StadiumPosts Logo
Stay upto date with notifications from Stadiumposts
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences

"COMPLETELY UNFAIR": JEANIE BUSS BREAKS HER SILENCE ON THE LEBRON JAMES "EGO" REPORT

Jeanie Buss has slammed a recent ESPN report claiming she was privately critical of LeBron James's influence and outsized ego.

"Completely unfair": Jeanie Buss breaks her silence on the LeBron James "ego" report
Jeanie Buss slams ESPN report alleging she grew "bitter" toward LeBron James

L.A. Lakers governor and minority owner Jeanie Buss isn’t happy with an ESPN report claiming she’s been quietly critical of LeBron James and the sway he holds over the team.

Reporter Baxter Holmes says Buss has complained behind closed doors about LeBron’s big ego and the control he and Klutch Sports sometimes have over the Lakers.

The main focus of the article is the Buss family drama after Jerry Buss died in 2013 and how all that infighting eventually led to the $10-billion sale to Dodgers owner Mark Walter last summer.

Jeanie saw the story about her relationship with LeBron and decided enough was enough. On Thursday, she broke her silence.

“It’s really not right, given all the great things LeBron has done for the Lakers, that he has to be pulled into my family drama,” Buss said in a statement. “To say that it wasn’t appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him.”

Holmes’ report paints a picture of Buss holding a grudge against LeBron from the moment he joined the team. According to Holmes, Buss didn’t like that people saw LeBron as the franchise’s saviour when he signed in 2018 or that he picked the Lakers instead of the front office winning him over.

She also wasn’t thrilled when the Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook in 2021, mainly to keep LeBron happy. That move turned out to be a disaster, messing up the roster and leaving the Lakers out of the playoffs.

Then there’s the 2024 NBA Draft, where the Lakers picked LeBron’s son, Bronny, with the 55th pick. Holmes claims Buss thought LeBron didn’t show enough gratitude for the team making that call.

Even when it came time to extend LeBron’s contract, Buss apparently wasn’t all in. Holmes reports she felt like she had to do it, just to avoid a PR nightmare, even if she didn’t love the idea.

Jeanie took over the Lakers after her dad, Jerry, passed away in 2013. He bought the team for $67.5 million back in 1979 and led them to 10 NBA titles, with legends like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaq, and Kobe. Under Jerry, the Lakers missed the playoffs only twice in 34 years and had the league’s best record. Since Jeanie took charge, though, they’ve missed the postseason seven times in 11 years and now sit at 26th in winning percentage.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES TRADE JAREN JACKSON JR. TO UTAH JAZZ IN 8-PLAYER BLOCKBUSTER

The Memphis Grizzlies have traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz, creating a record $28.8 million trade exception for 2026.

top-news
Grizzlies finalise Jaren Jackson Jr. deal

The Memphis Grizzlies turned heads on Tuesday, pulling off a blockbuster trade that sent two-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr to the Utah Jazz. Along with Jackson, the Grizzlies shipped out Vince Williams Jr, John Konchar, and Jock Landale. Coming back their way: Walter Clayton Jr, Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang, and, maybe the most important part, three future first-round picks.

And honestly, it feels like Memphis isn’t done stirring the pot. Inside the organisation, they see Zach Edey and Cedric Coward as the future. Both went late in the lottery in the past two drafts, and the Grizzlies landed some value in the second round this year, too, grabbing Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer.

All this movement means Ja Morant’s future in Memphis suddenly looks shaky. He’s been the face of the franchise since they took him No. 2 overall back in 2019. When he’s healthy, he’s electric—no question. But injuries and off-court drama have slowed him down, and now, with the trade deadline closing in, the Grizzlies are openly shopping him. Teams around the league are watching.

There’s another wrinkle here: by dealing Jackson, Memphis created a massive trade exception—$28.8 million, the biggest in NBA history, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Shams Charania. It’s a huge chess piece. With that exception, the Grizzlies can absorb big, ugly contracts from other teams in exchange for more draft picks. Think of what the Thunder did a few years back—stockpiling picks by taking on bad deals until they rebuilt into a contender.

Now, you’ve probably heard Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name floating around in trade rumours. He hasn’t officially asked out of Milwaukee, but everyone in the league expects something to happen soon. Teams like the Timberwolves and Knicks are circling. The Grizzlies? They’re not likely to chase Giannis directly. But with that trade exception, they could play a big role as a third team—taking on salary dumps or unwanted contracts, collecting more picks, and helping another franchise pull off the Giannis blockbuster. Memphis just put itself squarely in the middle of the NBA’s hottest rumour.

KLINT KUBIAK SNUBS NFL RIVALS TO LEAD RAIDERS’ NEW ERA UNDER TOM BRADY

The Las Vegas Raiders are zeroing in on Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak as their next head coach, with Tom Brady leading the search.

top-news
Klint Kubiak is set for the Raiders as Seahawks coach faces the New England Patriots

The Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of a huge shakeup right now. Klint Kubiak, the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, is set to become their new head coach—and honestly, he’s nothing like Pete Carroll.

Kubiak’s still in his 30s, calling plays on offence, while Carroll just wrapped up last season as the NFL’s oldest head coach. The Raiders had their eyes on Ben Johnson previous year, but when he decided to take the Bears job, they turned to Carroll instead.

This time, Las Vegas seemed to have that same level of interest in Kubiak, but they had to wait things out because Seattle was still in the playoffs. Tom Brady, who’s a minority owner with the Raiders, clearly played a big part in picking the new coach.

Since nothing’s official until after the Super Bowl, Brady can’t come right out and talk about Kubiak joining the team. Still, he didn’t hold back when it came to sharing what he liked about the guy.

“Klint’s played to his team’s strengths. Last week, he did a ton of good things against a really strong Rams defence,” Brady said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. “That’s what it took for them to win. The Rams are a tough team. That game in Seattle could’ve gone either way... Seattle really had to play a complete game in all three phases to pull it out, and they’ll need to do the same this weekend in Santa Clara.”

Brady also talked about Fernando Mendoza.

Another big reason the Raiders’ coaching job is so appealing? They’ve got the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Everyone expects them to grab Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Brady doesn’t have to be secretive about it—nobody’s jumping ahead of them in the draft. He was pretty open about how much he likes Mendoza.

“What do I value most? When I see him, he’s always talking up his teammates. He wins the Heisman, and he’s giving credit to everyone else,” Brady said. “That’s the kind of attitude you want in a leader.”

Kubiak focused on the Super Bowl, not the job switch.

Kubiak’s career is about to take off, but right now, he’s locked in on trying to win his first Super Bowl. So, he isn’t ready to talk about the Raiders just yet.

“I’m coaching the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and that’s all I’m thinking about,” Kubiak told reporters on Monday. “I’m just excited for this week and this game.”

Not everyone in Seattle is thrilled to see Kubiak go. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had nothing but praise after working with him this year.

“He was unbelievable,” Darnold said Monday. “The stuff I picked up from Klint—just with schemes, and then learning from him as a coach and a person—the grit. He’s up before the sun, gets to the facility at 4 or 4:30, and leaves later than anyone. The guy just grinds. He loves football, and he’s always straight with his players. I know I really appreciated that, and so did the rest of the guys.”

Premier League Standings

WhatsApp Read More News