Times have been tough in Laker land for a couple of years now. Luck has simply not been on our side. The Lakers are hopeful their luck will change for the better at the NBA Draft Lottery tomorrow.
-== Lakers Draft Evaluations: Comparing Then & Now ==-
If the Lakers lose their pick and strike out once again in free agency this Summer, another long season can be on the horizon. Every team goes through a rebuilding process, but Jim Buss’ seat is getting hotter and if he can’t deliver, this fan base will be outraged.
It simply has not been the same since Dr. Jerry Buss left the organization. He was the one that kept everything together and the Lakers kept winning. One particular ESPN personality believes the Buss family is ready to move on from the Lakers. According to Stephen A. Smith of First Take, his sources told him that most of the Buss family wants to sell the Lakers within the next 3 to 5 years:
"“I told you sources told me, the Lakers will possibly be sold within the next 3 to 5 years because you have some members of the Buss family that want that to happen, even though Jeanie is holding on.”"
The Buss family wants to sell the Lakers? It’s hard to believe, but Smith sounded very confident about his sources. Smith used to be an NBA writer and basketball is his forte, so his sources could be credible, but at this point we can only call this a rumor.
According to Smith, Jeanie Buss is the only one who is trying to hold on to this franchise. She is a big part of this organization, so it will be interesting to see what she will do to avoid that outcome. With the Clippers receiving over a $2 billion recently, the Lakers could ask for much more, which is why the Buss family may see it as a good time to sell the franchise.
Maybe this is what this team needs, but the Buss family and the Lakers have been synonymous since 1979. Change is always good right? I guess it depends on who wants to buy the Lakers, because the Buss family have set the bar high.