Jeanie Buss Reveals How Jerry Buss Told Phil Jackson About The Shaquille O’Neal Trade In 2004: “It Won’t Matter To You Because You’re Not Coming Back as Coach Either”

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The Los Angeles Lakers are arguably the most star-studded franchise in the history of NBA basketball. They have had most of the biggest names in basketball history wear their jersey and represent the LakeShow on the court. They are also the most successful NBA franchise in history with 17 championships, tied with the Boston Celtics. 

Most of that success was brought to the franchise by former owner Jerry Buss, who transformed the team after purchasing it in 1979. Buss won 10 championships with the Lakers, and another chip has been added to their collection by his daughter Jeanie in 2020.

After the Lakers failed to defeat the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 Finals, the team was facing an inevitable crossroads which saw them having to choose between Shaquille O’Neal or Kobe Bryant as the wildly successful duo could no longer co-exist. Jeanie told the story of how Shaq was traded to Miami and how her father broke the news to coach Phil Jackson. 

“When Shaq got traded, that was really hard. I tell the story about how my dad made the decision because he couldn’t pay Shaq the money that he could earn under the collective bargaining agreement, so a trade was coming up. At the end of the season. Phil (Jackson) went to meet my father. He went in and said ‘you can’t trade Shaq, he’s the most dominant player in the league. You can’t trade him.’ My dad said, ‘well, I am gonna trade him and it won’t matter to you because you’re not coming back as coach either. That’s not your problem.’  

The Lakers were going for something new and they did so by letting Shaq go. While Buss says that the Lakers couldn’t afford to keep Shaq, many believe the move was because of internal tension between Kobe and Shaq. Buss has previously said this wasn’t the case. Ultimately, Shaq got to win a championship in Miami and Kobe would win 2 titles in 2009 and 2010, with Phil Jackson as his coach again. 

Managing star players is not easy but it seems the Lakers specialize in dealing with these situations. What they aren’t specialists in is losing, so the current state of the team must be tough for Jeanie to accept, especially with LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the roster. 

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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