Buss’ Son Will Join the Lakers

Jim Buss, the 38-year-old son of Laker owner Jerry Buss, has joined the team as an assistant general manager, reporting to General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Executive Vice President Jerry West.

An official announcement of the front-office addition is scheduled today.

West, who recently signed a $3.5-million-a-year contract extension through 2002, said Tuesday that it is natural for a powerful father to want his children closely involved in his businesses.

Could this be a step in the owner’s long-range plan for the front-office future past 2002?

“I’ve never really thought of anything like that,” West said. Jerry [Buss] wants to get him involved and acclimated to what goes on in the league.

“I think it’s a natural progression--he’s shown interest, and he’s a bright guy. We have a very small staff here--not many people know that. But he’s somebody else we can use. He’s another good mind working, another pair of eyes to help us figure things out.”

Buss, who ran the L.A. Lazers, an indoor soccer team, from 1985-89, has been in the thoroughbred racing business for the last nine years--based at Del Mar--but accompanied West on a couple of scouting trips last season.

Jim Buss’ older brother, John, is the president of the WNBA’s L.A. Sparks; Jim’s two younger sisters, Jeanie and Janie, both have management positions at the Great Western Forum. The Forum and Sparks are owned by Jerry Buss, as were the now-defunct Lazers.

“Like any father would be, he’s excited to get his kids involved,” West said.

Jim Buss traveled with West to the Maui Invitational last winter for an intense round of scouting--four games a day for three consecutive days.

“I think he was shocked, you know?” West said. “That’s a tournament that really goes from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. But I think he really enjoyed that part of it.”