Has your devotion/attachment to the Lakers organization as a fan changed since the end of the Jerry Buss era?

[venturalakersfan]

Yes, Dr. Buss was a self-made successful businessman. He was good at marketing and having a winning organization while controlling costs. His franchise won and was very profitable. His Time Warner deal ensured that Laker fans across the US had game access. His kids with the exception of Janie weren’t successful in many of their endeavors that he funded, they weren’t successful enough to be self-starters at all. They inherited the Lakers and have not come close to what he achieved. The organization is their primary source of income and the team is ran in that manner. When FO and coaching positions came open top available personnel weren’t chased, they instead hired friends, even if they had no experience. And the results on the court reflect that.

The worst thing is that the NBA has morphed into an organization of the ultra rich. Guys who can afford to spend more than owners 20 years ago. Laker ownership is out of place in today’s NBA and while spending doesn’t always mean winning, it often does. I watch Laker games when it’s convenient and occasionally Clipper games. Besides the playoffs I rarely watch other teams. So Laker ownership and the league in general have turned me from a fanatic who did anything to watch every Laker game to someone who watches based on convenience.
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RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.

[lakeshowtacular]

Times have changed for sure. I miss watching a team grow. Shaq/Kobe took a few seasons, even Magic's career was marked with growth and development even though he got a 'chip as a rook. I had fun watching Nick and Eddie run the early 90s, felt like they were building something.

The last few years with coaches and roster turnover have made it hard to follow. I still know everyone on the roster, and thanks to LG have seen a little tape on all of them before the season starts, but I don't feel invested in the team like the past.

Luka has me excited for the future, but there is an uneasy feeling we might lose him by running the roster like the last 5-10 years. Hope I'm wrong on this and we get 2 more banners before the C's get 1!!

I miss Dr. Buss. I wish Jeannie had the highest payroll for the best GM, Coaches, and training staff in the NBA. The Dodgers approach, brought to you by Gugenheim.
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Magic*Kobe*Luka*LBJ*Shaq

[ThePageDude]

In the Buss era the Lakers were envied for making brilliant personnel moves - with West being regarded as a wizard of building teams and assessing talent.
(That was the rep notwithstanding the few counter-examples of West's questionable opinions/moves)
The Lakers no longer have that rep, even factoring in the Luka move. And that has probably somewhat mellowed my fandom. Still a lifetime Laker, but a more subdued one.

[deal]

I had always been a players fan in the past, Eral the Pear, Walt, Dr. J, Bird, Magic, MJ and of course Kobe.

Kobe was my draw to the Lakers but he played many meaningless years
because of varying supporting cast. Then he was gone.

Since, I’ve favored the Lakers although I’ll never be a LeFlop fan but sometimes watch players I like around the league. This shallow FO
has a lot to do to convince me the franchise is worth watching on
a regular basis.
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Lakers need to build a freaking team !

[Ziggy]

I lost interest during the LeBron era but you could argue that was just a downstream effect of losing Dr Buss. There was this general feeling that the franchise was in good hands when he was running the show. He seemed to be 3 steps ahead and had a plan for every scenario. He was willing to make bold moves and surrounded himself with strong minds who were allowed to disagree with him.

I don't see any true basketball minds in this front office. The Rambii and Pelinka just don't give me the same confidence. LeBron came in and exposed the weakness at the top with how little resistance he faced. The Westbrook move set them back 5 years easily. For decades I watched every single game but these last few years I've been uninterested. I don't know if it's a short term LeBron thing or if it's going to be a long term thing.

[Runway8]

I guess this is called time. Everything seems better in the past. I still think Magic, Bird and MJ from mid 80's to mid 90's was the peak of the NBA. New fans today won't know what we're lamenting about. And when they get old, they will talk fondly of Klutch, Lebron, Jeanie. I dunno... maybe.

I do wonder if internet and social media had existed, what LG would be like from 1988 to 1999. I suspect many of you would be calling for Dr. Buss' head too. I think there is merit to criticizing the current ownership, but sports is truly a microcosm of general society. We are always unhappy, and think the past was always better.
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"The game is MORE than just one player. Without Luka, DFS would have been more than enough to replace him based on what we've seen," LakersFever714, the greatest casual of all time.

[SGVL1]

Jerry Buss era..Kobe’s death ..yes and I’ve been a fan since my grandpa had game 7 of the 88 finals on. I was hooked immediately. I knew of the Lakers but was always into baseball (dodgers) as a kid. Ever since that day I never missed a Laker game until the tanking years 2014-2018 I would just check to make sure we lost so we could keep our pick lol. And I’ve watched very sporadic since Kobe’s passing and especially since the league has become a 3 point contest.

[ThePageDude]

[CandyCanes]

[LakerFan1987]

Screw the Lakers... I'm a Clipper fan!

[TheBlackMamba]

Everything comes back to the new CBA. The "old days" of course seem better because it was easier to build teams that lasted, and of course we were blessed with Kobe from the day he was drafted to the day he retired as a centerpiece to build around, plus a visionary owner like Dr. Buss. We now have a pale imitation of him with Jeanie, but hopefully Luka at least represents what Kobe was as an anchor that you can build around for a decade. I still think the CBA is going to be a (bleep) to navigate, especially with a GM that probably isn't as capable or creative as you'd like, but at least there's some stability now that we can bank on to drive the decision-making and asset management.

Also, it's easy to say everything was sunshine and rainbows before, but 2004-2007 sucked and 2012-2019 was really the dark ages. We had that nice window of contention in between that stands out, but I think we're looking at something similar opening up for the next few years minimum. These cycles are gonna happen, you just take them as they come as fans...be thankful that we see great teams way, way more often than other franchises.

[defense]

I look at most of the other franchises and am grateful to be a Laker fan.

[Four Decade Bandwagon]

Still a diehard fan. Still follow all the moves and gossip. Still record and sit down to watch each game. But admit no patience for crap games or lackadaisical efforts.

League has changed style of play that can be boring with constant iso play. Access to multiple games throughout the season and playoffs has provided the ability to find competitive games and/ or series.

Still prioritize my Lakers, but much more pragmatic about their efforts or chances. Much less blind fandom over the past decade or more. Maybe I’m just getting old and cranky! Lol

[lakez34]

Huge fan, but between priorities, a really disappointing LeBron era and the associated nonstop roster and coaching turnover as well as Jeannie's marketing ploys, past 7 to 10 years have been painful and made me less engaged in the games.

I am glad that Luka is here, he's got me as excited as I used to be back in the after Shaq pre Pau Kobe days, and I'm hopeful we can build a longer tenured roster around him soon instead of the game of full roster turnover every year.

[giordan0]

It's preferable the Buss family cash out and sell the team.

The FO is bad and Klutch has too much influence.

[BILBJH]

I remember my dad taking me to an autograph signing near the Torrance Fashion Square before it was an enclosed mall.

The signing was for Jerry West.

I grew up on the 33 game winning streak, the Bruins even greater winning streak as well as Showtime.

This is why I clash with Kobe fans because the Lakers were better back then and many are too young to know.

So Luka was a godsend after James traded away everything because I thought I'd never see another title in my life.

Obviously the Lakers still have a lot of work to do to fix the team, but at least there's hope.

[Outspoken]

Some people weren't alive for the Jerry Buss era.

[Denny_Russo]

[danzag]

[LakerDYnasty72]

Absolutely not. My love for the Lakers simply never wavers. However, my interest could fade at certain points when we have no hope of winning anything, which thankfully is seldom.

Btw, my "devotion", as the op called it, precedes Jerry Buss. It started with Jack Kent Cooke and the Fabulous Forum.