Simmons:

Unless Howard pushes his way out of town in the next few weeks, we know they're definitely dealing Pau even though they've murdered 50 percent of his trade value. But we also know they're vehemently opposed to adding any non-Howard salary beyond the 2013-14 season because their delusional legacy-kid owner, Jimmy Buss, wants to make a run at LeBron James. (And if you didn't know that, well, I just told you. And it's true.)

I don't think he will win another ring with the Lakers, and here's why: They're an absolute mess behind the scenes. Jimmy Buss is like James Dolan 2.0 — it's like the Dolan Experience all over again, only if Dolan had even fewer credentials and couldn't stop feuding with other members of his family. You know why that Phil Jackson situation was handled so poorly last November? Because Jimmy Buss has an enormous complex about Phil and his sister Jeannie, that's why. For one thing, Jeannie is well respected around the NBA as a sharp thinker; people always assumed that Dr. Buss would turn the Lakers over to her. But apparently, Buss wanted one of his sons to assume control because of the always-frightening reason of Jeannie already has something for herself, I want one of my sons to have something, too.

That's how Jimmy Buss ended up in charge of the Lakers. You can't even find decent information about him on the Internet. Seriously, surf around online and try to figure out what Jimmy Buss has been doing since college, or even if he graduated from college. It's murky. He's not nearly as accomplished as his sister … and that's an understatement. Now he's running the Lakers instead of Jeanie, to the utter confusion of just about everyone. So what happened when his sister's boyfriend positioned himself as the savior of this year's Lakers team, and Lakers fans were clamoring for him to come back? Not only did Jimmy Buss swerve against the grain and pick a different coach, he had GM Mitch Kupchak call his sister's boyfriend late at night to drop that bomb on him … presumably as his sister was lying in bed next to him! This wasn't a coaching hire as much as a rejected plot from Parenthood.

Zach, I will leave you with this: If we've learned anything from professional sports over the years, it's that nobody can inflict more damage on a franchise than an incompetent owner. Just look at how the Maloofs destroyed basketball in Sacramento, or what James Dolan did to the Ewing era, or what Donald Sterling did for his first 25 years with the Clippers. There's a really good chance that Jimmy Buss might be THAT bad. And if that's the case, I guarantee Kobe is already coming up with an exit plan. We will see.

Adrian Wojwhatever

Buss believed that Nash had been neutralized in the Princeton offense, sources say, and that he would never flourish with the changes – blessed by the organization over the summer, by the way – that Brown implemented for the season.
Two years ago, Buss chose Mike Brown over Kupchak's choice, Rick Adelman. This time, it was the desert myth of D'Antoni and Nash, a reunion that feels like it should be touring state fairs with REO Speedwagon.

He wants to rag on MDA and play the blame game but I tried to explain that we had some good coach's here over the years but the bottom line is how you construct your roster. Have a plan and understand the cost of fulfilment.

Knicks for years reacted than anticipated with Dolan trying to prove himself to Charles and the world. He got rid of Checketts because his star was too big.

Riles saw the hand writing on the wall and got a hell of a deal in Miami. JVG saw the dysfuncition and realized he was never the starphuck coach for Dolan so he went on his own terms. He was smart. The rest we know all too well.

I'd be curious what kupchak does after this season. He can write his own ticket with a handful of teams if he wants to leave, or will Buss be smart and pay him enough to put up with stupidy.

Their problem started when they bought in Nash and paid him for 3 years. It started under Mike Brown and it was not Brown, it was the roster.

Was Phil their man? Did Phil want to show up Jimmy himself either by taking another 12 mil and all the power he could grab? Or go down the aisle with him and then leave him at the alter and embarassing Jimmy? We'll never know.

The perfect scenario is Kupchek leaves with some owenship slice in Seattle and Jimmy hires Isiah.

Problem is if it works the morons will look good.

subzero0 wrote:I believe a bad owner is the worst cancer you can have attached to a team. There is almost no way to get rid of it.

Absolutely. Bad players can be traded or no resigned in free agency; bad coaches and GMs can be fired; but when your owner is incompetent there really is nothing to hope for. I've had to deal with this twice over with the Knicks and the Mets, thank God I've had the Giants to keep me sane.

Anji wrote:How Bass Ackward can you get, MDA was 18-24 with Lin not even playing until his last 14 games and Melo "Dogging" it.

He has had Kobe healthy, MWP Healthy, Dwight is coming off of back surgery, but has only missed about 5 games.
I believe Pau has missed about 8-10 games and Nash missed 10-12.

His record is 12-20 with the Lakers, actually worst than when he was here working with broke back Amare and trying to start TD at the point.

Who can look at the Lakers situation and not come to the conclusion that MDA is TERRIBLE!!!

How incompetent can you be not to get Nash,Kobe,WMP,Pau,Dwight to be a .500 team.

Yeah it's the owners fault, for picking another ****ty coach.

Mike Brown wasnt much better.

No one is saying MDA is doing a great job. But the point is, they didnt get the coach they wanted because the owner is a maniac. That is kind of the whole gist of this.

Anji wrote:

subzero0 wrote:

Anji wrote:How Bass Ackward can you get, MDA was 18-24 with Lin not even playing until his last 14 games and Melo "Dogging" it.

He has had Kobe healthy, MWP Healthy, Dwight is coming off of back surgery, but has only missed about 5 games.
I believe Pau has missed about 8-10 games and Nash missed 10-12.

His record is 12-20 with the Lakers, actually worst than when he was here working with broke back Amare and trying to start TD at the point.

Who can look at the Lakers situation and not come to the conclusion that MDA is TERRIBLE!!!

How incompetent can you be not to get Nash,Kobe,WMP,Pau,Dwight to be a .500 team.

Yeah it's the owners fault, for picking another ****ty coach.

Mike Brown wasnt much better.

No one is saying MDA is doing a great job. But the point is, they didnt get the coach they wanted because the owner is a maniac. That is kind of the whole gist of this.

Mike Brown was 41-25 with the Lakers a year ago. He got fired for under achieving with Hall of caliber talent. 600 winning percent was unacceptable.......until the offensive genius comes in and plays 350 basketball.

The point should be, the owner is terrible because he went with an Awful coach.

sucky/old/slow on defense regardless of who was coaching. Remember Mike Brown was a defensive guy and they were still getting burnt under Brown.

BigDaddyG wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:I think the Lakers Jimmy Buss was were worried that Phil Jackson would come to the arena after banging his sister, rub it in after the fact, turn the ship and remind Jerry why he's the son he always wished he had about Nash and thought D'Ant could make things work. They should have done their homework. The guy is not a good coach and certainly not the guy that has the gumption to stand up to Kobe and tell him to shoot less as James Worthy suggested after the game last night.

In so many ways, Nash made D'Antoni, but he can't bail him out anymore. The Lakers are burying themselves, deeper and deeper, and the coach doesn't have the stomach, nor the brass, to elevate them out of the mess. His system is flawed for this franchise, and beyond that, he brings nothing to a basketball team.