Tag: Jeanie Buss

Stephen A. Smith: Rob Pelinka would’ve been fired if not for midseason trades

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith says Lakers executive Rob Pelinka would’ve been gone if he hadn’t saved the team with two midseason trades.

Early last season, the Los Angeles Lakers seemed stuck in a fast-moving river without a paddle. They were saddled with an unbalanced roster that lacked frontcourt depth. It also lacked legitimate scoring help for LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

But in late January, they traded for forward Rui Hachimura, a legitimate scoring threat, while giving up very little. Days later, they dealt the controversial Russell Westbrook for guard D’Angelo Russell and defensive standout Jarred Vanderbilt.

Hachmura, Russell and Vanderbilt have all received contract extensions this summer to remain in Los Angeles.

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith said during an episode of “First Take” that had those trades not taken place, Lakers executive Rob Pelinka would’ve been fired by owner Jeanie Buss (h/t Lakers Daily).

“I’m telling you what I know,” Smith said. “If that trading deadline hadn’t happened when you acquired D’Angelo Russell and Vanderbilt – you got Hachimura before that – before you made the deal for them or what have you, Rob Pelinka would have been out.

“He’d have been done. I’m telling you – Jeanie Buss was gonna pull the plug. Rob Pelinka has done an outstanding job … since that time.”

Prior to the team’s midseason trades, many fans were calling for Pelinka to be axed, especially after he traded for Westbrook in 2021 and failed to re-sign cult favorite Alex Caruso. Now, the general manager has earned kudos from fans and pundits alike. He remade the Lakers into a legitimate championship contender that has plenty of youth around James and Davis.

Jeanie Buss likes her portrayal by Hadley Robinson in ‘Winning Time’

Even though many former Lakers dislike the portrayal of the Showtime-era teams in “Winning Time,” Jeanie Buss likes how she was portrayed.

The HBO series “Winning Time,” which is a fictionalized account of the Showtime-era Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s, came to a premature end on Sunday with its Season 2 finale.

That final episode showed the Lakers taking on their rivals, the Boston Celtics, in the 1984 NBA Finals and losing in seven games after choking in a couple of contests as a result of being unable to deal with Boston’s roughhouse tactics. It likely left fans wanting a lot more, especially since L.A.’s greatest triumphs, and the peak of the Showtime era, came after the 1984 finals.

But current Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, the daughter of then-owner Dr. Jerry Buss, liked the way she was portrayed in the show by Hadley Robinson. She admitted as much during “The Winning Time Podcast” (h/t Lakers Nation).

“I mean, it’s humbling, very humbling and I get a kick out of people who say, ‘she’s not even blonde!’ I’m like, ‘neither am I!’ You have to compare her (Robinson) to Jeanie in the ’80s as opposed to Jeanie today. But, I think she did a terrific job, I think that people who are interested are understanding how I got to be where I am today. Because being the first woman in the NBA to win a championship, maybe there are some people who never heard my name before. Well if you want to understand what my background and how I evolved into where I am today, you get my early history and what my dad saw in me that made him feel confident that he could put the team in my control and that there would be no promises, because even Dr. Buss made mistakes along the way. He knew what I would bring to the job and what he instilled in me and that’s why I am here today.”

The series finale ended with some foreshadowing of the younger Buss eventually inheriting the franchise and continuing its winning tradition. She did exactly that in real life when the Lakers won the world championship in 2020 over the Miami Heat, and they could very well get her another ring this coming season.

Jeanie Buss says John C. Reilly is ‘absolutely breathtaking’ as her father in HBO’s Winning Time

Dr. Jerry Buss apparently loved John C. Reilly in the movie version of Chicago.

With just one episode left in the second season of Winning Time on HBO, fans are seeing a slightly different reception this time around.

The show was widely criticized for inaccuracies during its first season by some of the real-life individuals (including Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson) portrayed in the show.

Although the Lakers originally said they had no comment about the show and were not supporting this project, we’ve seen a slight change of tune in the second season.

One very important person depicted in the show who is not critical of this season is Lakers owner Jeanie Buss (played by Hadley Robinson).

RELATED: See the cast of HBO’s Winning Time compared to their real-life counterparts

During Jeanie’s recent appearance on the official podcast of the show, she spoke about one of her interactions with John C. Reilly — who portrays her late father, Dr. Jerry Buss.

She even told Variety she thought Reilly deserved an Emmy nomination for his work on the show.

“John C. Reilly is absolutely breathtaking as my dad,” she said. “He’s absolutely fabulous.”

Jeanie said that she first met Reilly when he was attending a Lakers game. She decided to introduce herself to him because she knew that he was going to play her father in the show.

