emplay: Jim Buss Interviews

[Sofa King]

Emplay interview Jerry's son. Here's what he had to say...

we discussed analytics - will blog some of that tomorrow

FULL STORY - http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-jim-buss-defends-scott-lakers-analytics-20150828-story.html

"There are parameters that I need to see on a guy but that doesn't mean he fits the team. That's where Mitch comes in, he knows the numbers, but he also sees if he's a fit," said Buss. "Then you go to Byron Scott, is this a guy that you like? Is this a guy that fits the team, does he complement the other players?

"Analytics doesn't really get to that human detail of, 'Does he fit with this guy?' Percentage-wise and stat-wise he does, but you have personalities, style of play, coaches that have a style of play and you have to put that all together.

"If I don't like a guy statistically or analytically then I might come in and say I'm not in favor of this. If he passes my test, then I just let [Kupchak and Scott] figure out who is the better fit."

Full Story here: http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-jim-buss-20150828-story.html


On Kobe...

"We're going to approach it like it is, but that doesn't mean it is," Buss said of Bryant. "I'm not going to sit there and say, 'This is it, Kobe, you're done,' because it's not my decision, it's his decision."

So is this Bryant's final year with the team? "My arms are like this," Buss said, holding his arms wide open, about Bryant's future.

"He just has to know, at that age, and that many miles on you, what is your role? We'll explain the role, and if he still wants to do that and that's how he wants to go out, that's fine with me."

On D'Angelo Russell

"We've got high aspirations for him," Buss said. "We normally look to get bigs, but [Russell] was just that impressive, that we just didn't feel right passing up on him.

"My enthusiasm for D'Angelo Russell, I have to curb it because I'm so excited about it. He could be anything in this league."

On Randle

"He's a beast. He's been working out with some ex-NBA players and handling himself very well. He's super strong, very fit," Buss said.

On Clarkson

"Watching Jordan Clarkson develop [this summer], he's followed that same path, how he got better and better every game," Buss said.

About losing...

"I'm very competitive, so it hurts. It hurts terribly," Buss said. . "I try to look at the future while I'm watching the present, and that is to find core players. I think we've done a good job doing that."

On him...

"I don't mind that I said that, and I live by it. If we're not back contending in two years from now, then really I haven't done a good job," Buss said. "To me, the barometer of success at the end of next year ... is if we have eight core players that are going to be Lakers for the next five years.

"It's not a number of wins. It's not if we make the playoffs. It's not how far we go in the playoffs," he said about the upcoming season. "It matters that we have core players, and that these guys are our future."

Buss said he expects to deliver and rebuild one of the NBA's top franchises. "I'm the one who put it out there because that's the way I feel. I'm not a core player if I can't get this back to where we're supposed to be."

[Slava]

He didn't really ask him any of the tougher questions like the lack of investment on injury prevention methods or how he is hoping to turn around the analytics department into something more than a namesake.

[Sofa King]

He didn't really ask him any of the tougher questions like the lack of investment on injury prevention methods or how he is hoping to turn around the analytics department into something more than a namesake.

https://www.facebook.com/EricPincus?fref=ts

There's emplay's facebook. I asked him on facebook about your questions.

You can also tweet the questions to him but I don't use tweeter.

[Sofa King]

He didn't really ask him any of the tougher questions like the lack of investment on injury prevention methods or how he is hoping to turn around the analytics department into something more than a namesake.

https://www.facebook.com/EricPincus?fref=ts

There's emplay's facebook. I asked him on facebook about your questions.

You can also tweet the questions to him but I don't use tweeter.

Update...

we discussed analytics - will blog some of that tomorrow

[Kilroy]

He didn't really ask him any of the tougher questions like the lack of investment on injury prevention methods or how he is hoping to turn around the analytics department into something more than a namesake.

I think some of you are getting a little tunnel visioned about the analytics thing... It seemed like they made some updates along those lines, but I don't think they need to reinvent the wheel to address that one issue. I know it's fashionable at the moment, but it's not like improving analytics either on the court or with injury prevention, would have drastically effected our record on the court. Probably just enough to get us out of the lottery.

