Jeanie Buss, the iconic Lakers boss, is spilling the tea on the Lakers’ wild Anthony Davis trade, and she’s not thrilled with fans trying to run the show. On a March 31 episode of the Games with Names podcast, the Lakers president got real about swapping Davis for Luka Doncic-a move that shocked the NBA on February 1. While she’s proud of the deal, she’s fed up with the constant fan chatter.
“I think the part that kind of makes me crazy is when fans tell me what the coach needs to do, what players to trade for,” she said, letting out a relatable sigh for anyone dodging backseat drivers. It’s a peek into the pressure cooker of leading one of basketball’s biggest franchises.
Buss didn’t just vent, though. She dropped a gem about her dad, Jerry Buss, shaping the trade. “It’s about, if a deal isn’t good for both sides, then it’s not a good deal,” she shared, echoing Jerry’s golden rule of fairness. That mindset drove the Davis-Doncic swap-sure, the Lakers snagged a 25-year-old phenom averaging 28 points a game, but it cost them a champ in Davis and young gun Max Christie.
“Look what we had to give up, though. Anthony Davis-we won a championship. Do you know how hard that was?” she added, a nod to the tough call that’s got X buzzing-some fans cheer the future, others mourn the past.
How Jerry Buss shaped Jeanie’s Anthony Davis trade decision
Jerry’s legacy isn’t just talk-Buss sees it as her North Star. “My dad was a very fair man and didn’t take advantage of people, and that’s what I carry in that tradition,” she said, tying his poker-player patience to her big swing. Fans on X are split-“Jeanie’s channeling Jerry, genius move!” one posted, while another griped, “Trading AD? She’s lost it.”
The deal stayed hush-hush-only Buss, GM Rob Pelinka, and the Mavs‘ brass knew-avoiding the chaos of leaks. “If it had leaked out and fell apart, that’d be unfair to the team,” she noted, keeping the squad’s focus tight.
Davis wasn’t even on the trade block until Doncic dangled-Buss admitted it wasn’t planned. “We weren’t looking to move Anthony Davis,” she confessed, but Jerry’s “go big or go home” vibe sealed it. With the Lakers now 46-29 and Doncic pairing with LeBron, the move’s got juice-though fan demands still irk her. “Everyone has an opinion,” she laughed, brushing off the noise while steering the purple-and-gold ship.
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