Lakers: LeBron and Klutch Sports Do Not Have 'Final Say' On LA Roster Decisions
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Recently, there have been rumors about who is in control within the Lakers front office. There was speculation that LeBron James has played a larger role in the Lakers organization, including deciding who the Lakers put on the roster. After the Lakers brought on Russell Westbrook, many thought that was the doing of LeBron James.
On the contrary, owner Jeanie Buss set the record straight in an exclusive interview with Bill Plaschke from the Los Angeles Times.
"Do they have final say? No. Are they running the team? No, no, not at all,. I am controlling owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, I’m held accountable for every decision that’s made here.”
Although Buss can appreciate advice from players like LeBron James, who clearly is a huge part of the Lakers roster, that does not mean the players have the final say. Buss may want to please some of the Laker's players, but that may not always happen if it is not in the team's best interest.
Later on, Buss continued and stated that Rob Pelinka makes the decisions.
“In terms of basketball decisions, I have complete confidence in our front office, which is headed by Rob Pelinka. He is a person that is extremely smart, extremely strategic, everything he does is thoughtful and with purpose. … I have complete confidence that he can put together a roster and find a coach that is going to get us back to where we belong."
Regardless of who makes the decisions, they also welcome advice from others who are trustworthy, like senior basketball advisers Kurt Rambis, Phil Jackson, and Magic Johnson.
The Lakers have a lot to sort out before the start of next season, and now everyone knows who will be the one running the show.
