The Buss brothers bid farewell to the Lakers: the end of tradition and the beginning of a new era of basketball

In the long history of the Los Angeles Lakers, a shocking management change was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, causing thousands of waves. Joey Buss and Jesse Buss were fired from their positions, and the entire scouting department was purged. The impact of this news was far greater than any intense game in the arena. The words in the brothers' statement, "How we wish we could ask our father how he would view all this," are full of nostalgia for the past and helplessness for the changes of the times, like a sad announcement of the end of an era.

Changing concepts under the impact of the wave of capital

In 1979, Jerry Buss bought the Lakers for $67.5 million, which was like igniting a basketball dynasty. During his thirty-four years at the helm, the Lakers reached the Finals sixteen times and won the championship trophy ten times. Buss Sr. not only built a strong team, but also created a unique culture that perfectly blended gorgeous basketball with Hollywood stardom, making the Lakers a shining pearl in the basketball world.

However, when Mark Walter acquired a majority stake in the Lakers for US$10 billion, this record-breaking transaction was not only a change of ownership, but also a complete change in operating philosophy. In the logic of capital, championship is no longer the only pursuit, efficiency and return have become the core goals. In contrast, Bass Brothers’ operation model, which relies on connections and experience and is similar to a manual workshop, is obviously unable to adapt to new development needs. Jesse Bass bluntly stated in an interview with The Athletic that "she fired all her family members." This statement ruthlessly unveiled the internal contradictions in the family business, and an earth-shaking revolution has begun.

Knowledge: The valuable legacy left by the brothers

Although the Buss brothers have left the management, their legacy is deeply imprinted on the team. After their discovery, Austin Reeves, the undrafted player, has now become an indispensable key puzzle piece for the Lakers; players such as Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance II, etc., also wore purple and gold jerseys due to the appreciation of the Buss brothers, and shined on the Lakers' stage.

Joey serves as the vice president of research and development and the president of the South Bay Lakers, and Jesse serves as the assistant general manager and draft director. The scouting system they built was once a powerful blood-forming machine for the Lakers. In the fierce competition for talent in the NBA, the ability to identify and develop young players is the key to a team's long-term competitiveness. Now, when the Buss brothers leave, the Lakers sit first in the Pacific Division with an 11-4 record. The success on the court is in sharp contrast to the drastic changes in the management. This also implies that in the NBA, although victory can temporarily cover up conflicts, it cannot fundamentally solve the problem.

Jenny's dilemma and her brother's helpless situation

Jenny Bass, as the team's operations director, is at the center of this storm and faces a difficult choice. Since she laid off her brother Jim's basketball operations duties in 2017 and now parted ways with Joey and Jesse, her journey has been full of hardships. Jesse once said frankly: "I started feeling isolated probably before the 2023 draft." This sense of isolation not only stems from the alienation of the relationship between siblings, but also from the breakdown of the team's internal communication mechanism. That feeling of marginalization intensified as he struggled with health issues.

As early as September this year, the Buss brothers established a sports investment company. Now it seems that this may be their preparation for the current outcome. They may have been aware of the undercurrent of this change, but they did not expect that the change would be so thorough.

The dawn and challenges of the new era

After Mark Walter took over the Lakers, he first "operated" on the scouting department. This was no accident. The Dodgers under his leadership have built a winning team through a series of measures such as strengthening data analysis, improving nutritional plans, and upgrading training facilities. Now, he's eager to replicate that same winning formula with the Lakers. For Walter, basketball operations is no longer just the art of selecting players, but also the science of data analysis and system management. Disbanding the traditional scouting department may be just the beginning of a comprehensive modernization and reorganization of the Lakers.

Jesse Buss once said: "I don't think this is a mixed feeling, because first of all, I am a Lakers fan." This sentence profoundly reflects the inner contradictions of the Buss family members - they are both team managers and loyal fans; they have to make business decisions, but it is difficult to let go of their deep emotional ties to the team.

Farewell to the old era and welcome the new future

The departure of the Buss brothers not only means changes in their personal positions, but also symbolizes the end of the basketball philosophy of an era. The era of running teams based on gut instinct, connections and generational experience is slowly fading in the NBA.

The Lakers are now standing at a crossroads. On one side is the tradition and culture accumulated by the Buss family for 46 years of operation, and on the other is the new era driven by capital and data. This is a multiple-choice question with no standard answer. Only time can judge. For Laker Nation, the desire to win remains the same. As long as the game continues, as long as the championship flag still flies in the Staples Center, change is not only inevitable, but also a necessary driving force to promote the development of the team. The departure of the Bass brothers is not the collapse of the dynasty, but the prelude to a new era.

At a time when basketball and business are deeply integrated, the Lakers’ “revolution” may be an issue that all traditional giants will eventually face. Where the Lakers will go in the future is worth waiting and watching by all basketball fans.