Lakers president Jeanie Buss has a message for any player who doesn't want to play with Kobe Bryant: good riddance.
"Any free agent that would be afraid to play with Kobe Bryant is probably a loser, and I'm glad they wouldn't come to the team," Buss said during a "SportsCenter" interview Thursday.
Buss was asked to comment on an ESPN The Magazine feature published earlier in the week, in which several agents and NBA personnel -- including Lakers insiders -- said that L.A. has been unable to attract top talent in free agency because players don't want to work with Bryant.
"I read the story," Buss said Thursday. "I don't agree with any of it. If there is somebody that's on our payroll who is saying things like that, I'll soon get to the bottom of it, and they won't be working for us anymore."
In fact, Buss has a warning for all of Bryant's detractors: "I have no doubt that Kobe will make people regret ever saying" those comments, she said.
The Lakers have won five championships with Bryant, though they haven't made a trip to The Finals since 2010 and missed the playoffs entirely last season as Bryant appeared in just six games because of injuries.
Bryant, now 36, signed a two-year extension with the Lakers last year worth $48.5 million. He is the league's highest-paid player.
In recent offseasons, the Lakers have courted and failed to sign free-agent stars includingDwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. The Lakers were particularly interested in Anthony, offering him a maximum four-year, $95 million deal to come to L.A. last summer. Bryant, however, did not make the Lakers' meeting with Anthony as planned, and Anthony ending up re-signing with the New York Knicks.
"We made a very good case for [Carmelo] coming to Los Angeles," Buss said. "But he's from New York, he sees a mission. I understand why he chose to stay with New York. I don't think any of that has to do with Kobe Bryant."
Former Lakers coach Phil Jackson, incidentally, was named team president of the Knicks in March. Jackson was rumored to be close to returning to coach the Lakers in 2012, but the team opted to hire Mike D'Antoni instead. Jackson, according to a source, was "stunned" by the decision at the time.
Buss, who is engaged to Jackson, said Thursday of the decision: "I understand my brother [Lakers vice president] Jimmy [Buss] and [general manager] Mitch Kupchak have a vision for the team that they want it to be. I respect that. That is their job. I've empowered them to do that job. So if Phil didn't fit into their plans, I understand that. But I'm biased. I wanted Phil to come back and coach Kobe and Dwight Howard."
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/s...ar-kobe-bryant
She seems a bit butthurt if you watch the video. Doesn't really give any information to back up her stance, just that Kobe is Kobe and if you don't want to play with him then you're a loser.
She is butthurt and is making things a whole lot worse. Calling players losers is only going to make future starts stay further away from the Lakers. What a piece of organization. Glad those ers will suffer for a long time.
Next year will be all the proof we need, lady Buss.
Players avoid playing for the Lakers exactly because they do NOT want to be losers.
o jeannie.
3-year leash for Jim Buss? Silly Jeannie...
I like the way she threw her family under the bus. Seems like something Kobe would do.
So the story is bogus, but those players are losers?
I'm confused
in two years, they've lost Howard and Gasol. It's pretty clear that Kobe isn't good for keeping players loyal to the Laker organization. No players even close to those talent levels ever left Tim Duncan.
Det's not what that was saying before:
And people thought she'd do better than Jimmie.
And this is who Lakerfan wants running the organization instead of Fredo
Jerry Buss was an ugly-ass , probably a pedophile, and had the voice of a 12-year old girl, but at least he knew how to keep his organization in order, tbh..
Surprise Kobe's managed to enter through those bulging lips.
This is keeping your organization in order?
Jerry Buss was an ugly-ass , probably a pedophile, and had the voice of a 12-year old girl, but at least he knew how to keep his organization in order, tbh..
Lol She was on First Take this morning too. Seemed extremely asshurt.
Btw, why the would she say that on live tv?
Nice point Chumpie.
This thread is full of win posts. I concur with all.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
melt·down (m lt
doun
)n.1. Severe overheating of a nuclear reactor core, resulting in melting of the core and escape of radiation.
2. Informal A disastrous or rapidly developing situation likened to the melting of a nuclear reactor core: "After several corporatemeltdowns, only two reporters remain in [the] bureau" (David Fitzpatrick).
3. Informal An emotional breakdown
meltdown (ˈmɛltˌdaʊn)n1. (Nuclear Physics) (in a nuclear reactor) the melting of the fuel rods as a result of a defect in the cooling system, with the possibleescape of radiation into the environment
2. a sudden disastrous failure with potential for widespread harm, as a stock-exchange crash
3. the process or state of irreversible breakdown or decline: the community is slowly going into meltdown.
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003
melt•down(ˈmɛltˌdaʊn)
n.1. the melting of a significant portion of a nuclear-reactor core due to inadequate cooling of the fuel elements.
2. any quickly developing breakdown, mishap, or accident.
[1960–65]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
meltdown (m
Thesaurus Legend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun 1. meltdown - severe overheating of the core of a nuclear reactor resulting in the core melting andradiation escapingnuclear meltdown
overheating - excessive heating2. meltdown - a disaster comparable to a nuclear meltdown; "there is little likelihood of a meltdown comparable tothe American banking collapse in March 1933"calamity, catastrophe, tragedy, disaster, cataclysm - an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; "thewhole city was affected by the irremediable calamity"; "the earthquake was a disaster"
Yeah but she said this is year one
The others apparently don't count
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