How Jeanie Buss broke $7 billion franchise’s tradition inspired by Michael Jordan’s coach

Jeanie Buss admits Los Angeles Lakers 2020 title winning team should have had chance to defend their title.

How Jeanie Buss broke $7 billion franchise’s tradition inspired by Michael Jordan’s coach

Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss regrets they did not follow Phil Jackson's philosophy

The Los Angeles Lakers last won the NBA title in 2020. Dubbed the ‘bubble championship’, it helped Jeanie Buss‘ team perform the ultimate tribute to the late great Kobe Bryant. But sadly, they could not defend their title the following season.

A few crucial pieces from the team left to sign elsewhere. The likes of Dwight Howard believed the Lakers did not even extend an offer. But Buss clarified to him on his podcast that they did indeed send out an offer but rescinded it to manage cap space.

YouTube video

His agent did not convey that part of the negotiations and had him believe he was not wanted. It is not known if similar situations transpired with JaVale McGee and Rajon Rondo. But once the experienced trio left, their goal of defending the title could not materialize.

I kind of came from the philosophy, kind of inspired by Phil Jackson, that when a team wins a championship, they should have the right to defend their championship. And we didn’t do that, and I regret that.

Jeanie Buss said

The Los Angeles Lakers could not continue the philosophy instilled by their former coach Phil Jackson. He incorporated that philosophy from his times with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. They won that bubble title for Kobe Bryant, who passed away earlier that year, further adding to the regret for Buss.

Jeanie Buss apologized to Markieff Morris

Dwight Howard wanted to return to the team but eventually signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. Danny Green, another core member of the team, followed him to the 76ers. McGee, Rondo and a couple of others left leaving the team being forced to adjust to a new style of play.

That led to mismatches against opponents, and they struggled to a 42–30 record and finished 7th in the West. Quite the fall considering the previous team won the West. Knowing how that affected the players, Jeanie Buss met with Markieff Morris as soon as he returned to the team in the Luka Doncic trade.

I told him. I said, ‘I’m really sorry that we didn’t get a chance for you to defend that championship and I’m really glad you’re here’.

Jeanie Buss said

She acknowledged that the players from that roster took it hard. Hard enough for them to feel resentful after they believed they could have won it again. The team was well balanced all across the board. With Howard and McGee manning the post, Anthony Davis played some of his best basketball.

Once they left, he had to play the center position, a task he never truly embraced. He voiced those problems over the years, but his loudest was when he openly talked about it on ESPN. After that, they shipped him to the Dallas Mavericks.

Lakers building for future championships

It has been five years since that bubble championship. In these five years, LeBron James has tried but could only get as far as the Western Conference Finals once. Now at age 40, the Los Angeles Lakers understood it would be too much to depend on him for another title.

Almost everyone knew that the team would struggle once James retired. That is the nature of the game, and they would then have to wait for their next franchise cornerstone to appear before they could be competitive again.

When they received the opportunity to trade for Luka Doncic, they did not hesitate to send out Davis and a young prospect in Max Christie. They knew Doncic was their future and wanted him at all costs. Then when he placed his first request of playing alongside an athletic big, the Lakers believed they found their guy.

They tried to trade for Mark Williams and gave up a lot in return. But eventually, they rescinded the trade after developing concerns over his health. Had Williams come on board, the team would have been championship ready this season. They could help LeBron James get his fifth ring before he left the game.

Now without an elite big man, head coach JJ Redick‘s has adjusted their game plan to work around that problem. Whether they win a title before their team leader retires is something only time can tell. But even if they do not, the Los Angeles Lakers are building towards a championship laden future.