Los Angeles Lakers’ Jeanie Buss Fires Back At ESPN Over LeBron James Article
Los Angeles Lakers majority governor Jeanie Buss has released a statement to The Athletic after ESPN reported that she is essentially sick and tired of NBA legend LeBron James.
The Buss family sold the Lakers to Mark Walter for $10 billion. Jeanie no longer has a relationship with her siblings, whom she fired.
“It’s really not right, given all the great things LeBron James has done for the Lakers, that he has to be pulled into my family drama,” Jeanie Buss said. “To say that it wasn’t appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him.”
James joined the Lakers in 2018 as an unrestricted free agent. Los Angeles missed the playoffs in Year 1.
In the offseason of 2019, the Lakers acquired Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans. Davis, who has the same agent (Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group) as James, requested a trade from the Pelicans during the 2018-19 season and wanted to get traded to the Lakers because he wanted to play with James.
The Lakers and Pelicans discussed a Davis trade during the 2018-19 season, but the two sides didn’t agree to a deal until the offseason.
James and Davis guided the Lakers to the 2020 championship against the Miami Heat at the Walt Disney World bubble. It was Los Angeles’ first championship since 2010.
The Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. Davis and James both dealt with injuries, preventing Los Angeles from defending its title.
In the offseason of 2021, the Lakers acquired Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. The trade was a disaster, as Los Angeles missed the 2022 playoffs. James and Davis reportedly pushed Buss and Rob Pelinka to trade for Westbrook.
ESPN reported that Buss feels James hasn’t taken enough accountability for the Westbrook trade being a failure.
Davis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks last season for Luka Dončić, who has replaced James as the Lakers’ franchise player. James, 41, becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason. It’s unknown if the NBA icon plans to retire or continue playing.
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