Lakers News: Jeannie Buss Refuses to Answer Question on Luke Walton's Future

With speculation mounting that Luke Walton is in his final days with the Los Angeles Lakers, owner Jeanie Buss did her best not to add more fuel to the fire.

Appearing on the Sports Business Radio Podcast, Buss simply refused to provide a response when talk of Walton's future came up: "I'm not giving you that answer to that question."

Despite being coy, Buss once again emphasized she thinks Walton has done a "terrific job" and noted the number of games Los Angeles has lost to injuries this season. 

She also made sure to point out Walton's deep connection to the franchise, as he was drafted by the team out of college in 2003. Per ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin:

"There's a whole other chapter of my life where I was, for 15 years, the significant other of coach Phil Jackson. And Phil used to say, 'Bill Walton may be Luke's dad, but Luke is my son.' ... It was a very Star Wars-y kind of thing. 

"But Luke has always been someone that, he came to the Lakers as a rookie, the last year of Shaq [Shaquille O'Neal]and Kobe [Bryant]. So he kind of bridged two Lakers teams in the Shaq-Kobe era and then in what you would call the Kobe-Pau [Gasol] era.

"And he is somebody, I think, who doesn't even realize what a natural he is and that leadership that he has, in terms of getting people, connecting with people and all ages. And I think he's done a terrific job."

Buss' sentiment about Walton's job echoed her comments from earlier this season. She said on Zach Lowe's The Lowe Post podcast in January that Walton was "doing a terrific job" and the organization was "doing everything we can" to make sure he succeeds. 

The Athletic's Bill Oram reported on March 27 that Buss won't interfere with what team president Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka want to do after this season. 

The Lakers have already clinched their sixth straight season without a playoff berth and a losing record. Walton is 96-146 in three seasons leading the franchise. His .397 winning percentage is the worst in franchise history among coaches with at least 200 games of experience.