Because of the recent struggles of the Los Angeles Lakers on the court, the front office has come under intense scrutiny. Rob Pelinka is the head man in the front office with owner Jeanie Buss obviously playing a large role as well, but many questioned the involvement of Kurt and Linda Rambis, who reportedly had a big say in decisions too.
With the window on getting LeBron James another championship being extremely short as he enters his 20th NBA season, the pressure is on for the front office to make another deal. And perhaps that is why a pair of Buss children are seeing their standing within the organization rise even more.
According to Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic, the voices of Joey Buss and Jesse Buss are being considered even more within the Lakers front office as there is more desire for a true consensus on huge deals:
While Pelinka has been given the ultimate power to make these decisions, sources say there was a desire for the entire group to come to a consensus. It appears the voices of Joey and Jesse Buss are being considered among Lakers leaders now more than ever. If they were going to gamble on a make-or-break move of this magnitude, the thinking went, then everyone had to have confidence in the same vision. But when that wasn’t the case, sources say, the choice was made by Pelinka to remain patient and see, yet again, if Westbrook might find a way to make this imperfect fit with the Lakers work.
Only time will tell if this sort of collaboration is the new norm for Lakers leadership, which in recent years had kept its inner circle small with Jeanie Buss, Pelinka and Rambis. Ironically, the decision to bring Westbrook to town the prior summer in the trade with Washington was not made in this sort of fashion.
Of course only those within that circle truly know how the decision-making process is being handled, but both Joey and Jesse Buss have earned the right to be in the room. Jesse has long been in charge of scouting for the Lakers and that is a department that has been absolutely excellent over the years for the franchise.
Joey Buss, meanwhile, has been the President of the Lakers’ G-League affiliate the South Bay Lakers and drew great reviews for the work he has done there.
The Lakers have some very big decisions to make in the coming months that will truly shape the future of this franchise and hopefully the younger Buss brothers will help this front office make the right ones.
Irving reportedly not in Lakers’ long-term plans
Arguably the biggest name involved in Lakers’ trade rumors this offseason was Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving. For a time it felt like a real possibility that Irving would be with the Lakers, but that time has passed and now Irving in a Lakers jersey even in the offseason appears unlikely.
Recent reports suggest that Irving is not in the Lakers’ long-term plans, meaning that when Irving is an unrestricted free agent next summer, the Lakers may not be as interested at least for the time being.
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