Early Wednesday morning, Kobe went on The Dan Patrick Show to talk about his injury status, and the departure of Phil Jackson to the Knicks. While the most shocking news was that Kobe admitted he could be playing right now if the Lakers were in contention for the playoffs, Kobe also took some time talk about the status of the front office.
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Seemingly backtracking on his comments from last week, Kobe appeared to have a different view of the front office. As quoted by Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters, Kobe says he has talked to Jim Buss about the rebuilding process:
Kobe (1/5): "I've had conversations w/ Jimmy. Jimmy's really adamant about the direction that he wants to go w/ this organization…"
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 19, 2014
Kobe (2/5): "He (Jim) feels really confident w/ the fact that he could be able to turn it around." (on @dpshow)
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 19, 2014
After calling out management last week, Kobe’s view has apparently changed. While Kobe would most certainly like to win now, he is putting his faith into the Buss siblings to turn things around for the Lakers.
The good news for Lakers fans is that, according to Kobe, both Jim and Jeanie appear to be on the same page, via Winters:
Kobe (3/5) "Him (Jim) and Jeanie seem to be really focused on being on the same page and…"
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) March 19, 2014
The passing of the great Dr. Jerry Buss has thrust both Jim and Jeanie into the spotlight as they try to keep up the legacy that their father was known for. With a high draft pick and plenty of cap space for this upcoming off-season, the Lakers have positioned themselves in a nice spot to make a quick turnaround.
As Kobe said last week, the Lakers franchise comes down to Jim and Jeanie collaborating together toward one common goal. With Phil Jackson now at the Knicks, Jim will get the chance to show Laker fans why his father entrusted him with the legendary franchise.
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