"Give yourself time and space": Jeanie Buss took 10-time NBA champ Jerry Buss's advice after Lakers' exit from 2023 NBA Playoffs
LeBron James and the LA Lakers reached the Western Conference Finals in the playoffs but were swept by the Denver Nuggets. This was a tough loss to swallow for James and the rest of the Lakers, but it was also a hard time for Jeanie Buss and the management, including coach Darvin Ham.
Buss spoke exclusively to Sportskeeda about the loss:
"My dad [Jerry Buss] told me many times that no decision should be made after a loss in the playoffs. You give yourself time and space to reflect on things and not make any decisions in those kinds of moments."
While the loss to the Nuggets was demoralizing for everyone related to the Lakers, nobody took it tougher than 38-year-old Lakers superstar LeBron James. James was visibly upset and talked about retirement in the press conference following the loss.
This conversation put the basketball world on alert and made several headlines. After all, LeBron James is one of the greatest players ever and it would be a huge loss for the Lakers.
Jeanie Buss said that they gave James some space following the disappointment:
"It was exactly how we treated LeBron – it was to give him his space and time that he needed to reflect and make his decision as to what is right for him."
Is Lakers superstar LeBron James retiring from the NBA?
LeBron James contemplated retirement after the 2022-2023 NBA season. However, James has made a decision to not retire from the game of basketball just yet and will be returning to play next season for the LA Lakers.
James recently attended the ESPY Awards where he won Best Record-Breaking Performance for passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
James addressed the crowd with his acceptance speech and talked about his thoughts on retirement and his decision to keep playing.
"When the season ended, I said I wasn't sure if I was going to keep playing... In that moment, I'm asking myself if I can still play without cheating the game -- can I give everything to the game still? The truth is, I've been asking myself this question at the end of the season for a couple years now. I just never openly talked about it
"I don't care how many more points I score or what I can or cannot do on the floor. The real question for me is: Can I play without cheating this game? The day I can't give everything on the floor is the day I'll be done. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today... So, yeah, I still got something left. A lot left."
James is still one of the most exciting players to watch at the age of 38. Ultimately though, James' time in the NBA is indeed nearing an end, and it remains to be seen how long he will keep playing.