Former Lakers coach Phil Jackson has been in frequent contact with owner Jeanie Buss regarding team matters all season long, according to The Athletic’s Bill Oram and Sam Amick.
It’s uncertain if Jackson, Buss’ ex-fiance, will eventually take a formal role in the future. However, she has relied upon trusted members of her inner circle throughout the team’s tumultuous season and will continue to lean on them to map out the franchise’s offseason approach. Jackson has taken a particular interest in the what The Athletic duo describes as the often uncomfortable dynamics surrounding the Russell Westbrook situation.
It’s unlikely that there will be a change at the top of the team’s front office structure, according to Oram and Amick. GM Rob Pelinka still has Buss’ full support and trust. Kurt Rambis, who works alongside Pelinka as a senior basketball advisor, also remains a strong and trusted voice with the organization.
The story also delves into several other hot topics regarding the Lakers:
- Among LeBron James‘ inner circle, there are already discussions about the roster and what can be done to fix it for next season. Buss is eager to maintain the trust of James and wants to keep her biggest star happy. The post-All-Star break meeting with James’ representative, super-agent Rich Paul, was aimed at keeping both sides on good terms and quelling any controversies regarding James’ future. Sources close to James insist he does not have issues with the team’s power structure, per Oram and Amick.
- Kobe Bryant, who was represented by Pelinka, would have been offered a hands-on role in the front office by Buss if not for his untimely death.
- Coach Frank Vogel will likely be fired unless the team makes a surprising postseason run, per Oram and Amick. However, no final decision has been made.
- The coaching staff made an unsuccessful push for Westbrook to be traded, according to The Athletic’s duo, who also confirm reports that there’s a growing disconnect between the point guard and the staff, even though Vogel has kept him in the starting lineup.
Vogel is the sacrificial lamb for the poor roster construction. Pelinka really has performed poorly.
Exactly we know Russ is stubborn and won’t accept a bench role. He has to much pride. At the very least if it’s that bad between Russ and Vogel lakers should seen him home for the rest of the season while they try to trade him this off-season
Lakers won’t trade 2027 and 2029 picks.
Lakers will be the biggest winner after they trade away Westbrook this offseason.
Rockets and Knicks aggressively pursued Westbrook and Overpaid bum Horton Tucker last month.
Knicks offer one player and 8th pick Reddish 2-year $8 million salary for 46th pick Tucker $30 million contract.
Lakers say no to Rockets and Knicks.
I support Lakers.
Horton Tucker is no bum. He may not become a star. He plays better when LeBigot is on the Bench. Just think of the Team they could have if they would have kept the home grown. Ingram, Kuzma Randall Russell, Ball and Hart. I am glad my Celtics did it the right way and did not trade for day to day AD.
That’s why Celtics only won one championship in the last 36yrs LOL Go Lakers
Besides Celtics didn’t trade for AD because AD didn’t want to play for them,they also would have traded Tatum as part of that deal that being said The Lakers will win another championship before Celtics do we don’t need 40yrs to that LOL
Your Celtics haven’t won since 2008. The Lakers have won 3 championships since then!!
LeBron is a voice of reason.
Rockets only tried to trade for Westbrook to get the lakers 1st round pick in 2017. Had that trade happened they probably bench him like they’ve been doing with John Wall
At this point they might as well shut down LeBron, if he’s willing to sacrifice a season of chasing records.
I know people are saying LeBron has lost a step because he can’t drag “any” team to a contending record anymore, and while I think there’s *some* truth to that, it’s also true that this roster is comically bad.
But that’s what you sign up for when you have essentially 44m in dead salary in Westbrook. Monk and Melo and Reaves and Stanley Johnson are probably the worst supporting cast LeBron has had, maybe ever. At least since his first go round in Cleveland.
This old man F up the Knicks bad. Let him do the same with the Lakers!
Phil Jackson LOL terrible franchise enough said
Hands-on role is probably a bad choice of words. He’d probably be the head of sexual harassment awareness so hands-on isn’t very smart.
Ok so let’s assume they fire Vogel, who do they hire that will do a better job?! There’s no one out there worth hiring that’s any better than Vogel. Keep him
There’s nobody “out there” better than Vogel?
Sheesh!
One thing IS clear…. there’s nobody on their bench they trust in an interim role – and that’s pretty bad.
*Maybe Ms. Buss can talk PJ into coming back and coaching LeBron for a year.
P.J. Carlesimo takes over Lakers bench keeping seat warm for George Karl who follows him, followed by …
Bernie Bickerstaff. Followed by
Very complicated situation to say the least. Phil is a legend but Lebron didnt always get along with him after the “posse” comment. Then again, Lebron values playing in LA on and off the court and wont mind any invaluable advice to get Lakers on he top again. Power play on so many different angles – it’s like a daytime tv, lol. Interesting to see who will be the new gm and hc next year.
LeBron will look to go to Las Vegas
Phil has figured out that Westbrook needs to be traded
But ……
Run it back?
Vogel will be gone, bridges need to be burned here for high uppers to feel empowered. Happens all the time, Frank was a good guy tho, did well w the plate he was served
Pelinka – Will stay, his best asset is the free agent market which will be huge for 24′
I don’t think you 100% need to trade Russ but he’s 100% going to get traded…this is a bad position to be in going into talks with other teams.
FO needs to be careful here, despite all the hooplah in the media at the end of the day it’s just an expensive expiring. They shouldn’t have to bend over backwards to unleash that (historically) and should hold a firm line where they won’t do so going in, big doubts on that tho, will be too ugly out here by June
It’s LA and things will cool off… folks there are not supposed to get too upset.