I have to say, Jim's answers are pretty much perfectly aligned with how I feel about the team.

[Slava]

He didn't really ask him any of the tougher questions like the lack of investment on injury prevention methods or how he is hoping to turn around the analytics department into something more than a namesake.

I think some of you are getting a little tunnel visioned about the analytics thing... It seemed like they made some updates along those lines, but I don't think they need to reinvent the wheel to address that one issue. I know it's fashionable at the moment, but it's not like improving analytics either on the court or with injury prevention, would have drastically effected our record on the court. Probably just enough to get us out of the lottery.

I have to say, Jim's answers are pretty much perfectly aligned with how I feel about the team.

That's kind of short term thinking, an investment in itself is something that you set up for continued dividends rather than as a yearly thing, that would just become lottery or a bet at that point. The lag between the Lakers and the modern sport in general is very much real and unless the season ticket holders and reporters ask them the tough questions about how the NBA record revenue is being put to good use to improve the franchise, we will never hear the answers or see change.

[dockingsched]

For me it comes down to if the lakers are the premier franchise in the NBA and winning is the most important thing, why aren't they viewed/admired as one of the leading franchises in both analytics and injury prevention, specially the latter?

Even if the team is filled with people like Byron Scott that are reluctant to embrace the "analytics movement", other than money what is the downside in hiring the best people/minds available to gather and interpret the data that is now available? Even if Scott does nothing with the data, shouldn't you still want to have the best info available to you when making decisions?

[Kilroy]

That's my point... It's a long term fix. Which shouldn't be completed in haste just to make sure you're on the bandwagon.

But more to the point, while there may be a lag between the Lakers and other organizations in their approach to analytics, I think you'd be hard-pressed to identify any substantial, tangible, dividends those perceived leading teams have enjoyed over the Lakers.

While I think the Lakers can make changes to get more modern and attract better talent, I don't think that one issue is necessarily the lightening rod for that modernization. I disagree with the perception that analytics is a finite, universal thing, and that there's a right and a wrong way to incorporate that logic. I don't think there is a single team in the league that is necessarily doing it 'right' or 'wrong.' I think continued on the court performance is the litmus test for it's effective use. And I don't think there's a single, more successful team in the league today, who's success couldn't be attributed directly to obviously superior talent. And I also don't think theres a team in the league today with fewer injuries, that couldn't be directly attributed to youth.

We all know that the CBA has done more than anything other definable thing to effect the relative success of the Lakers and the rest of the teams in the league. We also know the CBA is a transitory, pendulimic thing... Powerful players are already calling for doing away with the Cap. If that happens, the whole concept of analytics will change...

I think the 'analytics arms race' is a tempest in a teacup driven by people in the media who don't really understand the vastness of the concept, and think their understanding of it's use is the ONLY way it can be used. Or people with a vested, financial interest in furthering it's use as a commodity.

And I highly doubt the Lakers have allowed anybody in the media or from competing teams into the inner circle where that knowledge is kept/shared.

I think the smart team keeps their use of analytics very close to their chest, because if it is everything the media says it is, then it's basically like a recipe for winning. And like my grandma's famous turkey stuffing, ain't nobody getting that...

[Slava]

That's my point... It's a long term fix. Which shouldn't be completed in haste just to make sure you're on the bandwagon.

Yeah that's true but it doesn't hurt to ask the plan of action or what is being done to get us up to speed. Have we signed any new contracts with research firms on that front? Offered tenders to anyone with knowledge of these things? etc

But more to the point, while there may be a lag between the Lakers and other organizations in their approach to analytics, I think you'd be hard-pressed to identify any substantial, tangible, dividends those perceived leading teams have enjoyed over the Lakers.

