The Los Angeles Times reports on the status of the employees laid off from the Lakers in the wake of the lockout. The Lakers, who make approximately a bajillion dollars a year due to being the most popular team in the league in the second biggest market, tied with the most NBA championships and featuring one of the biggest stars in league history, canned multiple members of their basketball operations team. Most simply did not have their contracts renewed, which is often thought of as being different from being fired, but has the same effect in terms of, you know, not having a job.
From the Times:Some were told their contracts would not be renewed and some were laid off. All told, about 20 Lakers employees are, or soon will be, looking for jobs, including some of Phil Jackson’s former coaching staff.
It was the manner in which they were let go by one of the most successful and profitable franchises in the NBA that bothered Lester.
“You think of the Lakers and you think they are a great organization,” Lester said. “But if you work inside the organization, it’s only a perception of being a great organization. It’s probably not a great organization, because great organizations don’t treat their personnel like they’ve done.”
via Lakers: Ronnie Lester speaks out as Lakers cut longtime employees - latimes.com.
Ouch.
Naturally people who no longer have their jobs are upset. That’s how people react in most instances. And that’s how this will be considered in most instances. But it does speak to the baffling nature of the events going on inside the Lakers organization that things have come off as poorly as they have. Lester also questioned why only basketball operations people were laid off from the Lakers. That follows the comments from Brian Shaw earlier in the month who wondered how members of a team that won five championships suddenly got the boot.
But changes come, and management wanted to go in a new direction. But judging from the public comments, questions about the leadership of Jim Buss and how things will be handled will continue for the foreseeable future.