Jim Buss interviews with Sam Amick

[Bill Lightbeer]

I too wasn't dissing Jerry Buss.

I was dissing Jim Buss. Specifically, I was dissing his claim that Magic owes him "because his dad made him into a near-billionaire." Jerry Buss was obviously a huge part of the Lakers becoming the transcendent basketball brand in the 1980s, but Magic was an even bigger part. Magic doesn't know Jim squat. If anything, Jim owes Magic, because without Magic the Lakers don't become the franchise Shaq and Kobe wanted to play for, and thus don't become the billion dollar brand that they became.

[gts1]

What makes Jim say sign a FA next season amd they competing again after the debacle the last 2 off seasons?

You realize the Lakers are perfectly capable of trying to lure a big name free agent and building up the roster at the same time... In fact you know for a fact Laker nation would be rioting in the streets if we were to learn that the front office decided to never even attempt to contact one of the big named free agents (Jerry Buss gambles and swings for the fences and gets praised even when he whiff, Jimmy swings for the fences and gets ridiculed for it...lol)

Lakers have gone about this about as well as you can considering the current CBA climate. You need big talent to win 2 to 3 all star level players, with a strong group of role players to back them up that's a fact of NBA life.

You don't want to load up the roster with just role players (no matter how good they are) that tie up cap space and get you into the playoffs but guarantee a first round exit so the best course is building up home brewed talent while keeping some level of cap space.

The old days of the Lakers whipping out the checkbook and getting what they need despite the CBA are gone, new CBA in town and it's not friendly to teams that need to rebuild on the fly.. Rebuilds are ground up or not at all now

That one of the unfair criticsisms leveled at Jim Bus when people foolishly compare him to the good Doctor... Luckily for him (and us fans) Dr Buss never had to build a team with this CBA

[Slava]

I too wasn't dissing Jerry Buss.

I was dissing Jim Buss. Specifically, I was dissing his claim that Magic owes him "because his dad made him into a near-billionaire." Jerry Buss was obviously a huge part of the Lakers becoming the transcendent basketball brand in the 1980s, but Magic was an even bigger part. Magic doesn't know Jim squat. If anything, Jim owes Magic, because without Magic the Lakers don't become the franchise Shaq and Kobe wanted to play for, and thus don't become the billion dollar brand that they became.

Well Lakers were a franchise kareem, wilt and Elgin wanted to play for before there was a Magic or for that matter jerry buss himself.

[LApwnd]

What makes Jim say sign a FA next season amd they competing again after the debacle the last 2 off seasons?

You realize the Lakers are perfectly capable of trying to lure a big name free agent and building up the roster at the same time... In fact you know for a fact Laker nation would be rioting in the streets if we were to learn that the front office decided to never even attempt to contact one of the big named free agents (Jerry Buss gambles and swings for the fences and gets praised even when he whiff, Jimmy swings for the fences and gets ridiculed for it...lol)

Lakers have gone about this about as well as you can considering the current CBA climate. You need big talent to win 2 to 3 all star level players, with a strong group of role players to back them up that's a fact of NBA life.

You don't want to load up the roster with just role players (no matter how good they are) that tie up cap space and get you into the playoffs but guarantee a first round exit so the best course is building up home brewed talent while keeping some level of cap space.

The old days of the Lakers whipping out the checkbook and getting what they need despite the CBA are gone, new CBA in town and it's not friendly to teams that need to rebuild on the fly.. Rebuilds are ground up or not at all now

That one of the unfair criticsisms leveled at Jim Bus when people foolishly compare him to the good Doctor... Luckily for him (and us fans) Dr Buss never had to build a team with this CBA

so again, how does Jim get off saying it as simple as signing a big key name FA....he's been using that rhetoric for 2 season now and even lost a big name FA in the process and not to the mention the disgraceful debacle that was the Aldridge presentation where they couldn't even answer BASKETBALL related questions he had? It was mostly reports but fact that Jim and Company still using the oh LA can expand your brand stuff sounds old/cliche....you dont need LA anymore to expand your brand and like you said this new CBA is very restrictive to get big name FA to sign on with a new team, so tell me how exactly can Jim make it sound as simple as just going out there and signing a big name guy when he hasn't even manage to do so? and matter of fact they can't even get 2nd tier player like a Monoroe to sign

