Jim Buss opened up to Mason & Ireland expressing his “disappointment” in Lakers this past season. Maybe he should look in the mirror if he wants to see disappointment.
After all, it was Buss who gave Mike Brown a job without so much as considering other options. It was Buss who has refused to even consider trading Andrew Bynum. It was Buss who fired longtime assistant GM Ronnie Lester and didn’t replace him until this week. It was Buss who set this team up for failure by failing to properly prepare for success.
Yes, no matter what any team’s front office does it will always be on the players and coaches to see it through on the court. Buss would have a right to be disappointed in his team if he did more to help his team.
Jim Buss made it very clear when last season ended that he was going to do things his way. His way was to fire employees without so much as a handshake. His way was to hire a head coach without even giving a courtesy call to his best player. His way was to trade players without so much as letting them know before news broke on ESPN.
Exactly how is that a way to build a champion?
Whatever disappointment Buss feels is by his own doing. You can’t throw a baseball at mom’s china cabinet then get upset when a few things end up broken. Buss pretty much tossed a grenade into the Laker franchise last offseason and now he’s “disappointed” in how things ended. Please!
We all understand that this is a business and with that comes some tough decisions. Problem is Jim didn’t learn much from his father. Dr. Jerry Buss has made plenty of difficult choices of the years. The difference is he’s handled situations with the right approach. At the end of the day you can’t ask for mush more…well…except winning a championship or three.
At this rate Jim Buss isn’t going to taste championship champagne unless he sneaks into San Antonio’s locker room this month. Building a contender is more than hiring a coach who tell you whatever you want to hear. Is there any doubt as to why Bynum was featured so heavily while Pau Gasol was forgotten this season? That’s what Buss wanted and that’s what he got. Now he’s got to sleep in the bed he made. He also needs to stop throwing rocks in glasshouses.