RW should play forward & rebound. Reaves, Augustin, THT, Bradley, Monk, and James down the middle, can handle guard.
Phil isn’t doing anything but ‘consulting’ lol. Not at this stage.
Yes they probably fire Vogel. They probably should axe Pelinka as well. Is another agent (Wilkes) the answer? As far as the next Lakers coach? I’d say Fizdale is the front-runner. I doubt LBJ signs off on any HC without previous HC’ing and playoff experience like Sam Cassell or Darvin Hamm. Someone like Lloyd Pierce has about the same amount of success as Fizdale though.
All they can do is hope to find a trade partner for Westbrick, THT and their 2 1sts. None of it matters unless AD bounces back though.
Don’t worry, the Knicks will probably trade for Westbrook.
The Lakers are the NBA’s answer to MLB’s Yankees – throwing big money at past-their-prime-guys, developing few young players, and trying to win a championship.
Won’t work.
Years ago Dodgers GM Andrew Friedman likened this strategy to “shoveling more coal into the engine but not only doesn’t the train run faster, it slowly loses speed”.
The old adage “It’s a young man game” applies to all professional sports.
Yeah don’t they both win championships can’t win them all but they try every time
It takes a while for old man Sam to catch up. He’s referring to the Yankees of the 70s.
Its been 12 years since the yankees won a championship so perhaps the “old man” is on to something.
Lakers are doomed for the foreseeable future
@stone
what’s “foreseeable future” 3 years? relax.
@Samuels
First, off that’s the old Yankees not how they’ve maneuvered of late.
Secondly, you simply can’t compare the mlb to the nba. In the nba there’s a certain preset amount of money teams have to spend on players and the league is set up to give it to the players. However, where mlb teams have handed out 10 year mega deals to FA who don’t make it to the urban market until 6 years after their debut which means most FAin mlb don’t make it to the market until they’re in their late 20s or early 30s. In the NBA guys are getting paid a lot younger.
Dear Laker fan,
shut the heck up with your whining. Lebron, AD and Rich Paul brought you a chip and I don’t want to hear about covid because EVERY team played under the same circumstances. The last 3 years with Kobe were horrible. Bareeeelly cracking 20 wins each year. The next 2 years after retirement and you guys were horrible. Every championship team faces a painful rebuild after the window closes. Deal with it. But where are the Lakers right now? With LBJ who is still a top 5 player. AD is still an elite player. Keeping him healthy is the obvious challenge. He was signed from his age 26-32. His contract ends at an age that’ll be younger than Butler, Kawhi, Paul George, Chris Paul, Durant, Harden, Curry, Klay, Green and almost Irving are right now. If Lebron moves on and Westbrook too the Lakers will have only AD and a THT player option on the books. Plenty of money to attract other stars or to carry out a full rebuild. That’s no comp to the kind of mlb team you’re trying to compare. The NBA is a league of relatively short term contracts. Lakers wil be fine.
I will never understand why it is generally acceptable that Rich Paul has any sway on the Lakers organization. What a massive train wreck this franchise has become
It’s a superstars league period and we won the championship less than 2yrs ago
Yeah because two stars demanded to come here. So the front office really contributed little to nothing for that championship.
Laker fan too, but the front office is a joke. Championship or not.
Idiots, it was a Laker plan several years going, to go for James, by clearing the roster expenses for multiple new maxxes. It worked, despite 2016 overpays for Deng & Mozgov (which was not Rich Paul’s idea).
James simply got aboard.
2 years ago will soon turn into 10 years ago. Lakers don’t have many draft picks moving forward, Lebron already hinted at going wherever his son goes, ad can’t seem to stay healthy. La is a train wreck right now. Lakers that is, clippers looking pretty good if kawhi and pg can come back healthy
Cartman grew arms!
@Butters
Holy captain overreaction Butters!!!! Newsflash… every team goes thru a period of a rebuild once the winning window of opportunity has closed and their team MVP ages. Remember those last few years of Kobe? Remember all those glorious draft pics that never moved the needle passed 35 wins? Yeah…LBJ brought a 26 yo stud to LA and in 2 years turned a 35 win team to a 52 win team with a championship. Hard times hit quickly because of injuries and shrinking roster flexibility but it’s not all doom and gloom. AD, when healthy, is a top 5 player. Westbrook is off the books next year. Possibly LBJ’s and AD in 3 years. Your salary cap allows you to be in on a top FA every year. Lack of a 1st round pick might sting a little for the next 2 years but YOU’LL BE OK.
I’m a yankee fan and yeezus Laker fans seem much more entitled.
Lol. I’m a life time lakers fan from the days when Pat Riley was coming off the bench to knock people down.
We’re a joke now.
Once Dr Buss passed his team was due for trouble. It is rare that children of wealth equal the parent that built the wealth in the first place.
Jeannie is young enough to become a good owner. But so far not so much.
Jeannie’s smart and certainly cares about the organization. But she’s a feeble leader, with bad taste in men. She’d serve the organization best by ridding it of the views of her BFFs, ex-boyfriends, childhood idols and, frankly, any other guy she might like to date.
@DXC
ohhh that sort of reeks of sexism my guy.
Lakers and GM Bron have always known who Westbrook IS. Isn’t he and Lakers the smartest in NBA…….
So now we want to put all the blame on Russ.
“Classic know everything syndrome”
The time to make this work was . When They Made the Trade. Fact is AD softness is what’s really at root of the problem. And Vogel trying to please Bron. Bunch of facilitators. Lakers got what they asked for. So Own It. And go off to lottery heaven after Bron has shut the Window on ya.
Vogel is definitely gone.