Lakers: Radio Ga Ga



Now that the NBA Draft Lottery is out of the way, it is time for the Los Angeles Lakers to do the heavy lifting needed to repair a team idling after yet another first round veto.

Going back to the moment that Jerry West left the team; the Los Angeles Lakers have slowly gotten worse year after year. That's not to say they haven't improved from the Rudy Tomjanovich lottery season . . . but would that squad with Caron Butler have been a better team (under Coach Phil Jackson) than the one LA has thrown out the last couple of seasons with Kwame Brown in his stead?

At the end of the season, Kobe Bryant expressed frustration with the roster indicating he didn't think waiting for Andrew Bynum and Jordan Farmar to develop was worthwhile.

With a disappointed fan base and Kobe Bryant holding an opt out in 2009, the Los Angeles Lakers have enormous pressure to improve quickly.

The question is . . . can they?

What's even more disconcerting is the recent squabble on radio by the people who are charged with running the organization.

If the Los Angeles Lakers can't privately facilitate simple conversations to bridge whatever gaps there may be . . . how can they be unified in direction for the team as a whole?

With thanks to the 570KLAC and ESPN, a closer look at the dirty laundry aired on local radio.

The first salvo was fired by Jim Buss who is gradually taking over the basketball side of the team from his father Jerry.

Back on May 5th he answered the question "what happened to the season?" to the Loose Cannons:

If you beat Phoenix, all of a sudden everybody is good. If you lose to Phoenix suddenly everybody is bad. Truthfully it's not that way. What happened this season has to be decided upon between [General Manager] Mitch [Kupchak], myself, my father, and [Coach] Phil Jackson. I'm sure there's probably two or three crossroads where we could have taken a different move and improve this team, but at the time that was the decision that had to be made . . .

When we look back, maybe the coaches didn't do such a good job of handling a young team. Maybe Kobe was overenthusiastic about sharing the ball or maybe he should have shared the ball more.

As far as the future . . . the Buss family, Mitch Kupchak, Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant, we all want to win. We're not here to be just this average team. It takes a full year to see the effects of the decisions you make at the beginning of the year.

Maybe we were wrong or maybe circumstances made us wrong but going into this season we are going to make some serious and big decisions. And I promise you they're going to be big decisions.

But you also have to look at it that the timing of these decisions can't come out because they're sensitive. A lot of teams need to know where they end up in the draft. May 22nd is a very important date. A lot of teams will make trades after that date beforehand you can't really do anything.

To analyze the Los Angeles Lakers and what they're doing is premature because the important date is May 22nd. After that, yes we should be making some decisions.

Later in the interview he spoke of Phil Jackson's tendency to call out players in the media:

Yes it makes me uncomfortable. I think it's absolutely unfair. But his psyche/motivating players has won nine championships so I don't have much disagreement. To me personally I don't care for it.

Phil in his analysis of players at the beginning of this year was in agreement with us. We allowed him to make any kind of statements that he needed to make that we needed a point guard - we needed a power forward - we needed a center that would be there every game.

To turn around and kind of push that blame on the front office is really not fair. I haven't spoken to him - I have a meeting coming up this week . . . and I will ask him these questions.

Kwame Brown is going to have surgery in the offseason. I think he was telling the truth when he was hurt.

To say that you need consistent effort out of a player that's been hurt on and off throughout the season. I'm not sure if [Jackson] is saying he's questioning [Kwame Brown's] injury or questioning his ethics at the game.

I'm not sure, but yes I am uncomfortable when [Jackson] puts our players on the line.

He also spoke of the perception that Jerry West left because of Buss' rise in power:

That was one article and I can't tell you how comfortable Jerry and I were working well together. I was complimentary. I listened. The guy was a guru and there was no way he had a problem with my authority increasing.

One article quoted him one time saying he was uncomfortable with Jim's rising power, but it has nothing to do with it.

Some of Buss' other comments have already been analyzed in this space, specifically his mention that only Kobe Bryant is safe from being traded . . . a departure in regards to Andrew Bynum who was previously considered untouchable.

While fans appreciated Buss' candor, his sister took insult to his comments and spoke to that on Roggin & Simers Squared (May 16th):

I think that this is what my dad had envisioned for the next generation for the Los Angeles Lakers. For me on the business side of the operations and my brother to oversee the basketball side of the Los Angeles Lakers which will be a good set up. I think it's difficult and it's been a really tough situation because I date the coach. That puts some different dynamics into the relationship.

My brother was on this station last week and he talked about his disappointment in Phil . . . and Phil calling out players in the media and the fact that he didn't appreciate that. I thought that was interesting because that's what he was doing to Phil in the media. I guess if he didn't appreciate it why is he doing it to Phil? He never talked to me about it.

It was kind of surprising to hear it on a radio station as opposed to him just sitting down with Phil alone and asking him all the questions that he would we want to

I'm not mad at [Jim]. I just don't understand it . . . I guess I should probably have a conversation with him. Phil works really hard. He's completely dedicated to our family, to the Los Angeles Lakers and to Los Angeles. We're all on the same page. We're all on the same team. We all want the same thing.

