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Scott Howard-Cooper: Within the organization, it is accepted with shrugs that Magic says things. Does not mean it is true. But he is very close with Jerry Buss. Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike Brown, Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss 

Reactions from the Lakers and throughout the NBA on news that Magic Johnson's group is buying the Dodgers: — Jerry Buss, Lakers owner: "Magic Johnson is probably the most beloved sports figure in Los Angeles history. In addition to being a phenomenal success on the court in leading the Lakers to five NBA championships, he has been a success in everything else he's become involved with, most notably his spectacular business career and also his educational campaign on behalf of HIV awareness. I'd like to congratulate Magic and his partners on their acquisition of the Dodgers and wish them the best of luck." — Kobe Bryant: "Magic's got his hands everywhere, man. But I'm happy for him. Obviously, everybody knows how well-loved he is in Los Angeles and he's starting another chapter in his life and another chapter in his post-NBA career of rebuilding the Dodgers' franchise." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss, MLB, Los Angeles Dodgers 

Mike Trudell: Dr. Buss: “I want to express my deepest gratitude to Derek for everything he has meant to this organization over the years." Twitter

Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Trade, Derek Fisher, Jerry Buss 

Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said Buss was being unfairly assailed, part of an in-depth interview Kupchak granted Monday to The Times. Buss' title is executive vice president of player personnel for the Lakers, but he's drawing more power every year as per the wishes of his father, team owner Jerry Buss. "Jim gets way too much criticism and not enough credit with the success this team has had," Kupchak said. . "He is following in the footsteps of the most successful owner maybe of all time, which is hard to do. But since he's gotten more and more involved, which has been about seven or eight years, we've had some pretty good moments." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

Kupchak, head of the Lakers' basketball operations for 12 seasons, disputed Earvin "Magic" Johnson's recent comments that Jim Buss was running the team. "It is inaccurate because there are three of us that are involved in all the basketball decisions," Kupchak said. "Dr. Buss still makes, to my knowledge, all the final decisions in the organization. He's always deferred basketball decisions at some level to his basketball people, and Jimmy is a part of the basketball people. "[Johnson] played at a time when this sport was taking off. There was one scout and a GM. Here we are almost 30 years later and it's different today. There's a lot more people involved and a lot more at stake [now]. "[Johnson] is a fan now too. He's no longer a part of ownership. He and I still speak, but we used to speak a lot, bouncing ideas off each other and stuff that he would hear. Like the rest of us, when you lose a game you shouldn't lose, or lose a couple, you get emotional. This is the only thing he's ever loved — the Lakers. It all comes from the heart with him." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

Kupchak said he still handled the daily chores of the franchise that had won 16 NBA titles, 10 since the elder Buss bought the team in 1979. "Jimmy doesn't have any contact with the league or other teams or agents — the stuff that's day to day. He leaves that to me. That's what I do," said Kupchak, who added he spoke with Jim Buss almost daily. "Jimmy and I brainstorm. He'll have an idea or I'll have an idea. I'll call him or he'll call me. We'll play with the numbers — the salary cap, the new rules, all that stuff, and see what makes sense. If we get somewhere, then it would be brought to Dr. Buss for his opinion." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

Bryant went public with a trade demand in 2007 but had since cooled his opinions because he had "great faith in the organization, the front office and ownership," Kupchak said. "There was some frustration a few weeks ago, but really, that's the first time he's spoken out. I've sat with [Bryant] and talked to him since then, and our relationship hasn't changed. I'm not any more inclined to tell him what's going on day to day, although I'll ask his opinion from time to time on a player, which is what Jerry [West] would do with Earvin or Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar]. I think that's what most general managers do. "But you can't keep players in the loop day to day. He doesn't want that. He wants to be remembered as one of the greatest players with the most championships of all time. He doesn't want to be involved in the criticism that may come with being a part of something that runs" a team. Bryant was mainly looking out for Gasol when he told the front office to make up its mind, Kupchak said. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Mitch Kupchak, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

In a weird way, Gasol has earned Kupchak's sympathy, even though the four-time All-Star isn't guaranteed to remain on the Lakers' roster until Thursday's trade deadline passes. "This has been a really hard, hard period for Pau," Kupchak said. "He's been ridiculously professional. I can't imagine going through what he's gone through the last two or three months. The way the whole thing unfolded with what took place in training camp, it's just been one big unavoidable mess, and unfortunately Pau's in the middle of it." Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Trade, Pau Gasol, Mitch Kupchak, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

Lakers coach Mike Brown acknowledged his relations with Lakers decision-makers Jerry Buss, Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak are a lot different than he was used to in Cleveland, where he was close with Danny Ferry, Chris Grant and Lance Blanks on a personal and professional level. "The relationship there was really, really tight," Brown said Wednesday. "We never did anything without getting the approval of the other guy. Here, it's a little different. Mitch is the GM, and Jimmy is one of the owners with his dad and whoever else, so they make the personnel decisions. At times they may get my opinion; at times they may not." Orange County Register

Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Chris Grant, Danny Ferry, Mike Brown, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

Bryant and general manager Mitch Kupchak have been exchanging barbs in the media recently. Bryant said that the Lakers either need to trade Pau Gasol or say they're keeping him, and Kupchak said that the team would keep its options open. Johnson thinks Kobe is missing the point concerning the GM, that he needs to speak to Jim Buss, who is the Lakers' vice president of player personnel and also the son of Lakers' owner Dr. Jerry Buss. "We have to remember now, it's not Mitch's situation anymore," Johnson told reporters on a conference call Tuesday promoting his upcoming ESPN film, "The Announcement," on Wednesday. "[Kupchak is] not running the team," Johnson said. "Jim Buss is running the team. So, Mitch has to follow the direction of Jim Buss and what he wants. I wouldn't say Mitch is the problem or anything. He's going to do his job. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Trade, Pau Gasol, Mitch Kupchak, Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

"… I think what Kobe really probably wants is just be informed. As a leader, as a future Hall of Famer, as a guy who has brought five championships to the Lakers and the fans of Los Angeles, he just wants to probably have more communication, probably like he did when Phil Jackson was there and he worked well with Mitch. I don't think that Kobe feels he's got that type of relationship or the communication has been there with Jim. "So, I think what has to probably happen is sit Kobe down [and] Jim, sit him down [too] and say, 'Hey, Dr. Buss was the master at taking you to lunch or taking you to dinner and really going over what he thought about, or what he was thinking and what he wanted to do with the team and Jerry West was great at that as well.' Kobe, Mitch and Jim just got to get on the same page and it will be OK." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

When Bryant was informed at shootaround about Johnson's suggestion for a sitdown between him and Jim Buss he only offered a one-word response -- "perhaps." As for why Bryant made the comments in the first place that would necessitate the meeting with him and Buss? "Nobody else is going to say it," Bryant said. "I'm the only one with cojones big enough to say it, so I said it." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

Roland Lazenby: Phil was always very deferential to Jerry Reinsdorf, but he pissed off Buss early. Probably because he made the power move on his daughter. Twitter

Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jerry Reinsdorf, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

Roland Lazenby: Scott Ostler used to talk about Jerry Buss getting out the photo albums of all the young girls he'd been with+boasting about it. Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jerry Buss 

Now, the talk in and around Lakersville is beginning to gather around longtime executive Mitch Kupchak. Some around him are beginning to wonder if he isn’t sagging under the unending burden of trying to educate Jimmy Buss, who has been given the keys to the franchise by his famous father, Jerry Buss. Such news is immediately surprising because Kupchak has the sort of poker face and demeanor that make him an excellent GM. He certainly hasn't sounded demoralized in his recent public appearances. HoopsHype

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

But word keeps popping up about differences he has with Jim Buss about personnel strategies and decisions, specifically how centers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum might factor into any moves the Lakers attempt to make going forward. It’s quite likely that the talk about Kupchak leaving would have never occurred had NBA commissioner David Stern elected not to nix the Lakers’ trade for point guard Chris Paul in December. HoopsHype

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Jerry Buss, Jim Buss 

"You can say he (Alexander) was very angry," said the person, speaking on condition of anonymity. "He was on the phone with Daryl too many times that day to count. When the deal finally got done, he got a call from Daryl saying the deal was done. Afterwards, the commissioner said he didn't think the deal was done. It was amazing. Daryl is extremely efficient and does things the proper way. (Lakers owner) Jerry Buss has been in the league 30 years and has made countless deals and thought the deal was done. Mitch Kupchak thought the deal was done. There was no question in his (Alexander's) and Daryl's minds the deal was done." Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Trade, Chris Paul, Pau Gasol, Mitch Kupchak, Luis Scola, Jerry Buss 

Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss has continued to privately seethe over Stern's decision, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Buss' anger did not boil over when the crosstown Clippers acquired Paul. But like Bryant, Buss took exception to Stern's characterization of what went on behind the scenes before the trade was vetoed. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Trade, Chris Paul, Jerry Buss 

In a lockout-shortened season, the Lakers will be short-handed in their front office. The team won't fill the spot vacated by former assistant general manager Ronnie Lester, whose contract expired in July. Lester was integral in evaluating college players and was a solid sounding board for General Manager Mitch Kupchak. The Lakers are also cutting back their scouting department after employing six scouts in July. The team will use a three-man staff partly made up of Jerry West's son Ryan and owner Jerry Buss' son Jesse. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Ronnie Lester, Jerry West, Jerry Buss 

Jerry Buss, the Lakers' longtime owner, has been hospitalized because of blood clots in his legs likely caused by extensive traveling, a team spokesman said Wednesday. "He is doing well and is expected to be released in the next day or two," said John Black, the Lakers' vice president of public relations. Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Jerry Buss