RELATED: HBO’s Winning Time is a delicate dance of intention and improv, not unlike the 1980s Lakers

At first, according to Jeanie, the actor seemed nervous that he was going to get kicked out of the game.

Instead, however, she told him a heartwarming story about a moment she shared with her father when they went to the movies, one of their shared passions, and saw Chicago (2002) in theaters.

“He was really good … [he is] somebody that can be so funny [and] can play such a tragic character,” she said.

Jeanie said that her father likely would not have had the same disappointment that others portrayed in the show like West and Abdul-Jabbar felt.

“I think he’d be really honored that you were playing him,” she continued.

This is not the first time that Jeanie has praised Reilly’s portrayal of her father. She had similar comments last month during an interview on AM 570 LA Sports.

“I know some people are like, ‘I can’t believe you’re watching that show!’ I said, ‘You know what? I really miss my dad so much. It’s kind of nice to see him.'”

Jeanie said that the costume department of Winning Time tried to get in touch with her father’s old tailor.

While the tailor had since passed away, his son had since taken over the business. Now, whenever she watches the show, it even looks like she is watching her dad.

“The wardrobe that he wears — that is what was making me crazy. Those were outfits that my dad actually wore.”

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss marries comedian Jay Mohr

Jeanie Buss, the controlling owner and president of the Lakers, just got hitched.

Jeanie Buss, the controlling owner and president of the Los Angeles Lakers, isn’t just the woman at the helm of the world’s most famous and storied basketball franchise — she’s also a high-profile one.

The Lakers have had a reputation of being a glitz-and-glamor Hollywood team — whether one wants to argue it’s accurate or not — which has allowed Buss to enter into some famous relationships.

Years ago, she dated Phil Jackson back when he was coaching the team for most of the decade of the 2000s. At one point, the two were reportedly engaged, but they broke off their relationship.

About a year ago, Buss acknowledged she had hooked up with comedian Jay Mohr, and in December 2022, the two became engaged. On Sunday, they married.

Reportedly, their wedding ceremony was small and intimate.

Via TMZ Sports:

“Sources with direct knowledge tell us the Lakers owner got hitched to comedian Jay Mohr Sunday during a small, intimate ceremony in Malibu — where about 20 close friends and family members in attendance … and the bride and groom looking happy as can be.”

Mohr, 53, has had a number of roles in film and television, including on “The Jeff Foxworthy Show,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Jerry Maguire” and “Last Comic Standing.” He was previously married to actress Nikki Cox.

Why Jeanie Buss watches HBO’s ‘Winning Time’

One may think Lakers owner Jeanie Buss wouldn’t want to watch the HBO series “Winning Time,” but she actually does for one big reason.

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“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” is in its second season on HBO, and while it continues to draw rave reviews from some, it also keeps drawing criticism from other corners.

A number of players from the Los Angeles Lakers’ “Showtime” era of the 1980s have criticized or outright denounced the show. According to them, the series is very inaccurate and portrays certain people, such as executive Jerry West, as caricatures of who they really are in real life.

Still, current Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, who is frequently portrayed in “Winning Time,” says she watches it because she misses her father, former Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss.

“Like whether it’s right or wrong, some of it’s very wrong and some of it’s pretty spot on. And they just started Season 2, and I think that John C. Reilly’s done a really good job at capturing Dr. Buss and I know some people are like I can’t believe you’re watching that show. And I said you know what, I just I really miss my dad so much, it’s kind of nice to see him.”

Despite being one of those who criticized the series for not being historically accurate, the younger Buss actually praised the series for getting one important detail about her father very right.

“And I found out that they got in touch with my dad’s old tailor who had passed away, but his son took over the business. So they literally, the wardrobe that he wears that’s what was making me crazy was like those were outfits that my dad actually wore. So the attention to detail they have in certain things and you know in this season they recreate epic fare which, a lot of people don’t even know what that is, but it’s just like surreal to experience.”

The elder Buss owned the Lakers from 1979 until his death in 2013. During his tenure, the team won 10 NBA championships and went from a bridesmaid franchise to one of the world’s most storied sports teams, not to mention the gold standard of basketball worldwide.

Jeanie Buss recalls the impact Pau Gasol had on the Lakers

Jeanie Buss talked about how Pau Gasol changed the Lakers’ fortunes in 2008 and resurrected their dormant dynasty.

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The late Kobe Bryant had such an incredible career with the Los Angeles Lakers that it’s easy to forget both parties were in a very difficult situation in the mid-2000s.

After Shaquille O’Neal demanded a trade and was granted his wish in 2004, the Lakers instantly fell into mediocrity. They missed the playoffs the following season and lost to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2006 and 2007 playoffs. It looked like it would be a long time before they would be contenders again.

