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The NBA was hit with a bombshell on Thursday (November 20). The Los Angeles Lakers have relieved Jesse and Joey Buss of their duties on their scout team. ESPN NBA Insider, Shams Charania, was the first to report the move.
Lakers Fire Jesse & Joey Buss in Surprise Shakeup
According to Charania, Joey and Jesse’s termination was part of a move for the franchise to begin “reorganizing their basketball operations department.”
Following their termination, the Buss boys showed gratitude to the organization that they had been part of for the last two decades. But noted how they wished things could have ended differently.
They also questioned if their father, the late Lakers’ owner, Jerry Buss, would have agreed with the organization’s decision.
“We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last 20 seasons,” Joey and Jesse Buss told ESPN in a statement. “Thank you to Laker Nation for embracing our family every step of the way. We wish things could be different with the way our time ended with the team. At times like this, we wish we could ask our Dad what he would think about it all.”
During their time with the Lakers, Joey and Jesse made key acquisitions. Such as Austin Reaves and Kyle Kuzma, who were instrumental in the Lakers winning the 2020 NBA title. They also uncovered Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., and Max Christie, who were key contributors during their time with the franchise.
However, the Lakers are amid a changing of the guard. Especially after acquiring NBA All-Star Luka Doncic at the trade deadline last year. With LeBron James now in his 23rd NBA season and back-to-back first-round exits in the NBA playoffs, one thing is clear. The championship window for this current roster won’t be open for much longer. And with younger teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, and San Antonio Spurs quickly coming on, looking toward the future of the franchise makes perfect sense.
