Lakers’ Jeanie Buss on Trade Deadline: ‘Not Going to Make a Deal That Sets Us Back’
Written by admin on February 8, 2023
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
The Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of a lackluster season, sitting in last place in the Pacific Division with a 25-30 record.
Despite the clear need for roster improvements, franchise governor Jeanie Buss recently told Fox Sports’ Melissa Rohlin that she doesn’t believe it’s necessary for the team to make any rash decisions before Thursday’s trade deadline.
“We’re always looking to improve our roster, but what we will not do is we’re not going to make a deal that sets us back,” Buss said. “Because you could take one step forward and then go two steps back. So, we’re always monitoring everything.”
The Lakers are coming off a 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, which was a night that saw Los Angeles star LeBron James score 38 points to surpass Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for first place on the NBA all-time scoring list. Disappointing defeats have been a theme for the Lakers this season, and the inability to find consistency has fueled frustrations within the organization.
“How many games do we have left?” James said after a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. “Twenty-eight games left, we’re still doing the same stuff over and over.”
James has not been shy about vocalizing his desire for the team to make some changes that would help turn its season around. After the Brooklyn Nets traded star point guard Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, James told ESPN’s Michael Wilbon, “I can’t sit here and say I’m not disappointed on not being able to land such a talent.”
While the 38-year-old was simply offering an honest answer, Rohlin noted that his acknowledgement of his disappointment “complicates locker room dynamics since Russell Westbrook would have almost certainly been involved in that deal.”
The Lakers already made a slight change to the roster by acquiring swingman Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards last month. At the time, general manager Rob Pelinka indicated that Los Angeles is open to more moves but will not give up its first-round picks unless it was to land a player who can help the team compete for a title.
Buss echoed those sentiments, telling Rohlin, “We’re always looking to get better, but not at the cost of compromising our future.”
The Lakers will be looking to end a two-game skid when they take the floor on Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks (37-17).
