LOS ANGELES_When Kobe Bryant was the team's marquee star, Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss remembers hearing about how other stars didn't want to play with him.
So when she heard the same comments emerging about LeBron James, it made her laugh just as it did with Bryant.
"If somebody doesn't want to play with the best player playing in the NBA right now, then I don't want them on the team," Buss said during a podcast interview with ESPN's Zach Lowe.
The interview lasted for an hour and included Buss' thoughts on a variety of topics. She reiterated her support for Luke Walton, but when asked whether he would definitely finish the season as coach, she said that was a question for Magic Johnson.
"Every single person in the organization is here to make Luke successful," she said.
Without mentioning the Cleveland Cavaliers by name, Buss said it was difficult to see the Lakers lose at home to teams with sub-.500 records. She also noted the win over the Oklahoma City Thunder as one that pleased her.
"Given the injuries that we have, it's a challenge," Buss said about Walton's task. "People forget, he's had two of our starters taken away from him. They've won really important games on the road, proving what is possible even without LeBron. But it's still difficult to lose the games you're supposed to win."
