Jim Buss LIVE interview 710 ESPN at 2.15 PM PST

phoenixrisingla wrote:

"laker fans understand why we're losing, but they beleive this team can turn it around....I get positive feedback...100% positive feedback from fans....not sure what you guys are talking about these caller calling in"

And this is the true crux of what the problem is.

Dude is completely oblivious. I cant tell if it's his arrogance or his ignorance blocking the view, but the guy can't see the truth sitting 5 inches from his face.

phoenixrisingla wrote:

"laker fans understand why we're losing, but they beleive this team can turn it around....I get positive feedback...100% positive feedback from fans....not sure what you guys are talking about these caller calling in"

And this is the true crux of what the problem is.

Dude is completely oblivious. I cant tell if it's his arrogance or his ignorance blocking the view, but the guy can't see the truth sitting 5 inches from his face.

Janine Garcia wrote:I hate this guy

Weezy wrote:Denial, not just a river in Egypt. Did not want to hear the excuse of injuries and the starters not playing enough together, or that IF they gel they will win a bunch or games, or if we get into the playoffs we'll magically go deep, and that's what we got, hope it's just PR or the season is in serious trouble. The team isn't going to flip a switch and gel.

KB24 wrote:

Janine Garcia wrote:I hate this guy

I agree....what a SOB he is, pays 130 mio. salaries for you to get entertained in the evening...its very obvious his goal is solely to annoy the fans and destroy the franchise.

In the summer everyone was in love with him when he opened up his checkbook...repeatedly...now that the team is playing well below expectations, its all on Jim Buss.

I really sometimes hate to come and read threads on CL. Whether we win or lose, people are either extra cocky and fanboyish or they absolutely despise everyone and everything.

A lot of people here still need to learn to lose with dignity. Its been a fun ride the last 15 years, this was supposed to be the magical culmination of Kobe's career. So far it hasn't panned out but lets suck it up and go down with our heads up...lets lose like a champ, not like a chump.

Doc Brown wrote:Just to put this out there, take it as you will...

Jim Buss isn't going out to the world and proclaiming.....

"Pau is gone, we are looking for trades"

"This team sucks and can't compete currently constructed"

"Everything is awful in LakerLand right now, every GM that sees this, we have our pants around our ankles ready to get bent over from this point forward"

I don't really know what some of you expected him to say. He's playing the game that every GM around the league (well the smart ones) play and that is Johnny Tightlips.

khmrP wrote:his 100% behind MDA sound exactly like his 100% behind Brown comments

phoenixrisingla wrote:I dont think he's made a good move since he's been here, and "opening his checkbook"??? You mean opening daddy's checkbook after Mitch worked EXTREMELY hard in the offseason to bring in (what everyone thought) was the best possible talent? Hardly a brilliant decision.

On Dwight, chances of re-signing

"If we make the playoffs, we're playing well, we'll go deep, & Dwight will stay"

"If we fall apart, hoping we can convince him injuries & not being 100%, and will ask him to give it another shot"

"laker fans understand why we're losing, but they beleive this team can turn it around....I get positive feedback...100% positive feedback from fans....not sure what you guys are talking about these caller calling in"

Doc Brown wrote:

phoenixrisingla wrote:I dont think he's made a good move since he's been here, and "opening his checkbook"??? You mean opening daddy's checkbook after Mitch worked EXTREMELY hard in the offseason to bring in (what everyone thought) was the best possible talent? Hardly a brilliant decision.

IIRC, it was Jimmy that put the Nash plan into effect, while Mitch thought it wasn't even an option.

phoenixrisingla wrote:

Doc Brown wrote:

phoenixrisingla wrote:I dont think he's made a good move since he's been here, and "opening his checkbook"??? You mean opening daddy's checkbook after Mitch worked EXTREMELY hard in the offseason to bring in (what everyone thought) was the best possible talent? Hardly a brilliant decision.

IIRC, it was Jimmy that put the Nash plan into effect, while Mitch thought it wasn't even an option.

It's possible, but I never heard that. Have anything to show how it all went down?

No free agency signing or trade happens without Kupchak first picking up the phone.

So even with Steve Nash proclaiming publicly he couldn't envision himself joining the Lakers, Kupchak recalled Buss providing a stern reminder.

"Jim Buss kept on saying, 'Mitch, don't forget to call. He's at the top of the list,' " Kupchak said. "I said, 'Jim, I'm not sure if this is even something we can begin to work out.' He said, 'You never know unless you try.' "

So that was that.

Kupchak called Nash's agent, Bill Duffy, and was told Nash actually was open about joining the Lakers, partly for his hope to win an NBA championship and partly because his twin 7-year-old daughters and 20-month-old son are based in nearby Phoenix. Eleven days later, the Lakers formally introduced Nash as their new starting point guard.



Buss' insistence that Kupchak pursue Nash was just a small part of the extraordinary circumstances it took to secure the elite point guard's three-year, $27-million deal. It required luck and smart strategic thinking that many critics, including yours truly, failed to recognize right away. And the Lakers took advantage of it.

Doc Brown wrote:

phoenixrisingla wrote:

Doc Brown wrote:

phoenixrisingla wrote:I dont think he's made a good move since he's been here, and "opening his checkbook"??? You mean opening daddy's checkbook after Mitch worked EXTREMELY hard in the offseason to bring in (what everyone thought) was the best possible talent? Hardly a brilliant decision.

IIRC, it was Jimmy that put the Nash plan into effect, while Mitch thought it wasn't even an option.

It's possible, but I never heard that. Have anything to show how it all went down?

No free agency signing or trade happens without Kupchak first picking up the phone.

So even with Steve Nash proclaiming publicly he couldn't envision himself joining the Lakers, Kupchak recalled Buss providing a stern reminder.

"Jim Buss kept on saying, 'Mitch, don't forget to call. He's at the top of the list,' " Kupchak said. "I said, 'Jim, I'm not sure if this is even something we can begin to work out.' He said, 'You never know unless you try.' "

So that was that.

Kupchak called Nash's agent, Bill Duffy, and was told Nash actually was open about joining the Lakers, partly for his hope to win an NBA championship and partly because his twin 7-year-old daughters and 20-month-old son are based in nearby Phoenix. Eleven days later, the Lakers formally introduced Nash as their new starting point guard.



Buss' insistence that Kupchak pursue Nash was just a small part of the extraordinary circumstances it took to secure the elite point guard's three-year, $27-million deal. It required luck and smart strategic thinking that many critics, including yours truly, failed to recognize right away. And the Lakers took advantage of it.

dwighthowardsdad wrote:Some of these responses just leave me shaking my head. Nevertheless, he said nothing that was surprising; we already knew injuries were a big part of the problem. I still think there is going to be changes by the trade deadline. He can't stand pat; if the season is tanking, they will (Lakers) take a chance and try to release some of the deadweight by Feb.

Lakerjones wrote:^^ Yeah, you've got to take that interview with a lot of grains of salt. As mentioned, he wasn't going to say "Let's blow up the team," or "Let's fire MDA." And for good reason. It doesn't help anything to do so. If he did I would be very concerned. An owner/co-owner of a team should not appear desperate in public. It's not good business.

We'll see what happens.

One thing I thought was telling though, was he said they weren't going to make a move for a temporary fix, and that they didn't want to jeopardize the future. That to me reaffirms my thoughts that unless there is a home run deal they won't move Pau now, but will wait til the offseason, which I think is the right thing to do. I feel like that part was pretty straight up.