Training camp is here and routines are settling in. Monday’s media day became Tuesday’s 1st practice which then transitioned to Wednesday’s first two-a-day session. On and on this will go into next week when the Lakers will open their preseason schedule against the Kings on October 4th. Basketball is back. It is fantastic.
With the team’s return, however, also comes the residual baggage from season’s past. There may not be a farewell tour to navigate or an old-school coach’s soundbites and strategies try to make sense of, but there are still issues to wade through. Namely, that timeline for contention put forth by VP of Basketball Ops/Co-Owner Jim Buss.
You remember that, right? That’s a dumb question, of course you remember.
During GM Mitch Kupchak’s camp opening makeshift press conference, Buss’ timeline was brought and Mitch basically explained he really can’t do anything about it. The OC Register’s Bill Oram has the write up:
Jim Buss’ pledge has not gone away. This spring will mark the end of the third year since the Lakers’ top basketball executive vowed in a statement to the Los Angeles Times that he would resign if the Lakers did not return to Western Conference contention within three years…
…It’s never been clear whether Kupchak, a decorated executive who has overseen four championship teams in 15 years as the Lakers GM, would get a pass for his demonstrated skill as an executive, or whether he is on the hot seat right along with Buss.
At this point, it wouldn’t be surprising if it’s the latter.
These are important questions facing the organization. Kupchak had no answer when asked directly about that dynamic and what top members of the front office need to do to retain their jobs beyond this season.
“I’m not really in a position to debate some of the stuff you just talked about,” he said.
Instead, Kupchak talked broadly about goals for the young team.
First things first, credit Oram for framing this correctly. We do not know if Kupchak’s fate is tied to Buss’. Nor do we know how much influence Kupchak has in dealing with ownership on this specific topic. What we do know — or at least what Kupchak tells us — is that this stuff is happening above his head and that he is “not really in a position” to do much of anything about it. He then pivots to what he wants to see from the team this year. Mitch is good at pivoting. Those Dean Smith fundamentals still serve him well.
In a strange way, Kupchak’s comments comfort me and helps inform my approach to this season.
I have long been a person who, in my own professional life, only worries about the things I can control. The things that happen above my pay grade deserve my attention in how they may or may not impact me, but I don’t worry about these things. I have no input in how those things play out. So, instead, I turn my focus to the things I do have impact on. My everyday performance. My interaction with my staff or colleagues. My general mood and approach to my job.
Shifting the focus back to the Lakers, whatever happens between Jim and Jeanie (and, for that matter, the rest of the Buss children involved with the trust/ownership of the team) isn’t really in anyone’s control but their own. If Jim steps down, he does. If Jeanie fires him, she does. If they both come to the conclusion that they will put the timeline aside and continue to see where this goes, so be it.
I know this situation is there and it is not going away. It will come up any time either Jim or Jeanie make media appearance and, should the Lakers end up having a poor record, the speculation about Jim’s future will be brought to the team’s doorstep. This was always going to be the case after Jim went public with his expectations for contending (something I always thought was silly, for what that’s worth).
That said, I simply cannot muster up the energy to concern myself with this as much as I probably should. It distracts from what I enjoy about being a basketball fan. Maybe that’s naive. And maybe the inevitableness of this story gaining traction throughout the year won’t allow me to avoid it for long. But, like Mitch Kupchak, I’m going to pivot. I’m going to watch the games in earnest, see how the young guys perform, watch for how Luke Walton coaches, and how the veterans balance out the roster with their play and leadership.
And then I’m going to write about all of it. Sure, I realize this won’t be the last time I use this space to discuss Jim’s timeline, but I’m going to do my best to separate that from the fan experience the best way I can. At this point, it’s really all I can do.
new rr says
Just for the record again, the statement went public in April 2014 and this is what he said:
“I was laying myself on the line by saying, if this doesn’t work in three to four years, if we’re not back on the top — and the definition of top means contending for the Western Conference, contending for a championship — then I will step down because that means I have failed,” he told The Times about the meeting. “I don’t know if you can fire yourself if you own the team … but what I would say is I’d walk away and you guys figure out who’s going to run basketball operations because I obviously couldn’t do the job.
“There’s no question in my mind we will accomplish success. I’m not worried about putting myself on the line.”
Travis Y says
Look, I don’t think Jim Buss should be in charge of basketball operations. However, what we are dealing with is cause and effect. Jerry Buss’ health was in a dire situation, thus it made the front office want to swing for the fences in hopes of bringing one last championship before he passed.