I know at some point Phil isn't going to be the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. He's not going to be the coach forever. When that dynamic changes hopefully there won't be there this . . . it's just a strange dynamic because I'm involved with some of the basketball areas because of my relationship.

[Interviewer Fred Roggin] - "That hurt you."

[Jeanie] - It did. Phil works so hard. I just don't understand it. He would never keep any secret. He'll answer any question. He's at work every single day. He's accessible.

[Roggin, paraphrased] - Is it his last year with team?

[Jeanie] - I don't know. Maybe they're not happy with him. I don't know. I think he's done a good job. He wants to be here

My brother is in essence Phil's boss. This is how my dad has envisioned things to work: my brother being in charge of basketball, myself being in charge of business (which would be the marketing, the broadcasting, the sales, the ticketing, all that stuff). I think it's a good system.

I'm the one who throws the monkey wrench in by the fact that I'm dating the coach. I'm the one who muddies the waters and complicates things . . . and yes maybe I take things a little too personally. I just know how hard Phil works.

Once they get everything resolved and everybody is on the same page (which my dad is really good at getting people to work together) . . . hopefully everything will be resolved.

They fired Phil once before. It's not like it can't happen. It's not my decision. I don't have anything to do with basketball decisions. I think they have some concerns about Phil's ability to coach young players. He coaches players. He doesn't decide if he likes old ones or young ones. He likes players that can play the game the way he wants to see it played, which means playing defense on one end and running the offense on the other end.

It's as simple as that.

By the end of the season he was starting a rookie in Jordan Farmar as his point guard. I really don't see the argument that Phil can't coach young players.

The fans are the most important part of this whole puzzle. When Phil was making his decision near the end of the season on who would be starting for him, he knew the fans were disappointed in the way that Smush Parker was playing. He wanted to make sure that the fans were there for the team because he knew in order to be successful; the fans had to push the team to keep going. That's why he [started Jordan Farmar].

[Roggin] - Will Phil be there beyond this contract?

[Jeanie] - He's energized - he can't leave now. He's got too much investment in this group of players. He wants to see it through he believes this team has the nucleus to get to a championship. He wants the job. He wants everybody to believe in him. He wants the support . . . at least that's me saying that as his girlfriend.

It's really important that we are all on the same page because we need the fans to help us. We need the front office. We need the players. Everybody plays a part. We just need to be on the same page.

[Roggin] - Can they get on the same page?

[Jeanie] - I think so. I can't speak for the basketball department, for my brother, for Mitch or for my dad. I'm hoping so, yes.

Jeanie Buss wasn't the only Laker employee to take exception to Jim Buss' comments. Kurt Rambis (who had just interviewed for the Sacramento Kings coaching gig) was also on Roggin & Simers Squared on May 22nd with another heated reaction:

Jim Buss was puffing up his chest a little bit and trying to take charge and make his voice heard and make his voice known. Some of the comments he said were on the same page with everybody else and some of them just flat out weren't right . . . like when he said that Phil doesn't know how to work with young players or coach young players.

We're working with our young guys constantly on a daily basis to improve them but Jim doesn't know that. He doesn't come to practice, so he doesn't see the amount of time that we spend working with the young ball players. When you look at players in general, when they come out of a four year college we figure it usually takes them on the average of three to four years to really get a hold of what the NBA game is about and how to play under it.

Now you’re talking about kids out of high school who haven’t gone through that four year process in college and then you’ve got to tack on another three or four years of playing in the NBA. So that process is drug out a lot longer.

It just takes time. We wish everybody would just mature rapidly and get to the peak of their game whenever they are 19 years old but that’s just not the way that it happens. It’s a process and it takes time and sometimes it takes years for players to develop.

Rambis also commented on the possibility of making big sweeping changes this summer:

I think a big blockbuster trade will be hard to make happen but there are things that we can adjust slightly in our roster to give us a better chance to win. We don’t have to get top tier ballplayers. We just have to get some role players that can do their jobs very well.

[Paraphrased] Yes it would be great if you can have an awful lot of talent, but it’s unrealistic. The next best is puzzle pieces and role players. They didn’t have it last year, the pieces didn’t fit. They need to get right personnel to fit together if you can’t get top tier talent.

Another radio segment of interest comes from Mitch Kupchak's appearance on the Colin Cowherd Show on ESPN Radio (May 17th):

Ownership is committed to do everything we can do. Having said that, there's not a magic wand that you can wave that guarantees you'll be in the finals.

Quite frankly, I thought we were a better team than our record indicated this year.

We just did not play well as a team the second half of the year.

Why couldn't we beat a team over .500 in the second half yet to the end of January we were 26-13? Clearly we were good enough to win almost 70% of our games going into the end of January.

