“He has to be happy… I want to make sure that he’s happy” - LA Lakers owner Jeanie Buss emphasizes making 4x NBA MVP stay with the franchise for long term

Jeanie Buss, the president of the LA Lakers, has stated that LeBron James needs to be happy for the team to succeed. There have been reports of a possible spat between James and the front office. But Buss seemed to dismiss it all and has reassured her trust in the four-time NBA champion.

The LA Lakers being out of contention for the playoffs definitely did not sit well with both James and Jeanie Buss. Despite having a star-studded roster, the team has a lot of weaknesses that were exposed in the regular season. Buss feels that James will be pivotal if the team has to turn things around next season.

In her interview with Bill Plaschke of the LA Times, she said:

"I want him to feel confident in the team, that we have the pieces to win a championship. He has to be happy. … I want to make sure that he’s happy.”

LeBron James was certainly not a happy man at the end of the season. This was just his fourth time missing the playoffs. The 37-year-old had a stellar individual season, but the shortcomings of the LA Lakers kept affecting their results.

Bringing in Russell Westbrook was certainly one of the biggest moves of the offseason for the LA Lakers. The move was expected to help them contend for the championship. However, it backfired, as the former MVP never seemed to get going with the Purple and Gold.

A large part of the blame for his disappointing season went to James as reports of him forcing a trade for Westbrook kept emerging.

However, Buss feels that there is nothing wrong with star players getting involved in such big decisions. Buss said:

"It’s normal when you have a top player or players you bounce things off of them, I think that’s smart business,”

LeBron James has been with the LA Lakers for four years now. The 2022-23 season is his last year on contract with the Purple and Gold. He has not been very open about his decision. But it is certain that him staying or leaving will depend on how the team performs in the 2022-23 season.

Can the LA Lakers contend for an NBA championship this season?

Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors

The LA Lakers were one of the most disappointing stories of the 2021-22 NBA season. They were touted as the favorites to win the championship. However, as the season progressed, their flaws kept getting exposed and it eventually affected their play.

The team had a lot of stars, but many were way past their primes. Another reason why the team failed to deliver was because of injuries. Kendrick Nunn, who was expected to be back by at least midseason, never returned to the court. Anthony Davis played only 40 games, and his absence cost the Lakers a lot of games.

It will be interesting to see how the LA Lakers respond next season. Their first big move is hiring a new head coach. Some big names are being associated with the team as a strong candidate is necessary to handle the stars on the Lakers roster.

Many expected Russell Westbrook to leave the franchise, but Jeanie Buss believes that there is still time to think about that. The team is currently only focused on the hiring of a new head coach. Once that gets finalized, the LA Lakers will see what is next for Westbrook.

They have some of the most elite stars in the game, and if the right coach comes in and finds a way to get them going, they can do special things. The Lakers also need a way to stay healthy as that was one of their biggest concerns this past season.

If they get it right and make the right moves, the Purple and Gold can possibly make their way back into contending for the championship.