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per WT:

It has been almost three years since Jim Buss pledged in an interview to step down from his role in basketball operations with the Los Angeles in “three or four years” if they were not “contending for a championship.”

Jim Buss said last week he “wasn’t referring to a certain playoff position” and that the deadline “really wasn’t as clear as people say it is.”

“This was quotes from three or four years ago,” he said. “Those were what the path was supposed to be.”

Jim Buss said injuries and the farewell tour of Kobe Bryant detailed Jeanie Buss' otherwise reasonable expectations. Buss runs the front office with Mitch Kupchak.

“If I feel that the strides have been made,” Jim Buss said, “and the team is going in a very positive – not just a positive direction – a very positive direction, I don’t see a switch happening.”

On the other hand this info from OC Register re Jeanie's thoughts:
http://hoopshype.com/storyline/lakers-front-office/

5 hours ago – via Orange County Register
Does the promise shown by Coach Luke Walton and the Lakers’ young core absolve Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak for three years of losing, the sort of streak Jeanie Buss says her father “just wouldn’t have tolerated”? For those three years, Jeanie Buss has honored her brother’s timeline. “That’s what he said, so I have to give him his time,” she said. “I have to.” It’s a pledge that might prove to be Jim Buss’ undoing. Reached by the Southern California News Group last week, he said he “wasn’t referring to a certain playoff position” and that the deadline “really wasn’t as clear as people say it is.” “This was quotes from three or four years ago,” he said. “Those were what the path was supposed to be.”

I don't know that I even think Jim is doing all that bad a job with the current hand he's dealt... but-

His backtracking and statements contrary to his really clear message we all heard is frustratingly revisionist.

Danny Darko wrote:I don't know that I even think Jim is doing all that bad a job with the current hand he's dealt... but-

His backtracking and statements contrary to his really clear message we all heard is frustratingly revisionist.

How much input did he have on Deng and mosgov? But yes going back on his comment is frustrating to see . I know he had hand in drafting Russell. If Jeanie and Jim fire mitch and Jim hires a new GM, than all could be forgotten about his past comments.

Ballerhogger wrote:

Danny Darko wrote:I don't know that I even think Jim is doing all that bad a job with the current hand he's dealt... but-

His backtracking and statements contrary to his really clear message we all heard is frustratingly revisionist.

How much input did he have on Deng and mosgov? But yes going back on his comment is frustrating to see . I know he had hand in drafting Russell. If Jeanie and Jim fire mitch and Jim hires a new GM, than all could be forgotten about his past comments.

It doesn't matter how much input he had, he is the president of basketball ops, so he has to take responsibility when **** hits the fan.

I did not expect this to be resolved in a straight forward manner anyways, its likely going to come down to a vote between the owners (Buss siblings + the AEG + Patrick Soon-Shiong) before a decision is made. I do have a feeling that if it gets that ugly, Mitch might walk before Buss does and a newer GM, unless promoted from within might not want to have Jim hanging around.

If Jeanie wants to win, she will fire Jim and Mitch this summer and start fresh. I get the impression she will fire her brother at the end of the year.

Jim trying to switch the story and blame Kobe or whatever is beyond childish.

I think it depends on the feedback from Walton on the players at the end of the season. Luke is gonna have the power on who he wants to bring in and send packing. The GM's are the ones that execute the plan or make a coach aware of a possibility. This is Buss' group. If Walton thinks it should be broken up then Jim will step aside.

This will probably be the last time this topic is in the news, it'll be a non story with nothing really happening by the time the off season comes around

I think everyone needs to go back and actually listen to jim's original interview...
The deadline is largely a media creation that Jeanie has latched onto and is using to further her own agenda... Unfortunately, she knows even less than Jim about how to return this team to glory.


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This family owns the Lakers....

WTF would they leave their roles on a team they own....

jimmy hasn't done all that bad of a job, him and mitch have gotten the lakers through the end of kobe's career, and landed multiple lottery picks and picked up a few late 1st, 2nd round gems (nance, JC, zubac) as well

at what point do you set the team up to win (or lose) and then still have to take the blame for the product on the floor even though the players are playing like ass??

I'd like to see Jim and Mitch step down. I will give the FO credit for finding the late picks of Clarkson and Nance, but they were also incredibly inept the past couple off-seasons...downright embarrassing at some points. A GM, head coach, and a star player are the hardest positions to fill. The Lakers at least have Walton and a young core, even if this core doesn't have a transcendent player. Finding someone to take carge in the FO the way Jerry West did is absolutely necessary since that will effect player personnel, scouting, and influence what happens in the future.

Jim is an idiot for the timeline. Better men than him have tried and failed to build contenders. Just shows how naive and out of touch he is. Nothing we can do about it now considering he seems like the type that would never admit his failures. All we can do is ride this out and pray his siblings can talk some sense into him.

john248 wrote:I'd like to see Jim and Mitch step down. I will give the FO credit for finding the late picks of Clarkson and Nance, but they were also incredibly inept the past couple off-seasons...downright embarrassing at some points. A GM, head coach, and a star player are the hardest positions to fill. The Lakers at least have Walton and a young core, even if this core doesn't have a transcendent player. Finding someone to take carge in the FO the way Jerry West did is absolutely necessary since that will effect player personnel, scouting, and influence what happens in the future.

