The Shocking Truth: Lakers' Owner's Secret Plan to Shake Things Up
In a recent ESPN exposé, reporter Baxter Holmes revealed the inner workings of the Buss family's decision to sell the beloved Los Angeles Lakers for a staggering $10 billion to Mark Walter. This news, which initially sent shockwaves through the NBA world, continues to spark intrigue months after the sale was finalized.
Holmes' comprehensive report delves into the family dynamics and the conflicts that led to this monumental decision. But here's where it gets controversial: it also sheds light on Jeanie Buss' evolving relationship with LeBron James, the NBA superstar who chose the Lakers in 2018 and led them to a championship in 2020.
According to Holmes, by the time the sale was finalized, Jeanie Buss had begun to sour on James. She felt his ego was too big for his boots and didn't appreciate the narrative that James had saved the Lakers, despite the team's struggles post-Kobe Bryant's retirement. Things took a turn for the worse after the controversial Russell Westbrook trade, with Buss reportedly upset about James' lack of accountability in the decision-making process.
And this is the part most people miss: Buss' discontent grew to the point where she considered trading James, the face of the franchise, to the cross-town rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers. Yes, you read that right! In 2022, multiple sources revealed that Jeanie privately entertained the idea of not extending James' contract and even discussed trading him, with the Clippers being a potential destination.
While these musings never materialized into concrete plans, the very thought of it is mind-boggling. Imagine a team voluntarily trading away LeBron James, especially when he was still in his prime and one of the top 10 players in the league. Off the court, he's an icon, arguably the most famous athlete globally. The idea of the Lakers trading him, especially to their rivals, is almost unfathomable.
In an alternate reality, the Clippers could have landed James by giving up either Kawhi Leonard or Paul George. With James on board, they might have broken their streak of mediocrity and become a force to be reckoned with. It's a fun thought experiment, but one that thankfully remained just that.
The Lakers dodged a bullet, and fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Trading James would have been a scandal of epic proportions, and it's hard to imagine the team landing Luka Dončić without James and Anthony Davis' partnership over the years. The future looks bright for the Lakers with Dončić and the Walter ownership group's deep pockets.
This report serves as a reminder of how quickly sports dynamics can shift based on the decisions of those in power. It's a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes world of the NBA, and it leaves us with one burning question: what if?