Why in the second half? You can point to some injuries but all teams have injuries. When our injured players came back the chemistry of this team was not the same as the first half of the year. I'm not saying that our team as structured is as good as Phoenix or San Antonio. But I think we had a chance to win 50 games maybe even more. Now we didn't do it, that's the bottom line. So we will look to improve the team during the offseason. But I have to mention once again with the salary cap and the draft and the difficulty in making trades, you can't just wave a wand and have a team because if you could any of the 30 teams would do it.

[Cowherd paraphrased] - Is Andrew Bynum tradable?

[Kupchak] - Upon the conclusion of the season I indicated in our season ending remarks that we are going to continue to build this team around Kobe. And that we would do or pursue every opportunity in the offseason. I prefer not to comment on a particular player but I think I've answered your question.

Upon the conclusion of the season [Kobe Bryant] was frustrated and not happy with the way we ended the season. Quite frankly I feel the exact same way. Dr. Buss feels the same way and so does Phil Jackson.

I think we have a very good relationship. I was here when [Kobe Bryant] came in as a high school player. I wouldn't say we agree on every single facet of running an organization or basketball and those types of things. I think that's a natural but we have a good relationship. He wants to win and I think he knows I want to win.

That's a LOT to chew on.

First of all Jim and Jeanie Buss should be having these conversations privately. Jim says that Phil Jackson shouldn't call out players publicly. That's what Jim is doing on radio.

Jeanie says Jim shouldn't be calling out Phil publicly, noting Jim's hypocrisy but not her own as she does the same.

She is correct that family business partners tend to have complicated dynamics. The key is to resolve those in-house not on public radio.

Jim's control over the team began when the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in 2004. Though Jerry Buss signed off in agreement on the big decisions, allegedly it was Jim who spearheaded the trade Shaquille O'Neal and fire Phil Jackson campaign.

Whether or not those moves were the right ones at the time are and will be debated for years to come.

Jim is also responsible for drafting Andrew Bynum who appears to be too young to mesh with Kobe Bryant. If the Los Angeles Lakers do in fact trade him for an impact All-Star then he would qualify as an excellent draft pick.

Rambis is clear in his comments that Andrew Bynum needs years to develop. Kupchak even acknowledges in his own style that the young center could indeed be on the move.

Frankly it's difficult to tell at this point if Jim Buss has the power to lead the Los Angeles Lakers into the future. He may indeed have his father's knack . . . but has he had the opportunity yet to execute his vision?

If they hold on to Andrew Bynum and he leads the Los Angeles Lakers to years of glory then so be it. That said, the NBA is not about winning 4-5 years down the road on a maybe . . . especially when a talent like Kobe Bryant is on the roster.

Moving Andrew Bynum now may be the only way to bring in the talent needed to elevate the team.

Unfortunately, Mitch Kupchak has a very spotty record in personnel moves. The talent built around Kobe Bryant and O'Neal faded until the two superstar model was untenable. The draft picks and free agent acquisitions have generally been disasters (Vlade Divac, Aaron McKie, Vladimir Radmanovic, Sasha Vujacic, Brian Cook, etc).

Were these all Kupchak moves or is Jim Buss to blame?

Who specifically is responsible for Radmanovic?

Reading Kupchak's comments, he doesn't even mention Jim Buss saying "I feel the exact same way. Dr. Buss feels the same way and so does Phil Jackson."

What about Jim? Isn't he the boss? Has his ascent to power been overstated?

If so is Kupchak running the ship? Jerry Buss?

And what of Rambis and his disrespectful comments?

Jim was "puffing out his chest" . . . in what industry can an employee speak publicly of the owner in such a fashion?

Calling him out by saying he doesn't even go to practice? That's nothing an assistant coach should be taking to the airwaves.

It's not to say that his comments were incorrect . . . it's that they were inappropriate.

This is why Jerry West left the Los Angeles Lakers. He saw the writing on the wall. The owner took his inexperienced son and made him West's shadow. They brought in a head coach with a strong ego who started dating the bosses' daughter.

Jim may be right that West never had any issue with him personally - but the question now is would he want to return to the organization that obviously still having trouble resolving its family dynamics?

Waiting for a "savior" like West may be fruitless . . . which puts the onus back on the existing power structure to repair what is broken.

Kupchak's comments suggest that minor tweaks are necessary. Rambis sounds resigned to the fact that even if LA wanted to upgrade the talent, they'll only be able to augment the team with a better mix of role players.

Jeanie acknowledges that she has little to do with such matters but that Phil is confident a championship team can still be born from the ashes of what was a listless team that flamed out after a strong start (when the schedule was nice and easy).

Yes there were injuries . . . but there were also public displays of disrespect to Phil Jackson by Brian Cook, Smush Parker and Andrew Bynum.

Based on the radio interviews, Jim seems the only one passionate about instituting major change . . . but does that reflect a man out of touch with the intricacies of player movement?

Does he truly wield the power as Jerry Buss envisioned or is he a fifth wheel trying to run his father's business from the outside?

The answer isn't clear but unless Jerry West comes . . . for better or worse Jim may be the Los Angeles Lakers' only hope.

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