While I think the Lakers can make changes to get more modern and attract better talent, I don't think that one issue is necessarily the lightening rod for that modernization. I disagree with the perception that analytics is a finite, universal thing, and that there's a right and a wrong way to incorporate that logic. I don't think there is a single team in the league that is necessarily doing it 'right' or 'wrong.' I think continued on the court performance is the litmus test for it's effective use. And I don't think there's a single, more successful team in the league today, who's success couldn't be attributed directly to obviously superior talent. And I also don't think theres a team in the league today with fewer injuries, that couldn't be directly attributed to youth.

You must be kidding here, Tim Duncan has been running on the court while dragging a foot along the floor since 2011 and yet he has played 90% of his team's games without missing a beat, that's not just magic or luck, that's the product of proper planning and sports science, same with Ginobili, who looks like a corpse at the end of every season and yet comes back to be productive the next. Don't you think Kobe's injuries could have been prevented with proper knowledge of player fatigue?

We have the ignominy of losing two guards to achilles injuries in 2 years, ending Steve Nash's career after he was managed so well in Phoenix and making Dwight look less than the superhuman he was up until then.

We all know that the CBA has done more than anything other definable thing to effect the relative success of the Lakers and the rest of the teams in the league. We also know the CBA is a transitory, pendulimic thing... Powerful players are already calling for doing away with the Cap. If that happens, the whole concept of analytics will change...

I think the 'analytics arms race' is a tempest in a teacup driven by people in the media who don't really understand the vastness of the concept, and think their understanding of it's use is the ONLY way it can be used. Or people with a vested, financial interest in furthering it's use as a commodity.

And I highly doubt the Lakers have allowed anybody in the media or from competing teams into the inner circle where that knowledge is kept/shared.

I think the smart team keeps their use of analytics very close to their chest, because if it is everything the media says it is, then it's basically like a recipe for winning. And like my grandma's famous turkey stuffing, ain't nobody getting that...

The CBA can well change, the cap might never be removed but all that is moot because the money you spend here is not part of the salary cap, so you can invest as much you want without any restrictions. If the franchise is going to remain skeptic, well that's just the way they are, instead they have shown their indication that something needed done, hence the movement within the front office and shuffling a scout to analytics etc..,

Even if it doesn't produce much, which I highly doubt as there are enough MIT grads out there investing their time and money into it, it still gives you enough fancy information to include in player presentations and lure them into thinking they'll be taken care of better here and prolong their careers than elsewhere.

We've already been shown how unimpressive we were in the few pitches we have made to free agents and no matter how we rationalize it, it needs fixed or else we'd be going into every meeting from now until someone inevitably realizes we are not worth their time with the same insanity and not get any better results.

[FrozenIceCubes]

Jim seems to have accepted that the current core might take a while until they understand.. how to win... Which basically means Jim seems to have embraced the fact that he probably won't be with the Lakers when the Lakers are ready to win... His deadline expires in 2 years...

[crazyeights]

I don't think there is a single team in the league that is necessarily doing it 'right' or 'wrong.' I think continued on the court performance is the litmus test for it's effective use. And I don't think there's a single, more successful team in the league today, who's success couldn't be attributed directly to obviously superior talent.

[The following is a thought experiment, viewer discretion is advised:]

The last part made me ask the question, if analytics and injury prevention is such a thing...then why did Morey sign Dwight? Wasn't that an inherently foolish and risky move based on his injury history? Look at his advanced stats:

OWS, DWS, WS, OBPM, DBPM, BPM, VORP, ORtg are all the worst of his career

PER, DRtg 2nd worst of his career.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/howardw01.html

39th in ORR; 22nd in VA and EWA....

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/statistics/_/position/c/sort/VORPe

His raw stats were way down (for him). Blocks to half of what they were in his prime. Rebounds to just above 10. Points to 15.

44 in %contested; 30th in Points Saved/GM; 12th in rim field goal allowed...

http://nyloncalculus.com/stats/rim-protection/

Now obviously Dwight was injured last season, and he did improve in the playoffs (so obviously he was being saved for game "the real season"), but what I'm wondering is why would Morey go for Dwight Howard at the max when he so clearly seemed to be physically incapable of being the iron man and absolutely best big he once was?

