Has LA truly become Clip Nation? Well if you ask current Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, the answer is yes.
Garcetti on Thursday officially declared that he’s at the helm of a Clippers town. He was asked by TMZ Sports he thought the tides have shifted in the city.
“Right now, it’s a Clippers,” Garcetti admitted before saying he was a Lakers fan until the day he dies. “I love the Clippers, I don’t hate them. Just, I’m always Lakers.”
According to Fox News, Charlie Rivers, a Lakers fan, urged others to protest outside the Staples Center. Expressing frustration with the way owner Jeanie Buss is running the team.
The Lakers reportedly lost out on bringing in Ty Lue as its new head coach and rumors about LeBron James being traded continue to heat up.
“Due to recent news that has come to light in regards to the reasoning, circumstances, & accumulation in which the handling of hiring Tyronn Lue was done, I announce this statement: I announce a protest in response to Ms. Jeanie Buss’s decision making that has impacted the overall ability of the Lakers Organization to operate as a successful franchise,” Rivers said in a press release.
“Many others and I find it disturbing the amount of influence Kurt & Linda Rambis have on the organization. This method of production being based off nepotism, personal friendships, rather than valued experience is alarming. So much so, that we, a section of the Lakers fanbase, believe that this method of conducting business is a net negative for the organization.”
The protest scheduled for 12pm local time today, will organize outside Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, trade rumors are certainly heating up for LeBron James and he and his team should be inclined to listen before his stay in LA sours any further.
Prop bets online regarding where James may play next season still favor the Lakes however, the Knicks and the Clippers are only +700, and the Cavaliers and the Heat are not far off.
LeBron James signed a four-year, $153 million contract with the Lakers in 2019, and he would have to agree to the trade should the Lakers choose to move him.
Just this off-season, the Lakers saw Magic Johnson, the one front-office person James trusts, abruptly leave the franchise. Their head coaching situation is also in flux after Ty Lue, with whom James had a good relationship in Cleveland, turned down a three year, $18 million offer to coach the team.
Whether James is responsible for the front office problems or not remains to be seen, however per usual, his relationship with another young head coach soured quickly during the 2019 season and his attention has often been focused with projects off the court which certainly has not helped the young roster grow under James.
Stephen A. Smith had no trouble holding back his opinion on the situation, LeBron’s PR efforts and the Lakers organization.