Category — Jerry Buss

Magic Johnson said last night on ESPN that Mike Brown will be sacked if the Nuggets beat the Lakers tonight.
Sheridan Hoops
Brown responds: The Lakers head coach says he has bigger fish to fry than Magic.
ESPN LA

What’s that saying about a picture being worth a 1,000 words?
From Scott Grieve of Carpinteria in today’s letters to the editor section of the L.A. Times:
“As I surveyed the wreckage from the Sunday night Lakers meltdown in Phoenix, I formulated a 5-point plan to put them on track to contend for the world title.
1. Hire Derek Fisher as head coach under the condition that he retires as a player. He’s intelligent, experienced, competitive and a true leader. He played under some of the best basketball minds in the game. He is respected by all NBA players, something that Mike Brown can only dream about. Besides, I am tired of seeing people blow by him like he was a greeter at Walmart. Derek, think legacy.
2. Annul the Lamar Odom trade. Everyone knows that Kardashian arrangements last only 72 days and we just passed that number since this ill-conceived trade. Lamar, just tell the Mavericks that you are vastly different people and that you want different things in life. Or have Khloe tell them.
3. Hire Mike Brown as your video coordinator. That way he and Ron Peace can sit around and discuss stats before every game.
4. Trade Jimmy Buss to the Warriors for Jerry West or any other person from West Virginia that has actually played in or coached a basketball game.
5. Trade Stu Lantz to another NBA team. There must be someone out there that hasn’t heard Stu’s clichés … over and over again. “The goal is to win the game” … really Stu?
It’s just my opinion, but the status quo won’t get it done.”

What, Shaq wasn’t available?
When we 1st read this a few days ago, we were highly skeptical. Not even Jim Buss would go this far, no?
Rasheed Wallace, the 37-year-old power forward who hasn’t been seen in the NBA since the 2010 NBA Finals, reportedly is close to a deal wth the Lakers.
NECN.com

You know Danny Ainge keeps dangling this guy?
CBS Sports.com

Each week, the Lakers seem to have some issues. Last week, it was Coach Mike Brown and Ron Artest “clearing the air” and this week it’s Kobe Bryant and management clashes over trading or keeping Pau Gasol. Before that, Andrew Bynum was bitching and moaning about Brown’s 2-hour shootarounds. Brown, who apparently doesn’t know when to back off, has pissed off several Lakers with his long practices and his gift of gab for being long-winded.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Lakers held a players-only meeting to band together against Brown’s coaching and management’s tactics after Monday’s blowout of the Blazers. For problems, see union stewarts Derek Fisher, Bryant or Gasol.
Business as usual for the drama kings, no? Or maybe it’s just what the doctor ordered for the Lakers, who visit the Mavericks on Wednesday and then the Thunder on Thursday before taking off for the All-Star break.
ESPN.com

Gilbert Arenas opens up to writer Sam Amick about his daily routine and playing at the Y in the 1st of a 2-part story. Could we see Arenas in a Laker uniform after the All-Star break? As awful as guard play has been for them, you’d think the former All-Star would be welcomed with open arms. But the Lakers’ front office has performed worst than the club.
SI.com

The Warriors, who have a history of botched deals, will be infamous for cutting Jeremy Lin, but so will the Rockets. Still, Golden State, with a huge Asian fan base in the Bay Area, looks like the biggest idiots after clearing more than $700,000 in cap room by cutting Lin to sign Clipper center DeAndre Jordan to an offer sheet. Of course the Clippers matched the offer sheet, the Rockets picked up Lin before cutting him and the rest is NBA history. According to Forbes, the “Lin brand” is now worth $14 million.
Forgive Warriors coach Mark Jackson, the former NBA TV analyst, for being a bit sensitive to it all. “I had nothing to do with Jeremy Lin,” said Jackson, who was angered by a tweet Spike Lee sent thanking him for cutting Lin. “I never saw him do a layup. Stop asking me. He never practiced for us, so leave me out of it.”
Right, right.
Yahoo Sports

Since we’re doing Vegas, we always try to do what Vegas does. Make sense? Didn’t think so.
As far as the NBA goes…
The Heat remain the favorite to win it all (6-5), while the Bulls continue to be a flavor (3-1) of many. Among the others: Lakers (7-1); Mavericks (11-1); Thunder (7-2); Celtics (25-1); Spurs (15-1); Magic (25-1); and Rockets (250-1).

The Lakers announced today that they will retire Shaq’s No. 34, making him only the 8th Laker who will have received the honor.
ESPN LA

Is that you Mitch Kupchak?
Several NBA clubs, including the Lakers, didn’t believe Jeremy Lin had the goods to make a decent point guard. Last night, Lin started for the Knicks and schooled John Wall with 23 points and 10 assists in a win for the New Yorkers. Lin also held his own against Deron Williams last Saturday, finishing with 25 points in another Knicks’ victory.
On Friday, he’ll face Derek Fisher and the Lakers and our money says he’ll do some more dealing.
Seriously Mitch, what’s up with that? And if you’re scoring at home (lucky you), the Mavs, Warriors and Rockets also cut ties with Lin, but those clubs have much better point guards than the Lakers.
N.Y. Daily News