What Kilroy was suggesting was advanced stats, while important, aren't going to make non-elite players into much more than they are. The NBA still wins on talent, and while Tim Duncan's longevity might have greatly exceeded what would have been natural before all the advances in sports science, the fact that he's Tim freaking Duncan had a hell of a lot to do with that. Which is why Morey was gunning for Dwight Howard. He was a name, he had the talent, and maybe they hoped they could preserve his skills throughout his contract.

I just find it interesting that Morey didn't take more pause, given Dwight was clearly on the down slide. But hey, maybe his numbers told him that even though his numbers are down, they're still good enough to be the #2 on a contender.

[crazyeights]

Aside from the analytics stuff it was news that Jimmy suggested after Kobe's current contract is up, there would be a defined role they'd ask him to play in future years, and only if he's comfortable with that would they have him back. Meaning they wouldn't re-sign Kobe after this if he's under any delusions he is still The [only] Man.

Which to me is great news. Because if Kobe can be relatively healthy this year and wants to continue, he'll have to change his mentality and role going forward. I'd love to have the veteran Kobe on my team, just not the one we're used to.

[Kilroy]

That's my point... It's a long term fix. Which shouldn't be completed in haste just to make sure you're on the bandwagon.

Yeah that's true but it doesn't hurt to ask the plan of action or what is being done to get us up to speed. Have we signed any new contracts with research firms on that front? Offered tenders to anyone with knowledge of these things? etc

But more to the point, while there may be a lag between the Lakers and other organizations in their approach to analytics, I think you'd be hard-pressed to identify any substantial, tangible, dividends those perceived leading teams have enjoyed over the Lakers.

While I think the Lakers can make changes to get more modern and attract better talent, I don't think that one issue is necessarily the lightening rod for that modernization. I disagree with the perception that analytics is a finite, universal thing, and that there's a right and a wrong way to incorporate that logic. I don't think there is a single team in the league that is necessarily doing it 'right' or 'wrong.' I think continued on the court performance is the litmus test for it's effective use. And I don't think there's a single, more successful team in the league today, who's success couldn't be attributed directly to obviously superior talent. And I also don't think theres a team in the league today with fewer injuries, that couldn't be directly attributed to youth.

You must be kidding here, Tim Duncan has been running on the court while dragging a foot along the floor since 2011 and yet he has played 90% of his team's games without missing a beat, that's not just magic or luck, that's the product of proper planning and sports science, same with Ginobili, who looks like a corpse at the end of every season and yet comes back to be productive the next. Don't you think Kobe's injuries could have been prevented with proper knowledge of player fatigue?

We have the ignominy of losing two guards to achilles injuries in 2 years, ending Steve Nash's career after he was managed so well in Phoenix and making Dwight look less than the superhuman he was up until then.

We all know that the CBA has done more than anything other definable thing to effect the relative success of the Lakers and the rest of the teams in the league. We also know the CBA is a transitory, pendulimic thing... Powerful players are already calling for doing away with the Cap. If that happens, the whole concept of analytics will change...

I think the 'analytics arms race' is a tempest in a teacup driven by people in the media who don't really understand the vastness of the concept, and think their understanding of it's use is the ONLY way it can be used. Or people with a vested, financial interest in furthering it's use as a commodity.

And I highly doubt the Lakers have allowed anybody in the media or from competing teams into the inner circle where that knowledge is kept/shared.

I think the smart team keeps their use of analytics very close to their chest, because if it is everything the media says it is, then it's basically like a recipe for winning. And like my grandma's famous turkey stuffing, ain't nobody getting that...

