As Empires Fall

The Lakers' dynasty is gone, and the wagon has been hitched to a bitter Kobe Bryant who does not appear to have what it takes to carry a winner on his own nor co-exist with another star.

It can't be good times in the Lakers' front office, and the New York Post's Peter Vecsey has a rather delicious look behind the scenes. The story is that team owner Jerry Buss (who is widely and famously reported to adore late night partying with people the age of his children, but that's not important right now) has let his son Jim call a lot of the shots lately. If this is all true--and I have no reason to believe it is or isn't--it sounds like all hell is breaking loose in a way that could keep Phil Jackson from returning to the team. Here's what Vecsey has to say about it:

Last season, I'm told Jim Buss traveled on the team charter for almost every away game. Lamar Odom supposedly was a constant companion. Jackson isn't about to allow that to happen again. Professional party animals, no matter how well connected to the boss, are utterly unwanted.

Jackson's problem with Kupchak evidently can be traced to last season when Phil went off on a tirade about Kobe being uncoachable. Mitch promptly advised Dr. Buss. Jackson, the same guy who wrote a book about private conversations with players and management, felt Kupchak should've kept his tirade "entre nous."

While Phil has forgiven Mitch, says my source, "he now wants there to be a clear line of authority that won't allow a repeat of this type of episode."

More important, I suspect, Jackson wants Jim Buss to be held accountable for his "suggestions" (firing Phil, hiring Tomjanovich and trading Shaq) and put himself on the plank as the decision maker his father has permitted him to be.

This whole thing must be super-annoying for Jim's sister Jeanie. She's Phil Jackson's girlfriend, and perhaps the Lakers' team executive whose power has perhaps been most usurped by Jim's ascension. I have no idea who leaked this story to Peter Vecsey, but if you put a gun to my head and told me to find out, I'd get my hands on her phone records and start looking for calls to the Vecsey's house.