[gts1]

so again, how does Jim get off saying it as simple as signing a big key name FA....he's been using that rhetoric for 2 season now and even lost a big name FA in the process and not to the mention the disgraceful debacle that was the Aldridge presentation where they couldn't even answer BASKETBALL related questions he had? It was mostly reports but fact that Jim and Company still using the oh LA can expand your brand stuff sounds old/cliche....you dont need LA anymore to expand your brand and like you said this new CBA is very restrictive to get big name FA to sign on with a new team, so tell me how exactly can Jim make it sound as simple as just going out there and signing a big name guy when he hasn't even manage to do so? and matter of fact they can't even get 2nd tier player like a Monoroe to sign

errr he never said it's simple or easy.. infact he says the opposite

“Can you come here and help for a couple years and I promise you we’ll turn things around?’” he said in almost mocking fashion about their previous pitches to free agents. “No. (Now it’s) ‘Here are the core players. You’ve seen how they play. You know, given one more year of experience, they’re going to be right there. You’re the missing piece.’ Instead, we were trying to get the piece and then trying to put pieces around him. That just doesn’t work, not today.”

Lakers had no choice previous off seasons but to swing for big names because they didn't even have the draft picks yet. Next summer they'll have a better sales pitch because now they do have better pieces in place but to have loaded up the roster with role players those summers and tie up cap space that do nothing but guarantee a first round exit would have been goofy... role players are easy to get always available but real talent that compliments an elite level player is much harder

[LApwnd]

so again, how does Jim get off saying it as simple as signing a big key name FA....he's been using that rhetoric for 2 season now and even lost a big name FA in the process and not to the mention the disgraceful debacle that was the Aldridge presentation where they couldn't even answer BASKETBALL related questions he had? It was mostly reports but fact that Jim and Company still using the oh LA can expand your brand stuff sounds old/cliche....you dont need LA anymore to expand your brand and like you said this new CBA is very restrictive to get big name FA to sign on with a new team, so tell me how exactly can Jim make it sound as simple as just going out there and signing a big name guy when he hasn't even manage to do so? and matter of fact they can't even get 2nd tier player like a Monoroe to sign

errr he never said it's simple or easy.. infact he says the opposite

“Can you come here and help for a couple years and I promise you we’ll turn things around?’” he said in almost mocking fashion about their previous pitches to free agents. “No. (Now it’s) ‘Here are the core players. You’ve seen how they play. You know, given one more year of experience, they’re going to be right there. You’re the missing piece.’ Instead, we were trying to get the piece and then trying to put pieces around him. That just doesn’t work, not today.”

Lakers had no choice previous off seasons but to swing for big names because they didn't even have the draft picks yet. Next summer they'll have a better sales pitch because now they do have better pieces in place but to have loaded up the roster with role players those summers and tie up cap space that do nothing but guarantee a first round exit would have been goofy... role players are easy to get always available but real talent that compliments an elite level player is much harder

that doesn't say the opposite either, he's been selling us "we'll go after someone big" for the last 2 years, and each year its get more embarrasing.....you telling me the Aldridge debacle doesn't put a black eye on this franchise? Some analyst have even said Lakers were really 1/2 with Spurs on Aldridge list but the fact of the matter is Jim and whoever else in charge is still using the old tired pitch of LA can make you a star BS rather than the basketball side, that stuff dont fly no more.

[Bill Lightbeer]

I too wasn't dissing Jerry Buss.

I was dissing Jim Buss. Specifically, I was dissing his claim that Magic owes him "because his dad made him into a near-billionaire." Jerry Buss was obviously a huge part of the Lakers becoming the transcendent basketball brand in the 1980s, but Magic was an even bigger part. Magic doesn't know Jim squat. If anything, Jim owes Magic, because without Magic the Lakers don't become the franchise Shaq and Kobe wanted to play for, and thus don't become the billion dollar brand that they became.

Well Lakers were a franchise kareem, wilt and Elgin wanted to play for before there was a Magic or for that matter jerry buss himself.

