Jesse Buss cites fading role, communication gap in departure from Lakers front office
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Former Los Angeles Lakers assistant general manager Jesse Buss said a prolonged breakdown in communication inside the organization signaled the end of his tenure long before he was officially dismissed on Thursday.
Speaking with Dan Woike of The Athletic, Buss revealed he has not talked with general manager Rob Pelinka or controlling owner Jeanie Buss—his sister—in five months. “I kind of felt siloed quite a bit, dating back to before the 2023 draft,” he said. “As time went on and there was a lack of communication between not only my sister and I, but the organization as a whole while I was combating various health issues, I kind of felt like the writing was on the wall.”
Buss added that the recent sale of the franchise convinced him his exit was inevitable, though he did not specify further details about the transaction. “Obviously this is a job I’ve loved for a very long time,” he said. “Even if I’m not part of the organization in any capacity, I’m always gonna root for this team—and obviously I root for players that Joey and I had a part of bringing in, such as Austin (Reaves) and Rui (Hachimura).”
The 35-year-old son of late owner Jerry Buss began working in the Lakers’ scouting department in 2006, eventually becoming a key voice on draft evaluations and personnel moves. He told The Athletic he had been consulted on free-agent signings and trades “in waves,” but that involvement tapered off in recent seasons. “Oftentimes within the organization, it kind of felt like I was being treated like I was working against them,” he said. “The only thing I ever wanted was the most success for this team.”
Jesse and his brother, Joey Buss, were once envisioned by their father as future leaders of the club’s basketball operations, with Jeanie overseeing business affairs.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that several members of the scouting staff were also let go on Thursday, including Sean Buss, Aaron Jackson, Can Pelister and Moses Zapata.
Source: Hoops Wire
