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But it remains to be seen who will be the dominant voice in running the Lakers' show, a job Buss did masterfully on the marketing and basketball side. Hall of Famer Magic Johnson clearly is aligned with Jeanie Buss. "Now (Buss) leaves and incredible organization to his kids, and Jeanie Buss is so smart and intelligent," Johnson said Monday in an interview with ESPN. "He sent her to (University of Southern California) business school, and he knew that he wanted her to be a major factor and be a part of the Laker organization and probably run it one day." USA Today Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Jerry Buss, Jeanie Buss 

Tuesday night at Staples Center the term "clock management" took on a whole new meaning when Swiss luxury watch brand Hublot was announced as the official timekeeper of the Los Angeles Lakers. The brief pre-game ceremony -- which involved the presentation of a wristwatch-shaped wall clock to Lakers Executive Vice President Jeanie Buss by Hublot Chief Executive Ricardo Guadalupe at center court -- marks the start of the brand's five-year sponsorship of the NBA team. Earlier that day, Guadalupe told All the Rage that the deal, which will eventually include some kind of brand presence at Staples Center, affords Hublot both exposure to an arena full of potential customers and the opportunity to provide Lakers-related perks (things like game seats and player access) to clients of its Beverly Hills boutique. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Jeanie Buss, Staples Center 

In Buss' case, the plan is to hand the Lakers down to his six children – already having daughter Jeanie in place to run the business side and son Jim the basketball side. Well ... Jeanie and Jim aren't speaking to each other. They haven't since Mike Brown was fired as Lakers coach in early November and the Lakers went through that unseemly, confusing, hurtful dance with Phil Jackson – the love of Jeanie's life and now her fiancé – before hiring Mike D'Antoni. Orange County Register

Los Angeles Lakers, Mike D'Antoni, Mike Brown, Jerry Buss, Jeanie Buss, Jim Buss 

Details are scarce as to how Buss' trust is set up, but it is believed that amid all the complicated rules and regulations, the children agreed previously to heed their father's wishes and structure the trust to keep that majority ownership in the family. The six children (Johnny, Jim, Jeanie, Janie, Joey and Jesse) are believed to be locked in together by the trust – so that they stay together or they sell together. It is unclear if any one of them can sell his or her individual shares at any point, though logic would suggest that no one can be bound for perpetuity. Orange County Register

Los Angeles Lakers, Jerry Buss, Jeanie Buss, Jim Buss 

If the family does not sell, one looming possibility is either Jim or Jeanie leaving his or her post in the organization and becoming an absentee owner. How that might be determined and whether their siblings would have a say in that is hard to say, but such a development would obviously alter the entire top of the Lakers' organizational structure. If it turns out to be Jim who departs, it's no stretch at all to speculate what so many fans would love to imagine right about now: Jackson returning to the Lakers, to help Jeanie bring championships back. Maybe – and what a twist it would be – Jackson returning as Jim Buss' replacement in running basketball operations? Maybe as head coach again? Maybe in a Tex Winter role as hands-on advisor to the head coach? Orange County Register

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Jerry Buss, Jeanie Buss, Jim Buss 

Phil Jackson may not have signed on for another run as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, but he's about to join the Laker family nonetheless. The 11-time NBA champion coach popped the question to his longtime girlfriend, Lakers executive vice president Jeanie Buss, over the the Christmas holiday, and she accepted. On Thursday, Buss tweeted a picture of a diamond ring with the caption: "Twitter family -- Phil finally gave me that ring I wanted ! :-) " "I'm beyond happy," Buss told ESPNLosAngeles.com. "I really didn't want it to be news, but I knew people who followed me on Twitter cared about it and I've been wearing the ring since Christmas, so I figured I should let people know." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Jeanie Buss 

Jeanie Buss: Twitter family - Phil finally gave me that ring I wanted! :-) http://twitpic.com/bs8xc5 Twitter @JeanieBuss

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Jeanie Buss 

Kevin Ding: Congrats to Phil Jackson and @Jeanie Buss on their engagement. He proposed on Christmas Day. She accepted. No wedding date set yet. Twitter @KevinDing

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Jeanie Buss 

As he and his girlfriend — Lakers Vice President Jeanie Buss — were stepping into a Venice restaurant Wednesday night, a TMZ camera crew was on site for a quick one-on-one with the 11-time NBA championship coach. The reporter asked Jackson if he’d go back to the Lakers right now “if they offered you the gig?” Jackson responded with a half-laughing but fully drawn-out, “Noooo. They’ll get it going.” When asked if he really believed the Lakers would turn it around, he responded with a serious “yeah.” FoxSportsWest.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss 

