Lakers owner Jeanie Buss impatient with team’s performance
Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss has expressed her dissatisfaction with the team, following their disappointing performance in the 2021-22 season.
Los Angeles Lakers owner and president Jeanie Buss is not happy with her team after they failed to make the playoffs in the 2021-22 season, and she is making her sentiments quite clear.
In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Buss expressed her dissatisfaction with the Lakers’ 33-49 finish and says she expects more from their investment.
Buss: ‘Disappointing’ year for the Lakers
“I’m growing impatient just because we had the fourth-highest payroll in the league... When you spend that kind of money on the luxury tax, you expect to go deep into the playoffs,” she told the Times.
“This last year was extremely disappointing… it was hugely disappointing. I feel like we let down Lakers fans, and don’t want to do that again, and we’ve got to get it right.”
Buss: ‘I’m held accountable for every decision’
Buss also spoke on rumors that LeBron James and the Klutch Sports Group had a strong influence on some important decisions made by the Lakers. There had been reports that the franchise was blaming them for the Russell Westbrook fiasco.
Westbrook had been acquired in a mammoth trade in the hope of forming a Big 3 with James and Anthony Davis, but the 2017 NBA MVP had one of the worst seasons of his career.
“Do they have final say? No. Are they running the team? No, not at all… I am controlling owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, I’m held accountable for every decision that’s made here,” she stated.
Buss recognizes LeBron’s value
The president said she does take into account what James has to say. “It’s normal when you have a top player or players you bounce things off of them, I think that’s smart business,” she said.
She is hoping the four-time NBA MVP will stay with the team. “I want him to feel confident in the team, that we have the pieces to win a championship. He has to be happy… I want to make sure that he’s happy”.
Despite this season’s failures, Buss is confident that the Lakers could win another title with James and Anthony Davis leading the way.
“I want Lakers fans to be optimistic that we’re going to get the team back on track just as they expect. We want to make sure we live up to the Lakers’ past as we go forward into the future.”