FT shooter) means that lots of us knew at the time of the trade that it would be a terrible fit, which it was.

 

I’m good with them staying. Im just also open to whatever direction the new group wants to go in. I expect us to really invest in all front office functions and scouting will be a big part of it. If they fit into the overall big picture then great. But if we open things up and find better scouts then I’m perfectly fine with that as well.

 

To elaborate a bit, everything has always been kept in house with us. For the most part, every one we have on staff had to have some kind of Laker tie.

The team won’t be limited like that anymore. I expect us to go out and get the best people. Could that be Rob or Jessie or Joey? Maybe. They will get their shot.

But if it isn’t them then they will be gone and I’m perfectly good with that.

 

I agree 100%. This is how a real organization should operate. You surround yourself with top-tier talent and delegate. You know who did that well? Jerry Buss.

Big respect to Jeanie for selling the team. She treated it like her baby, and I know that wasn’t an easy decision. No amount of money can bring her father back, and I believe she truly wanted to carry on his legacy the right way. She wouldn’t have sold to just anyone—it had to be someone she trusted, someone she connected with personally, someone with character and a proven track record. Just look at what this new group has done with the Dodgers.

Expect changes. It’s already being reported that the front office will be expanded. They’ll bring in top analytics minds, elite medical staff—whatever is needed. The team will finally have every resource available, and they won’t cut corners on anything not restricted by the CBA.

We’ve always been a destination for stars. Where we’ve fallen short in recent years is on the margins. That won’t happen under this new ownership group. I’ll say it now: we have a top 3 ownership group in the NBA, no question—based on their track record with the Dodgers alone.

This is the move of the summer. Everything else is a bonus. Rob better bring his A-game, because the minute ownership changed hands, everyone in the front office went on notice. And that’s how it should be.

As always—Go Lakers!!

 

Going to post my initial thoughts before catching up and forming more coherent thoughts:










This is EXACTLY what I have been begging for. Jeanie to hold on to enough of the team to still honor Jerry but to acknowledge and admit, it's a different league and we don't have the pockets necessary to compete in today's league. She took the massive payout and now Jay can stop doing road gigs to pay the bills and can be a house husband.

 

Thank you

Yes it's always:

Go Lakers!

 

Completely agree

 

I don't really follow baseball, keep in the loop just enough to understand what friends who are Braves fans are talking about. Outside of that it's highlights on the various sports shows, waiting for basketball or football content or some the Lakers pods i listen to sometimes mention some Dodgers stuff. But I know broad strokes of what he's done with them. Then have read most of the articles the past week. This is a league altering move. Most teams had lapped us in wealth and spending power, not we're at the top of the heap with the uber rich owners.

I want to thank Jeanie for saving us from her brother, for guiding us through Kobe's death, and for selling when she did. She could've been stubborn and waited this out a few more years. She didn't. I am extremely curious to see what new place with the team is. She was smart to get that 15-18% (whatever it ended up being) in writing instead of the handshake deal Cuban had. But someone doesn't buy a Lambo and then leave it at the dealership. Just as someone doesn't buy a team at a $10B evaluation and let the former owner stay running the team. Jeanie didn't really run the team anyway and left most of the basketball stuff to Rob. So is she just going to be around to make sure he's doing right by Lakers standards? Be on camera in her seat at the games, shake hands and kiss babies?

for those worried about how this could be worse: I also don't think she would sell to someone she wasn't confident was going to honor the legacy her family built here and do things the right way. Walter's position with the team has grown as his percentage of the team grew and I'm sure this is something they've been discussing for a year+ in some capacity. This also isn't his first venture into pro sports ownership in the city, she can easily see what he's done with the Dodgers and Sparks and he's not an out of towner who doesn't know the terrain.

We can now operate in blank check territory. Bob Myers, Presti, Ujiri, Buford. You could tell any of them to name their price. Done are the days of Rob sitting in an office talking to himself wearing all the hats. Him asking his staff their thoughts, then running around to other side of the desk and answering the question. Even if you don't go for THE big name now you can flesh out the front office with a GM under Rob, a cap guru, an assistant GM, etc. Voices that have earned their role in the league and weren't given it because of their proximity to Jeanie.

We are were one of the cheapest teams in terms of assistant coach wages, except for Kidd and that's because we were angling to hire him as HC. Now if we want to give JJ a top of the line staff and go after a big name HC who was just fired (Jenkins, Thibs, etc) to be his lead you can go out and pay them $3m a year. Now the assistants who work with the players during the summer can stay at the same hotel as the player and not have to stay at Motel 6.


Some of these are shorter, more random thoughts:

-We haven't been able to afford an analytics department. JJ has been vocal in utilizing that department and we started to add to that but now we can be a leader in the space.

-Remember the embarrassing photo that went viral of the office where the behind the bench coaches work on analytics and tape review? That coat closet. Now that can get upgraded.

-According to Lowe, the Synergy data app the entire league uses, we didn't because we wouldn't pay for it.

-No more PPE loans.

-We can hire NBA scouts like the rest of the league. The staff we have won't be doing the jobs of 2-3 people, instead can focus and excel at their one job.

-No more job postings on LinkedIn.

Luka has now seen 4 different ownership groups in 18 months. That's wild.

-Rob actually has to prove himself now. He was a made man with Jeanie. He had a job until the end of time with her after netting Luka. Now he actually has to show what he can do with some help and if he doesn’t deliver, that extension will serve as a nice severance package.

- new ownership will be a big selling point for Luka’s next running mate, post Bron.

- now we can afford a proper medical team and training staff. An area we've been getting our a** kicked for years.

 

Strange to me that people who excel at their jobs should be not given a chance when ownership changes. I know it happens all of the time but that doesn’t make it an intelligent decision.

 

I expect all the Buss children to be pushed out within a year or two.