The Los Angeles Lakers took the necessary steps to provide an optimistic outlook for the franchise this past season. With a new front office duo in Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka, a fully invested head coach in Luke Walton and two franchise pillars in Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram, the Lakers have made the strides in the right direction heading into the 2017-18 campaign.
Much of that success can be attributed to the leadership of Jeanie Buss, who made many difficult decisions for the better interest of the franchise.
After hitting a major decline in past seasons, Jeanie made the ultimate decision by deciding to part ways with former general manager Mitch Kupchak and brother Jim Buss, who headed basketball operations.
Since that decision, the Lakers have flourished under the guidance of Walton, Johnson, and Pelinka, forming a roster that they believe can compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. During an appearance on KCET’s Town Hall, Buss described how the direction of the franchise has changed and why the possibilities are endless:
“The future of the team is now we have an identity of the type of basketball that we want to play–the coach, Luke Walton, wants to see–which is connective, teamwork kind of basketball. He could explain it better than I can. But, you know, just watching our front office, which would be Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka, our general manager, put together the pieces that fit into what Coach Walton wants to do. And all three of them are on the same page, they speak the same language. And I want to see what those possibilities are.”
The Lakers comprehend that the 2018 free agency class is their main goal, fully invested in attracting two star free agents to play alongside Ball and Ingram.
This sense of optimism hasn’t been around the franchise for quite some time, as the Lakers went through one of the worst periods in franchise history, while also departing from legend and future Hall-of-Famer Kobe Bryant.
Los Angeles remains a global brand even during their recent tough stretch, while also being a major attraction during their countless road games. All in all, Jeanie’s decision to change the viewpoint of the franchise paid immediate dividends, forming a growing culture and set of young players ready to prove just what the Lakers can become.