This will be the third year in a row that the Los Angeles Lakers will win less than 30 games(okay, they could win 30 games, but they would have to win 19 of their last 25 games, and let’s face it, that’s not happening).
Lakers President and part owner Jeanie Buss remains unperturbed despite the team’s lack of success, though.
By the end of next season, the 54-year-old daughter of the late Dr. Jerry Buss will have some clarity that has hard to come by in the past few seasons – especially with the unique dynamic presented by Kobe Bryant’s twilight years. She will either be preparing to make major changes to the team’s front office because of another disappointing season, and thereby executing the shape-up-or-ship-out plan that was put in place by her brother and the team’s vice president of basketball operations, Jim Buss. Or, should the Lakers pull off a major turnaround, she’ll be celebrating a return to prominence along with the rest of them.
“I hope that we’re not having this same conversation a year from now (about the Lakers’ struggles),” said Buss, whose team entered Sunday with the second-worst record in the NBA (11-45) and with a combined record of 59-161 the past three seasons.
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There is no change to the timeline that Jim first shared in April of 2014, when he indicated that he would resign if the team wasn’t contending for a title by next season. Since then, it has become clear that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak would likely be part of this equation as well.
“I think that (Jim Buss) was very sure of himself when he promised that timeline, and I think that he has everything he needs to fulfill that promise of getting the team back competitive,” Jeanie Buss said. “And when I say competitive, it’s competing for the Western Conference Finals, which would mean at least second round (of the playoffs) – if not more … They have earned the right to take the time that they’ve needed to put together what they want to have out on the court, and if they can’t do that then we have to reexamine how things are going.”
It’s hard to see the Lakers being contenders as soon as next season. Sure, they have some good young players, but there are teams with better young players(like the Timberwolves and the Jazz) who are probably a bit closer to contention than the Lakers.
The obvious factor that L.A. has that, say Minnesota or Utah has is that, ya know, it’s the Lakers. Storied franchise, great city/weather. Players want to play for the Lakers, and the team will always have that factor. Buss knows this, and hopes to land a free agent. Again, from Amick:
“I think that what we offered (the many free agents who passed on the Lakers in recent years) didn’t match where they were in their careers or what they were looking for,” Jeanie said. “Hopefully now, our story and what we have to present will be enticing to whoever they have targeted in terms of free agency to bring here. But again, I don’t make the decisions about the vision of basketball.”
Despite the draw of L.A., the Lakers are a pretty terrible team right now, which makes it more difficult to recruit players. This timeline of being a contender by next season might be off by a bit
