Jeanie Buss just gave a tell-all interview to the LA Times addressing the failure of the Los Angeles Lakers this season. The team with the fourth-highest salary bill in the league failed to make it to the playoffs and it is looked at as a massive failure by outsiders and people within the Lakers organization.
Buss answered some incredibly tough questions that have been speculated on, including the involvement of Klutch Sports in the decision-making process for the Lakers. Klutch Sports is operated by LeBron’s close friend Rich Paul and represent the interests of many top players around the league, with LeBron and Anthony Davis being the two top-tier Lakers stars working with Klutch.
Buss giving the interview has brought praise out from Magic Johnson, who was extremely critical of the Lakers all season long.
My sister and Lakers owner @JeanieBuss was sincere, honest, and direct with her feelings about last season in a new LA Times article. She wants, and expects, things to change for the Lakers next season and Jeanie is the sole decision maker for the Laker organization.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 10, 2022
Through this interview, Jeanie took the responsibility for the Lakers season, calling herself the ‘sole decision maker’ of the team. Considering that a lot of chatter was about the Lakers’ leadership structure with many fingers being pointed in several directions. Buss effectively told everyone to point the finger at her instead of LeBron, Klutch, Rob Pelinka, and others.
It seems Magic Johnson has repaired his relationship with the Lakers after a highly-publicized split from the team in 2019. Magic was instrumental in bringing LeBron to LA and was involved in the decision by the Lakers to try and trade for Anthony Davis. Considering the respect Magic has around the league and in the eyes of the players, he may be the voice of mediation when required.
Buss needs to do more than take accountability and reverse the team’s fortunes next season. If she can’t, the Lakers look to be in extreme trouble in the long-run with their depleted assets and an aging LeBron James who will be entering his 20th season in October.
