Phil Jackson On Jim Buss: He 'Vaulted Into Position Through His Inheritance'

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24751270/phil-jackson-on-jim-buss-he-vaulted-into-position-through-his-inheritance



Phil Jackson on Jim Buss: He 'vaulted into position through his inheritance'
By Matt Moore | NBA writer
October 13, 2014 8:32 pm ET
 



Jim Buss with his late father Jerry Buss in 2011. (Getty)



Phil Jackson and Lakers basketball boss Jim Buss clashed a lot over the last few years. Buss gradually took over a larger and larger control of basketball operations as his father got older before he passed away last year. In that time, he made more roster decisions, and was widely reported to be the driving force behind the decision to "let Phil Jackson retire" in 2011. Buss wiped the organization clean of all Jackson influence after that.

When the plan after Jackson failed to net results, Jackson was considered for the open position to return. But instead, Buss called Jackson in the middle of the night to tell him he'd hired Mike D'Antoni, which didn't go over well with the Hall of Fame coach or the fans. (Or Magic Johnson. Or Buss' sister and Jackson's then-girlfriend-now-fiancée Jeanie Buss. Or..)

So yeah, things have been a little awkward. At a festival Q&A over the weekend, Jackson was asked about Buss, and in peak Zen Master, Jackson threw shade in the most oblique way possible.

On Lakers executive Jim Buss: “Jimmy Buss is a person that's vaulted into position through his inheritance, his father's position,” Jackson said. “I think he's coming to terms with one of the realities of this job. That's all I can offer.”


Ouch.

Those are all factual statements. He did reach his position by virtue of his inheritance. He is coming to terms with the realities of the job (after the 2012 super team fell apart in the most amazing way possible).

But... I mean... that's cold. That's effectively saying "This guy didn't earn his position or power, he's not his father, and now he's finding out why he should have listened to me."

The Lakers are expected to struggle for the second straight season this year, and are widely expected not to make the playoffs. The Knicks are widely considered a coin flip for the 8th seed in the East.



bob
MY NOTE:  Easy there, big guy, that's your future brother-in-law you're talking about.  For a guy with a reputation for being a "big thinker" that wasn't very smart, albeit 100% true.  Jim Buss' response could be "you came to LA after we traded for Shaq.  You didn't build this team, you inherited it.  Same thing with Chicago, MJ was already there and you just waltzed in and took Doug Collins' job when you were a player (Scottie Pippen) away.  In LA, you were a player (Kobe) away."  And Jeannie's thinking "do I really need this shit?".  Poor Jeannie, she's actually pretty good at her job.  I'm talking about running the Lakers' back office, not babysitting a couple of overgrown children.  This is the first I've heard about Phil getting the word in the middle of the night.  Wow.  What did Phil say when he rolled back into bed and turned to Jeannie?  Dr. Jerry Buss was incredibly popular with his players.  They liked him and they respect him and free agents were drawn to him.  After firing Shaw, sticking it to Phil and firing 2 straight coaches in just over 2 years I'm not getting that feeling for Jim.  Kobe doesn't like him and when Kobe's not happy nobody's happy.

Next summer will be make-or-break for Jim Buss, I think.  He said 4 years or so but I don't see the Laker faithful being that patient.  They will have a ton of salary cap room next year.  Tons.  If he can't sign at least one big name free agent then...




.

Phil states the obvious....I thought he was smarter than that.

dboss

Phil doesn't sleep with Jeannie.  He sleeps with thousands of books.  And, yes, he's the poster child for team inheritance.

Sam