Ryan West was the one who convinced Mitch to pick Clarkson and Nance. Yes Mitch and Jim had to make the choice to say yes, but Ryan West is the guy behind the curtains


This is Jeanie's decision to make come this summer. She will do what's best for the Lakers and that's obviously letting go of Jim Buss. With Jim leaving, I believe Mitch will step down like reported and Jeanie will go after a big fish.

Jerry West will take over again with his son Ryan. They will steer us back to the finals.

I do think Ryan West is the future, but I'm in no hurry to dumb the mitch out with the bathwater... maybe not even jim.

For the people hating on MItch... I have not seen much argument other than he's tied to where we are right now.
Someone who wants mitch gone paint the why for me?

I still think of Mitch as a guy who does way more things right than most gm's in the league. The FA pickup philosophy went the way of the dodo, but that aint Mitch's fault and he hasn't behaved that way since the cba change. He's been playing draft and develop ball while dealing with decisions the Buss family has made around paying Kobe and also dealt with the Nash debacle which was a damn good gamble that just happened to go uber bad due to health.

The solution is very simple:

Jim steps back, names Kupchak "Vice President of Basketball Operations" and Ryan West moves up in the food chain.

That way Jim stays on as owner, making owner decisions on the basketball front and Mitch runs the basketball operations with West.

Danny Darko wrote:I do think Ryan West is the future, but I'm in no hurry to dumb the mitch out with the bathwater... maybe not even jim.

For the people hating on MItch... I have not seen much argument other than he's tied to where we are right now.
Someone who wants mitch gone paint the why for me?

I still think of Mitch as a guy who does way more things right than most gm's in the league. The FA pickup philosophy went the way of the dodo, but that aint Mitch's fault and he hasn't behaved that way since the cba change. He's been playing draft and develop ball while dealing with decisions the Buss family has made around paying Kobe and also dealt with the Nash debacle which was a damn good gamble that just happened to go uber bad due to health.

With this new culture around the Lakers and the new practice facility, I just think we need some new faces. Yes we've striked out for the past few summers and it's not entirely Mitch's/Jims fault. But they have been pretty careless with these contracts the past five years. Lets get Jerry and Ryan running the show. I mean... what a dynamic duo that would be..

Pointgod wrote:Jim is an idiot for the timeline. Better men than him have tried and failed to build contenders. Just shows how naive and out of touch he is. Nothing we can do about it now considering he seems like the type that would never admit his failures. All we can do is ride this out and pray his siblings can talk some sense into him.

Exactly. Speaking of timelines, the Nets owner Prokhorov backed out of a promise to get married if the nets didn't win, and he guaranteed that championship when he bought the team, in five years, no excuses.

Basically that type of talk never turns out well.

Some parts of the Laker's plan have been very well thought through, some parts, not so much. This season in particular really represents "what exactly are you trying to do?" quite strongly.

Jim and Mitch needs to go.. the game has passed them by. We need a younger GM and Basketball pres that has a new vision and can pitch that vision well to the fans and free agents. This isnt the same NBA that Jim's dad grew up dominating in the front office. We need an exec that can see around the corner and a GM with a pulse.

These last free agency sessions have been flat out embarrassing. Mitch can't sell to save his life and now we are at a point where they can't even land the meeting. Their biggest signing was Luke and that's only because he's an ex Lakers.They blew the kristaps pick and spent our second max cap space next year on mozgov and Deng. We have a bunch of decent kids but none of them look like they will be franchise stars -- Porzingis would of been that. Hopefully Ingram will figure it out but right now things are looking bleak.

Jeanie clarified Jim's statement last year and said that competing meant at least the WCF by end of this year . It's obvious Jim is trying to walk back his statements by saying "heading in the right direction ". But let's be honest, we won 17 games last year. Chances were pretty high we would beat that this year which would technically be considered an improvement and "trending in the right direction".

Jeanie needs to have the fortitude to hold him accountable . We have suffered for too long. Jim and Mitch are dinosaurs and we need new blood in the front office..... NOW

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TyCobb wrote:I think it depends on the feedback from Walton on the players at the end of the season. Luke is gonna have the power on who he wants to bring in and send packing. .

A little off topic here but I'm curious to know who you would think be on the chopping block? As of right now I think JC on the chopping block if he doesn't learn to pass he could be on his way out :*(

Jakay wrote:

Pointgod wrote:Jim is an idiot for the timeline. Better men than him have tried and failed to build contenders. Just shows how naive and out of touch he is. Nothing we can do about it now considering he seems like the type that would never admit his failures. All we can do is ride this out and pray his siblings can talk some sense into him.

Exactly. Speaking of timelines, the Nets owner Prokhorov backed out of a promise to get married if the nets didn't win, and he guaranteed that championship when he bought the team, in five years, no excuses.

Basically that type of talk never turns out well.

Some parts of the Laker's plan have been very well thought through, some parts, not so much. This season in particular really represents "what exactly are you trying to do?" quite strongly.

Not with Billy King as your GM...