The CBA can well change, the cap might never be removed but all that is moot because the money you spend here is not part of the salary cap, so you can invest as much you want without any restrictions. If the franchise is going to remain skeptic, well that's just the way they are, instead they have shown their indication that something needed done, hence the movement within the front office and shuffling a scout to analytics etc..,

Even if it doesn't produce much, which I highly doubt as there are enough MIT grads out there investing their time and money into it, it still gives you enough fancy information to include in player presentations and lure them into thinking they'll be taken care of better here and prolong their careers than elsewhere.

We've already been shown how unimpressive we were in the few pitches we have made to free agents and no matter how we rationalize it, it needs fixed or else we'd be going into every meeting from now until someone inevitably realizes we are not worth their time with the same insanity and not get any better results.

Sorry but you just can't compare a team coached by Pop and a team coached by the smorgasbord of coaches we have. Kobe was completely mismanaged back to the end of Phil's tenure. MDA would have killed Duncans career too. Pop is simply the best coach in the league and has done a genius job getting the most of the talent he's been forced to run with. They may be better at analytics, but they've had to be because they've had to figure a way to stay competitive under the CBA with the talent they have. And I think it's unfair to Pop to say Analytics is the reason they've been able to keep that core on the court. They've had their share of injuries too.

Not arguing the 'analytics attract talent' thing... But I think you need to be careful with that argument insomuch as I don't think any of us really wants to admit what attracts professional athletes. Nor would I want to bet any of them really understand analytics. Should I bring up power bands? The mood ring of professional sports?

Also not arguing that spending on analytics doesn't effect the cap. It doesn't and we could literally spend a fortune on it, and I think Staples marketing folks would be ecstatic if we did.
What I'm saying though is that no matter what analytics say, you have a very limited pool of talent to pull from, especially at the elite level. There is very little argument about signing a player at that level. It comes down to whether you have the money or not. Which is dictated by the CBA.
If you have the space to sign 2 or 3 elite players, you do it. Not much choice there.
And if you have 3 elite players, you are going to be successful in the NBA pretty much regardless of what analytics say.
Where it becomes a factor is in building around those players efficiently, within the confines of the remaining money available. Role-players in other words... But despite the perceived gap between those other teams and us in analytics, we've done pretty damn good finding dirt cheap talent to surround our broken down "core."

[Kilroy]

I don't think there is a single team in the league that is necessarily doing it 'right' or 'wrong.' I think continued on the court performance is the litmus test for it's effective use. And I don't think there's a single, more successful team in the league today, who's success couldn't be attributed directly to obviously superior talent.

[The following is a thought experiment, viewer discretion is advised:]

The last part made me ask the question, if analytics and injury prevention is such a thing...then why did Morey sign Dwight? Wasn't that an inherently foolish and risky move based on his injury history? Look at his advanced stats:

OWS, DWS, WS, OBPM, DBPM, BPM, VORP, ORtg are all the worst of his career

PER, DRtg 2nd worst of his career.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/howardw01.html

39th in ORR; 22nd in VA and EWA....

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/statistics/_/position/c/sort/VORPe

His raw stats were way down (for him). Blocks to half of what they were in his prime. Rebounds to just above 10. Points to 15.

44 in %contested; 30th in Points Saved/GM; 12th in rim field goal allowed...

http://nyloncalculus.com/stats/rim-protection/

Now obviously Dwight was injured last season, and he did improve in the playoffs (so obviously he was being saved for game "the real season"), but what I'm wondering is why would Morey go for Dwight Howard at the max when he so clearly seemed to be physically incapable of being the iron man and absolutely best big he once was?

What Kilroy was suggesting was advanced stats, while important, aren't going to make non-elite players into much more than they are. The NBA still wins on talent, and while Tim Duncan's longevity might have greatly exceeded what would have been natural before all the advances in sports science, the fact that he's Tim freaking Duncan had a hell of a lot to do with that. Which is why Morey was gunning for Dwight Howard. He was a name, he had the talent, and maybe they hoped they could preserve his skills throughout his contract.

I just find it interesting that Morey didn't take more pause, given Dwight was clearly on the down slide. But hey, maybe his numbers told him that even though his numbers are down, they're still good enough to be the #2 on a contender.

