NBA Rumors: Train Wreck of a Front Office Means Lakers Glory Days Are Done

It is officially time for a fan base prone to premature bouts of panic to really begin worrying. The Lakers' glory days are over, and they aren't coming back until serious changes are made in the way this storied franchise is run. 

There have been serious hints at this alarming reality all season. It started with the reports that Kobe Bryant was never consulted about the hiring of Mike Brown, and continued with the head scratching trade of Lamar Odom that is looking more and more like a straight salary dump.

Things have been amiss the entire year, and the problems only seem to be growing. 

This recently came to a head when Kobe made these scathing comments. 

Now, there is even further evidence of the depth of the front office dysfunction in a report by Ken Berger of CBS Sports. 

The ominous tone of that article can be felt in this passage by Berger: 

"

The Lakers' front office is an uncommunicative, rudderless fiasco, and the unrest and paranoia that have been festering for years threaten to derail the team's plans to ride Bryant to his sixth NBA title while they still can. And much of it can be traced to the growing influence of executive vice president Jim Buss, the owner's bon vivant son, who has helped transform a great franchise into a steaming pool of nepotism and nincompoops.

"

Berger is not content to let this accusation go unfounded either. He outlines the recent dismissal of longtime valued employees, and the head scratching moves that have been made to replace them. Berger: 

"

Joey Buss, another son of the owner who runs the team's D-League franchise, has moved into Jackson's old office. Jesse Buss, 23, who was arrested for alcohol intoxication in Lexington, Ky., on a "scouting" trip in December, has moved into Lester's former office.

Even people who work in the basketball operations department have "no clue who's on the staff," said a person with direct knowledge of the organization's structure.

"It would be interesting to find out who's doing the scouting," the person said.

"

Hitting the Panic Button

Now this is a reason to panic. The Lakers have little hope of improving themselves while this disgusting level of incompetence continues. 

And the worst of it is, is that there seems to be little concern over rectifying it. This is an organization that has become all too content to rest on its laurels, and rake in the profits that their past labors have created. 

This is a franchise that has been known for achieving excellence by sparing no expense while being fully committed to the goal of winning. It has now been reduced to a disorganized mess that is set up for the next generation of the Buss clan to make money and have cushy jobs.  

How is this organization supposed to succeed without a scouting department anyone can seem to find, while embarking on a quest to alienate their best players? 

That purpose and direction is long gone, and there is no reason to think it will be coming back anytime soon.