Lakers News: Why It's Okay To Question The Jeanie Buss Era

With two notable exceptions, wins haven't been a big factor during this new ownership regime.

Do your Los Angeles Lakers have a Jeanie Buss problem?

Marc Stein writes on Substack that the Jeanie Buss era has been a remarkably erratic experience for L.A., with plenty of valleys and only a handful of peaks. Stein notes that there was a marked difference between the way Pelinka's first extension was announced, in 2020 with significant fanfare, and the way the team let slip that he had been extended again, this time through 2026, by way of a leak to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports during the team's preseason.

Ben Golliver of The Washington Post indicates that the Lakers have started 0-4 three times across the nine seasons since Jeanie Buss assumed her current role of team governor.

Stein, who wrote the piece when L.A. was merely 0-3 (i.e. prior to the team's lethargic 110-99 loss last night against the Nuggets in Denver), feels that Pelinka and Buss appear to be hesitant when it comes to pulling the trigger on a potential Russell Westbrook trade. 

Stein also finds fault with Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who certainly were involved in the team's worst deal in their era, as they and LBJ's business partner Rich Paul appear to have pushed the Pelinka front office to make the trade for Russell Westbrook in the summer of 2021. Stein writes that the team had been relatively far along in pulling off a deal that would have landed then-Sacramento Kings shooting guard Buddy Hield in L.A.

The club had also explored a sign-and-trade for Inglewood native DeMar DeRozan, before ultimately jumping on a Westbrook trade instead. DeRozan only went on to enjoy perhaps his best regular season performance ever with the Chicago Bulls, making his fifth All-Star Team and second All-NBA Second Team (he has also been a Third Teamer once).

Overall, Stein opines that the team has yet to achieve the consistent success it enjoyed under the stewardship of Jeanie Buss's father, Dr. Jerry Buss, and that it's fair to level criticism at Jeanie Buss for entrusting the franchise to Pelinka.