Yes, but when Magic was first drafted the NBA was on tape delay. Magic made the Lakers - and the NBA - into a worldwide global phenomenon. I grew up in Australia and I can tell you that both the Lakers and the league entered the consciousness largely on the back of Magic and Michael. If the Lakers had drafted almost any other player in the history of the game, even a guy as a good as, say, Clyde Drexler, the Lakers would not be what they are today.

Jim Buss has done nothing but be the son of Jerry Buss, who himself was lucky enough to buy a team that had just drafted a truly transcendent athlete.

[Up-And-Coming]

I know I'm in the minority but I don't have as big a problem with Jim Buss as I know many Laker's fans do. The only signings that I thought were terrible were the coaching signings of Mike Brown, Byron Scott and D'antoni (although I can understand he was trying to replicate Showtime with Nash and D'antoni) and Kobe's contract (I know a lot of Laker's fans are going to argue that Kobe is worth more than $30 mil/season... etc). Other than those, imo he has done as good a job as most president's of basketball operations in the league. I think the Laker's rebuilding process is off to a great start and I am optimistic they will continue to improve at a quick pace.

[Bill Lightbeer]

I know I'm in the minority but I don't have as big a problem with Jim Buss as I know many Laker's fans do. The only signings that I thought were terrible were the coaching signings of Mike Brown, Byron Scott and D'antoni (although I can understand he was trying to replicate Showtime with Nash and D'antoni) and Kobe's contract (I know a lot of Laker's fans are going to argue that Kobe is worth more than $30 mil/season... etc). Other than those, imo he has done as good a job as most president's of basketball operations in the league. I think the Laker's rebuilding process is off to a great start and I am optimistic they will continue to improve at a quick pace.

Even if we are to discount three horrible coaching hires (each of which were rightly criticised at the time) and the Kobe contract - which is a ridiculous premise, given the impact of each of those decisions - it is quite obviously inaccurate to say that Buss "has done as good a job as most president's of basketball operations in the league". What are the good moves? Buss defenders can only cling to the Paul trade for so long.

[dockingsched]

I too wasn't dissing Jerry Buss.

I was dissing Jim Buss. Specifically, I was dissing his claim that Magic owes him "because his dad made him into a near-billionaire." Jerry Buss was obviously a huge part of the Lakers becoming the transcendent basketball brand in the 1980s, but Magic was an even bigger part. Magic doesn't know Jim squat. If anything, Jim owes Magic, because without Magic the Lakers don't become the franchise Shaq and Kobe wanted to play for, and thus don't become the billion dollar brand that they became.

While i agree that the billionaire comment was petty and you're right Magic doesn't owe Jim anything, what I think we should focus on is that Magic owes it to Jerry to not try to sabotage the plans that Jerry spent his last years implementing, and sabotaging is exactly what he was doing with his twitter rants and non stop media appearances. Jim Buss taking over wasn't an overnight take over like Magic would make some believe, especially when he made his media rounds loudly claiming that Jim had nothing to do with any of the titles won when in fact Jim had been working in the front office under Jerry West and had assumed his VP of bball operations before Andrew Bynum was even drafted. Jerry Buss, who Magic owes so much to, carefully crafted a plan to have Jim Buss in the position he's in because he believed its what was best for the team, so for Magic to start publicly destroying Jerry's plans less than a year after his passing is totally classless. The Lakers won a 2 titles within the last 6 yrs, since then the CBA totally changed the game and unfortunately father time finally caught up with Kobe, so for Magic to so publicly criticize Jim and the team for having to undergo an unprecedented rebuild is evidence that Magic has absolutely no clue about team building under the new CBA and has no respect for Jerry Buss' last wishes for the Lakers.

[dockingsched]

I know I'm in the minority but I don't have as big a problem with Jim Buss as I know many Laker's fans do. The only signings that I thought were terrible were the coaching signings of Mike Brown, Byron Scott and D'antoni (although I can understand he was trying to replicate Showtime with Nash and D'antoni) and Kobe's contract (I know a lot of Laker's fans are going to argue that Kobe is worth more than $30 mil/season... etc). Other than those, imo he has done as good a job as most president's of basketball operations in the league. I think the Laker's rebuilding process is off to a great start and I am optimistic they will continue to improve at a quick pace.