Jeanie Buss: Dear Michelle: @MichelleObama Have you ever been made to feel that believing in & supporting your man is a bad thing? Need advice. ;) Jeanie Twitter @JeanieBuss

Los Angeles Lakers, Jeanie Buss, Michelle Obama 

Jeanie Buss: #Lakers fans - make no mistake, YOU are the true owners of the team. Lakers belong to those who love, cherish, cry & cheer with them. Twitter @JeanieBuss

Los Angeles Lakers, Jeanie Buss 

Mark Medina: Jeanie Buss told me Phil Jackson & Kurt Rambis have helped Pau Gasol's brother, Adria, who's a UCLA walkon & has little hoops experience Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol, Phil Jackson, Kurt Rambis, Jeanie Buss, Adria Gasol 

When Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters found out that Jeanie Buss didn’t have Time Warner Cable SportsNet (the new TV home of the Lakers), we’ll have to admit we were a little surprised. Then we took a sigh of relief when Jeanie explained that she watches over at Phil Jackson’s house! Speaking of Phil, we had to ask Jeanie whether she thought Phil missed coaching, especially when witnessing the overwhelming excitement and potential of this particular Lakers team. “Any coach in the entire world would volunteer to coach this team. I do think he misses coaching.” As far as being the female face of a male organization? “I do kind of feel like the matriarch…I feel like all these guys are like my kids.” Lakers Nation

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss 

Jeanie Buss: For all those who asked, Dr. Buss is doing really well, even spending time visiting with Kobe yesterday. My dad's pumped for #Lakers season! Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Jerry Buss, Jeanie Buss 

Jackson's take on the Lakers will emerge in the next few months, though. Jeanie Buss, Lakers executive vice president and Jackson's longtime companion, said his book titled "Eleven Rings" likely will come out next April. Jackson's last book about the Lakers, titled "The Last Season," drew noticeable attention for his brutal honesty about his time as the team's head coach during the 2003-04 campaign. He called Kobe Bryant "uncoachable," and asked General Manager Mitch Kupchak to trade him. Jackson detailed the extent of the Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal feud. He even explained what led to his departure after the Lakers lost in the 2004 NBA Finals to the Detroit Pistons. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Jeanie Buss 

Jeanie Buss: Welcome to #Lakers, Dwight. #Lakers fans let's make him feel at home. http://yfrog.com/odw6dusj Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Dwight Howard, Jeanie Buss 

#Lakers executive Jeanie Buss, 44 Blue Productions and wrestling promoter David McLane will develop a docu-series featuring the return of WOW-Women of Wrestling (“WOW”). The project will present a behind-the-ropes look at the rebuilding of a wrestling franchise and the transformative journey of a group of women and the executives who are putting it all on the line in the rough and tumble world of professional wrestling. For more information contact 44 Blue Productions at 818.760.4442 Sulia

Los Angeles Lakers, Jeanie Buss 

As The Post reported, Dolan never called coaching great Phil Jackson, though Jackson’s girlfriend, Lakers executive Jeanie Buss, said on Los Angeles radio yesterday, “He’s got his energy back.’’ New York Post

Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss 

Jeanie Buss, who has been dating Jackson since 2001, added credence to the rumors during an interview with “Mason and Ireland” on ESPN 710. She admitted that she believes he will coach again and agreed with the hosts when they speculated that Jackson would return to the sideline in the near future. Buss also erased any concerns about Jackson’s health. In recent years, Jackson had a number of health issues that factored into his decision to retire. In March, he underwent knee replacement surgery, which led many league sources to believe that his coaching career was over. They thought he would struggle with the daily grind, from traveling to running a practice. However, Buss confirmed that Jackson is doing well and that the knee replacement has allowed him to become more active than he’s been in years. HoopsWorld

Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss 

“He’s got his energy back,” Buss said. “As a matter of fact, I overheard him making plans to play tennis when he’s back in Montana with one of his friends. He hasn’t played tennis, I don’t think, in 8 years. The knee replacement really is one of those operations that has such a high success rate. It gets people back to riding their bikes or playing golf or playing tennis. It really is a miracle. It’s one of those things that because of Phil’s schedule he wasn’t able to take the time to get the surgery and do the rehab. Now he’s done it, and I do think he has his energy back. Now he’s going to spend his time? I don’t know. I’m happy for him, that he’s out of pain, after watching him suffer for the last few years.” HoopsWorld

Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss