Jim Buss: Dwight was never really a Laker

[shitsho]

I think Buss was right. Howard never was really a Laker and they should have seen this coming. I guess they had to try and change his mind but went about it the wrong way.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I think Buss was right. Howard never was really a Laker and they should have seen this coming. I guess they had to try and change his mind but went about it the wrong way.

They had to have known it was coming, but what else would or could they do or you for that matter. Tell the entire country that Dwight was a slacker and wasn't putting his entire effort into it and guarantee his departure? That would have been the truth, but sometimes you can't tell the truth. They did what they had to do.

 

[Crotchrocker]

I'm loving it. The late, great Jerry Buss's greatest failure was indulging his children too much. Now the whole franchise is completely screwed. No talent, no picks, no playoffs - no nothing. Its over. Prepare for a period of irrelevance unrivaled in professional sports history. I'm beginning the count. The # of rats that are gonna bail on this sinking raft. Done. Word.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

I'm loving it. The late, great Jerry Buss's greatest failure was indulging his children too much. Now the whole franchise is completely screwed. No talent, no picks, no playoffs - no nothing. Its over. Prepare for a period of irrelevance unrivaled in professional sports history. I'm beginning the count. The # of rats that are gonna bail on this sinking raft. Done. Word.

Sounds a lot like what people said after Shaq left. And we all know how that turned out, just ask Shaq how Kobe's ass tastes.

 

[Crotchrocker]

Ask Kobe how Shaq's palms feel when they collide with his face. You forget Kobe was Shaq's B___h boy. Word.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Ask Kobe how Shaq's palms feel when they collide with his face. You forget Kobe was Shaq's B___h boy. Word.

You forget Shaq thought he'd win more titles than Kobe.

 

[Heatles84]

You forget Shaq thought he'd win more titles than Kobe.

Arrggggh....why couldn't that fcker come back in shape for the 2007 season. Oh well, that team had alot of problems outside of Shaq showing up with his doughnut belly.

 

[lakersrule]

I think Buss was right. Howard never was really a Laker and they should have seen this coming. I guess they had to try and change his mind but went about it the wrong way.

What would have been the right way?

 

[lakersrule]

As I said before if he felt this way before FA why waste your time meeting w/him?

Because he's the best center in the league and the core of their rebuilding plan. Why wouldn't he try?

 

[lakersrule]

I'm loving it. The late, great Jerry Buss's greatest failure was indulging his children too much. Now the whole franchise is completely screwed. No talent, no picks, no playoffs - no nothing. Its over. Prepare for a period of irrelevance unrivaled in professional sports history. I'm beginning the count. The # of rats that are gonna bail on this sinking raft. Done. Word.

Celtics fans only wish things were so dire in Los Angeles

 

[lakersrule]

Arrggggh....why couldn't that fcker come back in shape for the 2007 season. Oh well, that team had alot of problems outside of Shaq showing up with his doughnut belly.

I think Shaq stopped showing up to camp in shape back in 2001!

 

[Black Adam]

Celtics fans only wish things were so dire in Los Angeles

obviously Crotch was looking into the Celtics' future...

 

[trojanfan12]

Celtics fans only wish things were so dire in Los Angeles

You'll have to excuse Crotch, he thinks that a "big 3" that wins 1 championship is a dynasty!!

 

[trojanfan12]

As I said before if he felt this way before FA why waste your time meeting w/him?

As rule said: He's the best center in the league. The Lakers had to try and change his mind even though they knew it was probably unlikely that he would stay!! As often as he has changed his mind over the last 2-3 seasons, there was a chance he'd change it again!!

The Lakers made the trade to get Dwight hoping that he would "buy in" to being a Laker. He didn't and moved on. The Lakers still had to make their pitch.

I still don't see how it makes him a phony.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Ric Bucher ‏@RicBucher [ame="[MEDIA=twitter]370987976094142464[/MEDIA]"]1h[/ame]

 

[Jims_Doors]

Jeanie Buss, clarifying her thoughts on Dwight Howard leaving and where her brother Jim didn't live up to how their
father would've handled getting Dwight to stay:

"It's disappointing that Dwight isn't here. I feel like we failed him. This is the mother part of me. When you become a Laker, I feel I become your mama. Maybe I get to sentimental for the basketball side of things. But when we got Dwight my phone lit up with people wanting to see him play. I told them, 'If you're only going to come to one game, come in January' because I wasn't sure Dwight was going to play until then because of his back. I was so impressed that from Day One, he threw himself out there. He took the risk to play as many games as he could." There are those in Dwight's camp who now say that was the Lakers' first mistake: playing him early and then not defending him from criticism when he didn't play as well as hoped or anticipated. Rather, the Lakers joined the fray in questioning his effort. Jeanie also feels the Lakers did not spend enough time cultivating a relationship with Dwight over the course of the season: "I asked Dwight to visit my father at the end of September or early October. That was the only time they got to spend together.

I know my dad would've spent a lot more time with him if he hadn't been sick. He was once the age of these players and he had to work his way up. My dad was able to do that and he could identify with them in that way. My dad's first job ever was as a teacher. He had a way to articulate and explain things in a way people could understand." A source from Dwight's camp says "there wasn't a lot of communication" during the course of the season. In the Lakers' final meeting before Howard made his decision to go to Houston, Jim apparently acknowledged he did not spend as much time with Dwight as he would've liked but gave a very touching explanation attributing it to his struggles with his father's illness and ultimate passing.

All that aside, asked point-blank if she trusted her brother's decision-making, Jeanie said, "I trust that my dad set things up for us to be successful."

Jim, for his part, was more supportive of Jeanie: "I have 100 percent confidence in Jeanie. I communicate with my sister constantly. She's not privy to the daily operations of the basketball side but I keep her informed."

The preceding is material left over from my piece in The Hollywood Reporter earlier this month on the Lakers' future with the next generation of the Buss family running it:

 

[TexasMan]

I'm pretty sure he was indeed a Laker.

Your new owner seems to have dain bramage.

 

[shitsho]

What would have been the right way?

Hire PJ. Tell Kobe to keep quiet and feed Howard in the post. Make a public declaration the Lakers were Howards team now and not after Kobe is put out to pasture.

 

[LogicMan]

yeah, the more i read about the Buss interviews its clear they are in a family squabble for control. Just shut up and manage the team, have those meetings, secure a coach/GM plan, etc.

Until very recently, I was convincing myself LBJ would try to turn around the Titanic. But after his latest comments, I am not there anymore. I think the Knicks have the upper hand, w/Heat and Cavs second.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

obviously Crotch was looking into the Celtics' future...

Well that's obvious, but is young enough to wait until the year 2035 for another chance at a championship? That's a long time to wait if he is over 50 years old. He's already old and decrepit