Even if we are to discount three horrible coaching hires (each of which were rightly criticised at the time) and the Kobe contract - which is a ridiculous premise, given the impact of each of those decisions - it is quite obviously inaccurate to say that Buss "has done as good a job as most president's of basketball operations in the league". What are the good moves? Buss defenders can only cling to the Paul trade for so long.

Jim Buss has been the VP of bball operations since 2005, in that decade the team won 2 titles and made 3 finals appearances. Its not exactly a stretch to say he's done as well a job as other executives, there's only a handful that can boast those results.

[Up-And-Coming]

Jim Buss always went 100% for the big fish in the pond. He didn't give any other "poison" contracts. He made decent signings considering the Laker's situation. The way the NBA is formatted, it's more often than not best to be really good or really bad. The Laker's went with the latter and have been committed to that strategy. It looks like they have drafted well and have a good core because of it. He lead the Laker's organization and they are now hopefully on the 'up and up'. Sooner rather than later, I think a big fish will bite. The Laker's are becoming a more attractive destination than recently and if a top free agent does sign here this summer, I am willing to say Jim Buss has done a great job. So far, he's done pretty good. Not bad, and not great. Pretty good...

[Pinoy cchio]

Please remember the playing field has changed quite a bit in terms of how the free agents are getting paid/luxury tax from the days Dr. Buss/Jerry West were at the helms.

Lakers had rebuilding pains after the Magic era....

Kobe salary ..... The haters started this and has mutated to its present form. The guy gave us 5 titles....a good number of years that Lakers were an elite team. Kobes contract was not the reason Dumbtoni get hired, Nash getting hurt, Howard (thankfully) not signing with the Lakers. Kobes contract was not the reason why Coach Popovich had done a remarkable job in San Antonio or the collusion n Miami.

[Up-And-Coming]

Dude, there's always a give and take. I guess technically Kobe "deserves" his contract for marketing purposes, but it's because he signed the contract the Laker's were unable to acquire the best free agents. There simply was not enough cap room. Not to mention he doesn't have the best image amongst other players.

I agree Kobe helped the Laker's win 5 titles. The Laker's paid him favorably for it. Kobe has been in the top 5 of NBA salaries since 2006 and has been the highest paid NBA player every year since 2009. Imo, he has clearly not been the best player the last 4 years.

I am grateful Kobe plays for the Laker's, but I believe he deserves some criticism for signing that contract.

[gts1]

There simply was not enough cap room.

There was more than enough cap room to sign a couple big name players the last two off seasons even with Kobe's contract... problem is players now don't want to be the foundation of the franchise unless it already has a firm foundation which the Lakers didn't but they are on the right path now... Next summer they'll look a lot better than they have the last two summers and depending on the kids development this season cap space and big names might even be a moot talking point... we might be watching one or two grow right before our eyes

you can't blame Kobe for signing that contract, he took a huge pay cut and the fact is it was on the table

I won't address the was he owed it or not based on past performances, but I will say it does show future players that the Lakers take care of their own be damn what the CBA says and there's certainly value in that

not every seed sown produces in it's first season

[Bill Lightbeer]

I'm surprised that there is even a modicum of Jim Buss apologists.

Jim Buss did not do a traditional apprenticeship. He has FO experience because his dad wanted it that way. The organisation has been a family business ever since Jerry Buss took over. The difference between now and then is that when the Lakers were winning they had guys like Jerry West, Phil Jackson, and Pat Riley - you know, otherwise known as the most successful people in modern basketball history - making decisions. Now there are no basketball people calling the shots. Now the shots are being called by a brother and sister who don't have a basketball background (and who have a highly dysfunctional relationship), with poor Mitch Kupchak having to play the thankless role of media representative.

In all seriousness, who is the game-changing FA who would consider the Lakers? It looks to me like Westbrook is the only genuine possibility, and that would only happen if OKC totally implodes and Durant either forces a trade or walks.

[LApwnd]

There simply was not enough cap room.

