You should have heard Ireland today; it was crazy. I parked my car while listening to him, right? I stopped at a Wendy's because I love their cookies. After I heard what he said, I got out of the car and said to myself, "this team is a s*** show." Honestly, without going all crazy and say sell the team, Jeanie should really think about letting her brothers (Joey and Jesse) handle basketball operations entirely. Let them make decisions on the FO, coaches, etc. 100 percent of it. She's not selling the team so maybe that would be a compromise. We have bigger problems not beating Denver 11 straight time or whatever it is now. The organization needs help. Seriously.
Okay I'll bite. Granted there are all kinds of things simmering/boiling over that are hidden from us: What reason(s) do you have for believing that more Buss-inheritors would do a better job than the older sister? I'm not calling you out or trying to be a d***; I genuinely don't know and wonder. School me on why Joey and Jesse would be better than Jeannie. Please.
Feel like the series was over when we lost game 2 anyway, hopefully we take it to at least game 5 but the FO/Jeannie will have some big decisions to make.
Google: Jerry Buss’s other two sons, Joey and Jesse, are also a part of the LA Lakers’ operations. Joey is a member of the board of directors and serves as the President and CEO of the South Bay Lakers (formerly Los Angeles D-Fenders), an NBA G League team owned by the Lakers. My words: Jesse has done a masterful job drafting these guys for the last decade. Although, not perfect, I think he nails the draft almost every single year. I see many of our players still in the NBA. Jesse has been a big part of that. Example: Jordan Clarkson. I think Jordan was playing @ Missouri when Jesse and Ryan West (who has since left the Lakers as apart of the scouting team) scouted him and we took him in the second round. Although, JC has been on a number of teams, he's had a nice career as a second rounder and still going. Makes me think that if Jesse could do this with the draft, maybe he might be good in identifying needs of the team and selecting the right FA's that have the right skillset that fit the team. Joey works in concert with Jesse. The G-Leagues goal is to "win and develop players" per Joey. He's been relatively successful accomplishing those things since he took over in 17 I think. This is why I'd give them a shot. I don't think Jeannie scouts, drafts, etc. Although, she can take a good selfie. Weeeeeeeeeeeeee
Got it. Thanks! Although - and this is my personal, general take - inherited privilege is just b*******. I'm not saying anyone in particular is inept because of their inheritance, but they are USUALLY not as effective, not the right person for the job as...you know...someone who actually frikkin' earned it. That's just a general beef I have with all this. Is is nepotism? Hey, it is the last mom 'n pop biz in the NBA, right? So, let the family run things...'cuz daddy (RIP) once made ton of money in LA real estate. I confess to having a knee-jerk reaction to anyone who assumes, say, in politics: hey, it's a Kennedy! A Bush! A Clinton! Eff that noise. Etc... Just where I stand: I say to hell with the "royal family" idea. In any area. Let the true cream rise to the top, whomever the eff it is. Okay: Jordan Clarkson. Who else ya got? A friend and I were talking about true meritocracy, and my gawd: NBA players. First of all, you have a genetic endowment. You're 6'8" or whatever. But then you developed insane skills and beat out the intense competition for $$$$$, fame, dem wimmins, etc. No one's playing in the NBA who didn't earn it. (Austin Rivers: did he ever deserve it? Maybe an anomaly here. Exception that proves the rule..) Scientists and math people who publish papers that are cited at a very high level and have genuinely done work that led to advancement in their areas of expertise: very meritocratic. Most stuff out there: you're good, but lucky your sister-in-law knew a guy...It's the way of the world. But we want the best judgements to be made for the Lakers. Is it really Jesse and Joey? I don't know. But - and I don't know them as well as you do - they usually aren't the best. I say: the family owns it. Okay. But you're not a true expert judge of talent just 'cuz of your name. Also: when looking at how well Joey or Jesse have done: you can't just look at the guys who went on to have NBA careers; you have to look at guys they thought were gonna make it but didn't. How do they stack up against non-nepotist scouts? Hey, I could be wrong: every now and then someone who appears to have benefited from their last name really does deserve their status as expert. But usually not.
I will see if I can find that Ireland audio. And yes, I agree that the organization needs help. It’s clear in the results and even the stories that leak. We are needlessly limiting ourselves to a small group of people. I do tend to think the Buss brothers understand the big picture and might not be as rigid with their hiring practices. Keep things in the family to make Jeannie happy but also building up operations beneath them to get this organization functioning on a high level.
nepotism in various forms as the guiding principle of an organization (under the guise of a "family atmosphere") is a recipe for failure.
Completely agree. But we all know the Buss family isn’t selling. Maybe the Buss brothers running things would at least clear the room a bit and get some more outside help in here as we know Jeannie values her inner circle. Might make no difference at all but I’m open to anything that gets a closer to a well run organization
I have skipped so many games this year, and have zero regrets. This is what it has come to. I missed our Game 4 victory, but I'm happy for fans. I missed the 2nd half of game three in exchange for some sleep. Great call. Since I'm overseas, it requires sacrificing sleep to watch games most of the time. I'd love this team to make that an easy choice to make in the affirmative, but it just hasn't been that way for a couple of years now.
Never watched the 1st 3 games lol but watched the 4th while traveling and waiting for the eventual collapse and joking around in GameTime. I will be doing it again in the 5th game, no expectations of winning is better
Run it back. You can't be this close to the defending champions and blow it up. Need some luck to see Lebron has one more great season in him.but man the Lakers had literally no bench player step up. They are jeremi grant tyoe of player from beating the champs
I agree. They just need to find the right coach and add a legit center and a valuable guard off the bench and they can win 50 games next year and make another run.
Rui has some big issues to fix if he wants to be a starter on a title team but man the starting 5 also has some nice chemistry now. Team knows hot to play together. Improve the backup center and get another guard/wing to pair with Reaves and your good. This team is really really good
I do not think we can count on this level of health from LeBron and AD 2 seasons in a row, especially with LeBron going to be 40, and add to that if they both play for Team USA in the Olympics. That said, they will indeed run it back, except DLo and some others will be gone. I don’t expect a much different result though, this core is done, just is what it is, unless we somehow find a relatively cheap 3rd star and the exact right mix of 2-way role players. I just don’t see it, but hey, maybe players like Christie, Dinwiddie, Wood stick around and look better under a different coach.
I'm strictly streaming these days, but I can find online recordings I'm sure. I skipped today's game in favor of sleep. I wasn't disappointed.
