"She stuck her baby in my arms.… The baby was head-to-toe Lakers" - LA Lakers owner Jeanie Buss describes her close relationship with fans, promises she is gonna get them back on track
The LA Lakers had a disappointing end to their 2021-22 season. The one that was most affected by this was president Jeanie Buss. Having grown up watching her father Jerry Buss give his all to the franchise, it certainly hurts her when the LA Lakers underperform.
However, Jeanie Buss is one of the fiercest competitors in the business and has assured that she will turn things around and make the fans happy. The Buss family is known to stay close to the fans and Buss doesn't plan to drift away from that.
In her recent interview with Bill Plaschke from the LA Times, the 60-year-old shared an interesting incident about another who came to ask her for a picture with her toddler. She said:
"One of the last games, a woman came over with her baby, and she stuck her baby in my arms so I could take a picture with her baby. … The baby was head-to-toe Lakers.
"That’s the most important thing to her is her child, and the idea that she would want her child identified as a Lakers fan even at 6 months old, and that she wanted a photo of me with her child, that’s the greatest compliment that you could get, and I’m not going to turn away from that.”
Exclusive: Jeanie Buss tells @BillPlaschke she isn’t happy, and Lakers fans know what happens when she isn’t happy…
“I’m growing impatient…we’ve got to get it right.” https://t.co/ZWxuAaAdk1
The Laker nation is one of the best fan bases in the league. They have constantly supported the team through good times and bad.
This time, however, the fans were not at all pleased as the star-studded roster fell massively short of the expectations laid upon them. Speaking about the fans being disappointed, Buss said:
"This last year was extremely disappointing. … it was hugely disappointing. I feel like we let down Laker fans, and don’t want to do that again, and we’ve got to get it right.”
“I'm not happy, I'm not satisfied.”
- Jeanie Buss https://t.co/XknS9v8sh2
The LA Lakers will certainly have to make some big decisions if they are to turn things around. Buss is not someone who is going to shy away from doing that. Speaking about the same, she said:
"“Absolutely, if we are not living up to the Lakers standard, absolutely I will look at everything. I will make the hard decisions, because that’s what you have to do.”
What changes do the LA Lakers need to make in the offseason?
After ending their 2021-22 season, the LA Lakers have a lot to look at, ahead of the 2022-23 season.
One of the major moves they need to make is for a head coach. Names like Mark Jackson, Quin Snyder and Nick Nurse have been making rounds around the rumor roundup, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
Choosing a strong name to lead the LA Lakers is very important, as they have some of the biggest stars in the game. It will need a great coach to keep things running around in a locker room like the Lakers.
Report: Lakers have interviewed Mark Jackson for their head coaching job, via @ShamsCharania https://t.co/ltcgaqivzB
Another big decision the purple and gold need to make is whether or not to keep Russell Westbrook. The former MVP was expected to be on his way out, but Buss has cleared that a decision regarding the same will only be made after the hiring of the new head coach.
Jeanie Buss on Russell Westbrook’s future in LA:
“Having a conversation like that is premature. We have to now find the right coach to lead this team.” https://t.co/J1WVd4NNc8
The LA Lakers will be looking to make amends and have a massive season next year. They have an elite team, but if they are to succeed, they will need to make some bold moves and add some more shooters, as that is what they lacked this season.