Can't seem to +1 anyone anymore so let me just say...

This^

[pdub15]

Jeanie Buss needs to fire Jim and hire a real President of Basketball Operations. Mitch is a good GM and was taught by "The Logo" Jerry West. Jim is a cancer to the Lakers organization. He wasted away assets on an aging PG in Nash and he made the trade for Howard without talking to Howard's agent first to get an extension.

[FrozenIceCubes]

Jim made a interesting point.. He said he was beind Phil Jacksons return and the Pau Gasol trade it looks like his dad pushed him over in selecting MDA over others because of Dr Busses desire for showtime basketball I honestly think Jim Buss can be a great owner the problem is .. The media and the public won't let him be known as a good owner despite the fact that he's shown he can make the big move to put the Lakers over the top...

[pdub15]

Jim made a interesting point.. He said he was beind Phil Jacksons return and the Pau Gasol trade it looks like his dad pushed him over in selecting MDA over others because of Dr Busses desire for showtime basketball I honestly think Jim Buss can be a great owner the problem is .. The media and the public won't let him be known as a good owner despite the fact that he's shown he can make the big move to put the Lakers over the top...

It's not the first time Jim has said this. He said this a few months after Dr. Buss died. Never said it when Dr. Buss was alive. I find that odd especially since Dr. Buss loved Phil Jackson. Phil Jackson said that Mitch called him at midnight and said Jim has decided to go with MDA. Look at Jim's 2 big moves:

Move 1) Giving up way to many assets for a 39 year old PG
Move 2) Trading for All-Star Center in the final year of contract without speaking to his agent first to secure an extension. (Remember the press conference when Jeanie flipped out when she heard Jim hadn't spoke to Howard's agent about an extension prior to the trade)

Those aren't big moves. Those are bad moves for anybody with the role of President of Basketball Operations. Jim has never been a good owner. He won 2 rings with the Sparks because Jeanie had put all the people there before he came.

[FrozenIceCubes]

More then anything what I gathered importantly from the interview is that he's specifically trying to build up the value of the players as opposed to a actually having a Input on the players building a future core... I think Jim did his best not to spill the beans on what the FO is thinking going forward.

[Spens1]

yeah nah, jim buss needs to go, Jeanie is the one with the basketball brains out of the siblings

put her in charge and hopefully we can regain our position on top of the basketball world

[dockingsched]

Jim made a interesting point.. He said he was beind Phil Jacksons return and the Pau Gasol trade it looks like his dad pushed him over in selecting MDA over others because of Dr Busses desire for showtime basketball I honestly think Jim Buss can be a great owner the problem is .. The media and the public won't let him be known as a good owner despite the fact that he's shown he can make the big move to put the Lakers over the top...

It's not the first time Jim has said this. He said this a few months after Dr. Buss died. Never said it when Dr. Buss was alive. I find that odd especially since Dr. Buss loved Phil Jackson.

I think you have a distorted view of the past. This is what Phil Jackson said at the end of his tenure as coach of the lakers:

In his final news conference that season, he noted that he did not have much of a relationship with Jerry or Jim Buss, and said, "When I leave here, I don't anticipate Lakers management will call me up and ask my advice.

Personally I'd day Dr Buss tolerated Jackson because of all the winning though I admit tolerated may be a bit harsh. He definitely didn't love him Jackson, that's just fantasy. There's a reason DrBuss didn't include Jackson in his succession plan.

Phil Jackson said that Mitch called him at midnight and said Jim has decided to go with MDA.

Jackson said that eh? Cause latimes has Jackson quoted with this:

"When I left [the interview], [Lakers owner/executive] Jimmy [Buss] was pretty happy about it and [General Manager] Mitch [Kupchak] was still saying, 'We're going to keep interviewing people,' and I think the ultimate [decision] kind of rested with Dr. Buss and he made the decision in the hospital the day after," said Jackson.