There was more than enough cap room to sign a couple big name players the last two off seasons even with Kobe's contract... problem is players now don't want to be the foundation of the franchise unless it already has a firm foundation which the Lakers didn't but they are on the right path now... Next summer they'll look a lot better than they have the last two summers and depending on the kids development this season cap space and big names might even be a moot talking point... we might be watching one or two grow right before our eyes

you can't blame Kobe for signing that contract, he took a huge pay cut and the fact is it was on the table

I won't address the was he owed it or not based on past performances, but I will say it does show future players that the Lakers take care of their own be damn what the CBA says and there's certainly value in that

not every seed sown produces in it's first season

Even with a better foundation you really believe jim/company know how to pitch FA? Besides their typical ways of its a privelege to play for lakers and la will expand their brand outside of bball? Based on last 2 off season sales mitch, mgmt. Hasn't shown that they know how to do any other type of pitch.

[dipstick]

I'm surprised that there is even a modicum of Jim Buss apologists.

Jim Buss did not do a traditional apprenticeship. He has FO experience because his dad wanted it that way. The organisation has been a family business ever since Jerry Buss took over. The difference between now and then is that when the Lakers were winning they had guys like Jerry West, Phil Jackson, and Pat Riley - you know, otherwise known as the most successful people in modern basketball history - making decisions. Now there are no basketball people calling the shots. Now the shots are being called by a brother and sister who don't have a basketball background (and who have a highly dysfunctional relationship), with poor Mitch Kupchak having to play the thankless role of media representative.

In all seriousness, who is the game-changing FA who would consider the Lakers? It looks to me like Westbrook is the only genuine possibility, and that would only happen if OKC totally implodes and Durant either forces a trade or walks.

Dockingsched mentioned this. Lakers won 2 titles while he was in office by getting Pau and Ariza so who should the credit go to? "Media rep" Kupchak or Tommy Boy. In his 10 years in the position (which I think should already serve as enough basketball background), the Lakers have traded have gotten Gasol, Howard and what should have been Chris Paul. On the other hand, I have to also give credit to the non signings we have made particularly last offseason. No point in handcuffing the team on borderline star players who will not ake the team better long term.

Im not a Buss apologist. Don't even like him and I don't agree with his coaching decisions. But looking at the past moves in his reign, I cant say that there were a lot of decisions playerwise, that I disagree with and there were a lot of good decisions but a lot of recent bad luck. Looking at it objectively, I just cant bring myself to not give credit to the FO for the success with Kobe and Pau and blame the blame them now when things go bad, and if I give them credit for the past, then I can't call them incompetent anymore.

Right now, I like the direction of the team and excited about our young guys. Our vet 2nd unit is probably even better than last year's starting unit and I again have to give credit to the FO. They learned from mistakes of last year to start the rebuilding this year. Hopefully leads to a better pitch to FAs.

As for the LMA humiliation, its just hard. With media being hard on the Lakers, any fumble you make is going to be magnified. But you have to applaud the effort. Asking for a 2nd meeting even if you know its a lost cause is all you can ask for. And at LMAs age, it was obvious that he wanted to play for a contender, which we were not. Even with him in the fold.

[gts1]

Even with a better foundation you really believe jim/company know how to pitch FA? Besides their typical ways of its a privelege to play for lakers and la will expand their brand outside of bball? Based on last 2 off season sales mitch, mgmt. Hasn't shown that they know how to do any other type of pitch.

Yes I do...

You can't base anything on the last two off seasons because the team was clearly in the early stages of a full ground up rebuild, players want to win games and they want to win them now and they're smart they're agents are smart and they know how the CBA works and they know what you can realistically do, you can't blow smoke up their asses and insult their intelligence by trying to sell them something that isn't true

You say they don't know how to pitch because they tried to sell the high points of being a Laker but what else did they have to sell? You don't go into a negotiation and tell your prospective partner your weak points do you? no you tell him your strong points, you show him how you've turned things around before, you share your experiences and past performances all of which for the Lakers are the best in the NBA...

Too many people too quick to hate on the Lakers front office... Too many people making comparrisons to Jerry Buss and his track record when Jerry Buss never had to operate under a CBA that's so restrictive to player movement.

I've watched the Lakers long enough to remember Jerry Buss had some stinkers when it came to coaching hires too.. he also had a few crappy seasons where you wondered what they hell they were doing...lol I love Jerry Buss and what he did but I'm not going to gloss over certain moments in his tenure to bash on his son