NBA Los Angeles Lakers

Jeanie Buss Vows To Stand Tall For Los Angeles Lakers

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By @IanClarkMcEwan

Jeanie Buss Championship Ring

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Recognized owner of the Los Angeles Lakers Jeanie Buss vowed today to hold her brother, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Jim Buss, to a timeline of three years from April 2014 for the Lakers to become NBA contenders. In the context of this timeline, contenders means reaching the Western Conference Finals. Should the Lakers fail to do so in this span of time, Jim has said he will step down.

This is an important moment in the present and future of the Lakers. While Jim has made some positive decisions for the club, namely drafting the starting center on two championship teams, Andrew Bynum, he has failed to do enough to earn the trust and confidence of Laker fans. This fact is even more indicting when one realizes the love and adoration Laker fans had for his visionary father, Dr. Jerry Buss.

To her credit, Jeanie dismissed the idea that the Lakers won’t accomplish this goal. Yet the fact remains this will be the second year in a row the Lakers fail to make the playoffs and the third year in a row they will not win a playoff game (the Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 Western Conference Quarterfinals after Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles). This level of incompetence may now be a part of life in the NBA from time to time, with 30 teams fighting for talent and parity the aim of the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement, which is a fact Jeanie pointed out.

Yet despite the realities of the modern NBA, the Lakers have always seen themselves as the exception to every NBA rule. A string of bad luck and decisions that includes having a trade for Chris Paul vetoed, getting nearly no production after investing $27 million and draft picks to acquire Steve Nash, hiring Mike D’Antoni instead of Phil Jackson, Kobe’s Achilles injury and Dwight Howard leaving via free agency might be acceptable to other organizations, but not the Lakers. If such expectations are to be respected, they’re going to have to be met. If they’re not, those responsible will have to answer to the true head of the Lakers – Jeanie Buss.

Ian McEwan is a blogger for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @IanClarkMcEwan,“Like”him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. He is not the British author.

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