But Feb. 1, 2008 was the day everything changed. That afternoon, Los Angeles announced it had landed All-Star big man Pau Gasol in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. He not only made it an instant championship contender, but he was also a perfect fit.

During an exclusive interview with Mark Medina, owner Jeanie Buss reflected on what Gasol meant to the organization.

Via Sportskeeda:

“Pau came into the team that was running the triangle offense. He picked up the offense in three days. He didn’t miss a beat. He was the perfect player. As Phil (Jackson) explained to me, as an organization you decide what style of play you want to play and what team you want to be. Then you hire a coach that runs that style. Then you draft a team or sign players that fit that style.

“Here was the ultimate player that fit so perfectly in what we were doing. He fit with Kobe and what Kobe wanted to accomplish. Then the team just took off on a run all the way to the NBA Finals only to lose to our No. 1 rival, the Boston Celtics. That was a heartbreaker. But to come back to win the next two was really special.”

Gasol had his No. 16 jersey retired by the Lakers in an emotional ceremony in March. He is set to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame days from now.

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss praises Rob Pelinka’s roster moves

Jeanie Buss thinks the world of Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, who seemingly performed a miracle prior to last season’s trade deadline.

When the Los Angeles Lakers struggled mightily all through the 2021-22 season and the first part of this past season, general manager Rob Pelinka was on the hot seat.

Many criticized him for what they saw as the dismantling of a team that won the NBA championship in 2020. Instead of keeping the core of that squad together, he traded some of it away for Russell Westbrook in 2021. Management then compounded the image of ineptitude by not re-signing cult hero Alex Caruso and filling out the roster with players that were past their expiration date.

But Pelinka radically repaired the Lakers’ roster several months ago, and suddenly they were a legitimate championship contender. Even better, he managed to retain key free agents Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell this summer instead of once again chasing stars or big names.

Owner Jeanie Buss complimented her general manager during an exclusive interview with Mark Medina.

Via Sportskeeda:

“It was a wonderful run at the end of the season after the trade deadline. You can dial it back to the Hachimura trade with bringing in a player that fit in nicely with the team that we had. Then Rob furthered at the trade deadline by making moves that really fit the way that Coach [Darvin] Ham wanted to play. I really like how Rob talked about pre agency and that we got a chance to look at someone like Rui and how he fit in on our team so that we had the first option at bringing him back. Instead of waiting for free agency to make moves, he did it by making trades during the season. I thought the way he handled it was really strategic. He and Darvin were on the same page as to what they wanted to accomplish in terms of roster building.”

Nowadays, the sentiment about Pelinka is that he has earned his stripes and that he has done an excellent job once again, just as he did in the summer of 2019 when he put together the team that won it all.

PHOTOS: Jeanie Buss through the years

Jeanie Buss, daughter of the legendary Lakers owner Jerry Buss, made history in 2020 by becoming the first female owner to lead her team to an NBA championship. Take a look at some photos of Buss since the year 2000 below.

Jeanie Buss, the daughter of legendary Lakers owner Jerry Buss, made history in 2020 by becoming the first female owner to guide a team to an NBA championship. However, this wasn’t her first taste of victory; she had previously clinched five championships as a Lakers executive, gaining valuable experience to lead one of the most esteemed basketball franchises.

Take a look at some photos of Buss since the year 2000 below.

Jeanie Buss reportedly doesn’t want to trade draft picks

For better or worse, Lakers governor Jeanie Buss would seemingly rather stand pat than trade away future first-round draft picks.

Every fan of the Los Angeles Lakers is hoping the team makes a trade between now and the Feb. 9 NBA trade deadline to turn what most consider a borderline playoff team into a contender.

There have been plenty of rumored targets, but one thing has been consistent across multiple reports: The Lakers are reluctant to include draft picks, especially those in the first round, unless they bring back a package that will significantly improve the team right now.

A recent conversation Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney had with a Western Conference executive will not exactly encourage anxious fans. That executive said that Lakers owner Jeanie Buss supports not trading any draft picks, even if such a deal would improve the team right now.

Via Heavy.com (h/t Lakers Daily):

“However, according to a Western Conference executive who spoke with Heavy On Sports’ Sean Deveney under the condition of anonymity, the Lakers are unlikely to trade away their future in order to improve the current iteration of their roster – a move which Jeanie Buss supports,” Heavy.com’s Adam Taylor wrote.

Los Angeles badly needs one or two productive two-way forwards, and it could also use one more true center who will provide a defensive presence. More and more, it looks likely it will simply ride out the season, even if it means missing the playoffs again, and look for a miracle this summer, even though hitting on such a strategy seems extremely unlikely.

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