Consequently, we made a trade for Dwight and Steve Nash that would affect our future for years. Well, you reap what you sow. Because we pressed and put all of our chips into the pot, the Lakers had to live with the outcome aka the last 4 abysmal years.
All that being said, we have drafted very well, have a highly regarded head coach and new hard working culture in the making. I hated these last 4 years, but am excited to turn a new page and move forward. No, we will not be contending for the playoffs, but I’m hoping the defensive intensity is turned up (80% of practice addressed defense) and that we lose the iso-dominant offense that has plagued us.
My prediction, 31 wins, exciting basketball, hard losses, but growth.
As we climb the mountain, I’d say we aren’t at the bottom, but still very close to it.
david-h says
Darius: heaven help us we have the same resolve as you.
thanks for prepping us before the games begin to count.
coach Walton: here’s another Motown megamix for team practice sessions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zx80dJhGtM
Go lakers
matt24 says
Last years minutes in order
Clarkson. .2552
Randle. .2286
Russell. .2259
Williams. .1907
Hibbert. .1878
Kobe. .1863
Bass…1342
Nance…1266
Young..1033
Huertas. .869
A.brown. .599
Mwp…590
Black. .496
Kelly…470
Sacre…320
matt24 says
Sounds nice according to kupcheck the music played at practice needs to be edited
_ Robert _ says
We do not have any direct control over anything with regard
to the Lakers(even though another board
has accused me and others of being responsible for MDA’s departure).We follow the team and root for positive
results.We all root for the draft
lottery, we root for the team to draft the correct players, and we root for the
FO to make good trades. We have no control over any of it and none of this has
anything to do with on the court x’s and o’s.What happens in the FO is the same.Some of us are rooting for change and others are rooting for status quo.It is huge – so it is hard to ignore or
separate from being a fan. We are all rooting for what we think is best for the
team.We have no more control over
this than we do rooting during a game.That doesn’t stop us from rooting hard and thinking that our rooting and
superstitions somehow do influence the outcome.I still have my lucky 13” TV.Thing has an incredible record and I only
break it out for key games.Whether I
use it or not definitely influences the outcome:)
Clay Bertrand says
We can’t fully embrace the promise and hope of the new direction and changes and at the same time call for the heads of those that made them.
“Yeah, these young guys have promise and I like our coach and everything. I’m really excited to watch. But our front office should all be fired because they said they thought they’d do better and they didn’t. They traded away All Star Andrew Bynum with all of our 1st round draft picks and didn’t resign Dwight Howard.”
* Bynum is out of the league and never played a meaningful game in another uniform.
* Howard flamed out in Houston and is on to ruin the Hawks in his HOMETOWN this season.
* The Lakers have still YET to convey ONE SINGLE “TRADED” 1st Round pick and there is still a chance that NONE will be conveyed AT ALL
* The Lakers have one of the best young crops of talent in the League having drafted well
* The Lakers have one of the best young coaches in the League
* We haven’t seen one second of game play under these new circumstances to judge anything
* The Fanbase seems to be on board with the whole new program
WHY, under the above circumstances, on the second day of training camp is the line of questioning THE JIM BUSS TIMELINE?????????? Nothing new in the story of this Lame utterance prompted attention to it. “NEWS” is supposed to be….uhhhh NEW!!!!!!! The Lakers are TEAM DRAMA to the media (particularly the National Media). But because there isn’t any vitriol or drama belching out of the Lakers at the moment, the media finds nothing very juicy to talk about. Too much FEEL GOOD going on here!!! Too many puff pieces about D’Angelo Russell and Luke Walton. Let’s talk front office turmoil even though there is no evidence of it in the make up of the team!!!!! “HEY MITCH, IF YOU GUYS SUCK AGAIN, IS JIM BUSS GONNA QUIT LIKE HE SAID HE WOULD????”
Really, what is the expected response to this query?????
“Uh yep. Exactly. We pretty much are going to suck again and when we do, Jim Buss is going to step down and I will probably leave too because I have done such a crappy job and had such a terrible career here. Maybe Jim and I can find success elsewhere?? I will of course wish the Lakers the best of luck when I’m canned. I wonder what the future will hold for me??? When its all over, I think I’m gonna go to Chick-Fil-A. Next question???”
Whatever. To me at this point, this is a NON STORY or borderline trolling. Is it going to be a story in 6 months??? Maybe. If so, address it THEN. When the situation provides meaningful CONTEXT.
