It’s not a secret that the Los Angeles Lakers are struggling to get things going since they won the 2020 NBA championship in the bubble. Jeanie Buss made history, becoming the first female owner to win the NBA championship, adding more accolades to the Lakers’ rich history.
It didn’t come easy, and Buss knew she had to make difficult decisions to make the team a competitive one again. The biggest one might be firing her brother after several years of struggling to record winning seasons. Jeanie worked closely with her father, and she knew firsthand what he wanted for his beloved team.
That’s why he made the decision to let her brother Jim go in 2017, starting a new chapter for the team. Jim was the team’s executive vice president of basketball operations at the team, but his performance was terrible, which prompted his sister to make some changes in the front office.
Talking to Scooby Axson of USA TODAY, Buss opened up on this situation, going in at her brother, saying he was getting too comfortable at the bottom of the standings every season.
“The way he was operating the team, we were making a nice home at the bottom of the standings year after year,” she said to Axson. “That wasn’t the brand that Dr. (Jerry) Buss created. No one has the formula to win a championship, but you always be relevant and be part of the conversation and give yourself a chance to win.”
The Lakers started drafting interesting young players at the time, trying to build something great from zero. However, when they had the chance to land LeBron James, it was a no-brainer, as they acquired the then 3x NBA champion in 2018. Right now, some of those players are thriving with other franchises, while the Lakers keep trying to find their rhythm.
As long as they have LeBron, they will have a chance, but after two disappointing seasons, perhaps Jeanie will get tired of the bad results again, and some people will stop working for the Lakers organization. This upcoming season will be very challenging for them, and fans only hope to see their team recover their best level and compete for the championship again.
Jeanie has shown she’s not afraid to make hard decisions, as not even her family is safe when it comes to making the Lakers a solid team.
