The Lakers franchise is one of titles, great players, numerous memories, and one of the most storied teams in NBA history.
Under the leadership of Jerry Buss, the Lakers were a consistent playoff contender but now that the Buss era is over, Mavericks’ Mark Cuban feels the team will be floundering for many seasons to come.
“I don’t think there was a smarter owner in the history of the NBA than Jerry Buss, so that’s tough to replace. I don’t think people realize just how good of an owner Jerry was. I looked up to him a lot. Absolutely. So I don’t know if the Lakers will ever be the Lakers.”
Jerry Buss’ daughter, Jeanie, is now at the helm and the Lakers this season are horrible. With Kobe Bryant done for the season, the Lakers will miss the playoffs, and are clearly in the rebuilding phase.
The good news is that LA will get a high draft pick and get a player who can contribute immediately in what many are calling a deep draft. However, it will take time for the Lakers to rise to the top of the West. It won’t happen overnight.
The other good news is LA is a popular city for free agents considering the big market and the team willing to open their wallet to attract top players.