We’re fans not shareholders!!!! I’m with Darius………I’m so hyped to watch the games, I don’t give 2 squirts about the BS that may exist between a gang of rich, related owners. ESPECIALLY because it isn’t affecting the immediate state of the team and we haven’t even been able to evaluate ANY results of the changes made at this point. I mean, mid-season, if the team craps out and looks like we have nothing to work with talent wise and Walton can’t coach and starts having melt downs and ratings plummet, then you visit this topic. Doing so now just smacks of pissing on the small parade of hope we the fans have bought into.
Cynically speaking, once the team is doing good again, Phil Jackson will leave the smoldering Knicks and receive a KING’S welcome to return artificially triumphant to a team that is ALREADY TRENDING UPWARD. ONE quasi Elite free agent will then agree to sign here and everyone will say, “SEE, Jim Buss is an idiot. Phil turned us around!!!!!!” And Phil will say, “Let the fans eat cake.” All ills will then be forgotten. (tongue in cheek)
Such is perception.
But until that day, we are in a better place than we have been by far. I’m gonna ride with what we got and enjoy the journey going forward. Not stop the ride to shoot the stage coach driver because the short cut he thought he could take yesterday got flooded out.
Buck Foston!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buck the Clippers!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buck em ALL!!!!!
Go Lakers!!!!!!!!!!!
BigCitySid10552 says
– Based on the personnel decisions the front office chose to make during the last three years, anyone who believed anything Little Jimmy Bus(t) promised deserves to be disappointed. It’s bad enough staying at zero & not making a positive move towards becoming a title contender (like Philly) but it’s an absolute crime to actually go backwards into the negative zone over a three year period, putting out the worst possible product on the court over & over, yet lining your personal pockets with profit never seen before.
– The Bus(t) family is not as divided as they would like us to believe. It really doesn’t matter if Jimmy or Jeanie’s name is listed as the Laker Czar. They’ve already split the last three years loot. Just looks like Jimmy falling on the sword was part of the plan from the very beginning to distract those of us who think things could be different based on which Bus(t) is calling the shots.
– Going forth, my hope is now that this family has been pre-paid, they will show when it comes to creating a title contender, they actually learned a lot more from their father then they’ve previously shown.
– Choosing to believe the Laker locomotive is once again on the right track to title contention. Only question now: will it be an express or local?
david-h says
thanks matt24 Kupchak grew up in the Motown era. to me the music is timeless…and suits a period way back when laker legacy was in it’s infancy.
I also like the 80’s:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST86JM1RPl0
Go lakers
fern16 says
Clay you hit it out of the park this time, my sentiments exactly!! Im sick and tired of the “Im exited we have a young promising core!!We have drafted wisely and this thing might be starting to turn around!!!! But the entire FO and ownership? Off with their heads!! Every single one of them!!!”. It’s ridiculous. Like it or not looks like things are shaping up to be better. And the “trading Bynum for Dwight was a mistake” i don’t know, people must have some neurons misfiring or something because is as simple as this. How many games the Sixers got out of Bynum? Yeah thats right, ZILCH. At least we got a season out of Howard. He walked away in FA? Boo freaking hoo get over it. If Dwight stayed there wouldn’t be no Randle, no DAR, no Brandon no youth movement just a borderline playoff team with a bloated payroll and no youth, people are so dense i swear. We have to rally behind this team that the all world “incompetent” Lakers FO has put togheter and stop the incesant bitching and moaning about the FO. This is not the time for that. People need to realize there is no way in hell or God’s green earth the Buss family will sell the team and get the hell over it. Let’s see what this team can do!!! GO LAKERS!!!!!!
5D2 says
Remember the CP3 trade? I thought it was one of the best trade Lakers had made, but was terminated by David Stern for “basketball” reasons. To be fair, it was obvious that the NBA bullied its most successful franchise with a ailing father with children not yet fully ready to succeed. If this trade were to happen with a still healthy and influential Dr. Buss, NBA commissioner would back down, and Lakers would probably be able utilize the final good years of Kobe to win another title.
I just want to point out that Jim took a lot of blame, but it is not all on him. Dr. Buss did not want Phil to take control of the franchise through the relationship with his daughter. It is normal!! Any father would have problem with that. Old man wants his son to take control instead of son-in-law-wanna-be is very normal.
The ill-effect of that nixed trade is still there, but Jim and Mitch had done the best they could out of that situation. They too, focused on what they can control, and got the franchise sailing in the right direction. We, as fans, can finally enjoy watching a team that is well put together for good entertainment value.