a tough first half but Magic johnson took charge the other guys join and dr jerry buss who owns the Los Angeles Lakers joins me.You're very proud of this ball club.I really am chick.I I think this has to be the best ball club I've had in the eight years I've been here,
you've been very fortunate in the eight years you've been here,you know,winning world championships,competing for world championships and so forth.And it's not all,look,I say this about you and I'll say it to your face because I've said it to many groups that I've spoken to you,let the management of basketball go to jerry West and Bill Sharman.
I know you know the sport,but you don't interfere.That's the mark of a good owner.
Uh Well,chick,I think that is a mistake that some people make.They come in and they feel since they own the team that they can dictate back to basketball policy to uh the general manager,the president of the club.And uh,of course that is a mistake.I have to realize that when you've got two Hall of Famers on your staff,they know more than you do about it
Jerry.Let's bounce around some things.four teams coming into the league in the next couple of years,that means revenue of $130 million dollars to the league.And I assume each of the clubs get some of that.
Uh,they do check,they'll split the expansion proceeds,but you know,realistically you're not really going to come out that far ahead on it.For instance,your television contracts have to be spread over more teams now.Also when those expansion teams come into your building,typically they do not have a great record.And so your attendance is down and over the years that tends to dissipate most of the money that you get from expansion.
On the other hand,I think it's better for the game,overall,it's going to be kind of tough and the first beginning years.But to spread basketball,especially into the south,I think is really a positive move for the NBA.
Now,let's go to another area.Do you think that we'll ever see the day when we get to see the Eastern clubs more than once?
Quite honestly,I don't check because the travel schedule is just so tough on the teams as it is to start going across country more than we currently do.Uh The players just wouldn't really be fair to them.Uh I,for one would love to see Chicago and boston come into the building more than once.But
realistically,I just don't think it's going to happen.What about free agency?You like it?
Well,you know,I always have the feeling that uh,players always have the ability to uh,to get the best money for their services.On the other hand,you have to be a little careful with it because otherwise the richard teams are going to take all the talent and We all know that's not fair.As an example chick,when when you're 10 years old and you go out in the backyard and there's 10 players,the first thing they do is say,let's choose up sides.In other words,they say,uh,yeah,right.You don't have free agency even when you're 10 years old,you choose sides.So I think it's a natural thing in sports that you have to uh put the talent equally distributed on all the teams.What about the salary cap?
Well,the salary cap has done wonders for everybody.It's made basketball very healthy.And when I see the projections on the average salary for basketball players,I think uh year after next,uh it goes over 500,000 for the average ball player.This is not The better ball players,but the average ball player will make $500,000.Uh You have to say it's working for the players that's working for the owners.That's an amazing staff.Give me one quick answer to this one,Jerry is Kareem under contract for next year.Uh Kareem isn't but we've agreed to a chick.What we're trying to do is think past that one year.The question is,what will Kareem do with the Lakers past that one year?And uh we haven't had a lot of time to talk about it because of the pressures of the playoffs,but he and I have both agreed.There's no disagreement on next year.Uh The real interesting thing is how about the year after?All,right.Thank you,jerry.Dr jerry Buss.Ladies and gentlemen,very interesting interview.And a wonderful man that has done so much for sports,not just basketball in the great city of Los Angeles.I'll be back with more in a minute on the Lakers basketball Network.a tough first half but Magic johnson took charge the other guys join and dr jerry buss who owns the Los Angeles Lakers joins me.You're very proud of this ball club.I really am chick.I I think this has to be the best ball club I've had in the eight years I've been here,
Well,the salary cap has done wonders for everybody.It's made basketball very healthy.And when I see the projections on the average salary for basketball players,I think uh year after next,uh it goes over 500,000 for the average ball player.This is not The better ball players,but the average ball player will make $500,000.Uh You have to say it's working for the players that's working for the owners.That's an amazing staff.Give me one quick answer to this one,Jerry is Kareem under contract for next year.Uh Kareem isn't but we've agreed to a chick.What we're trying to do is think past that one year.The question is,what will Kareem do with the Lakers past that one year?And uh we haven't had a lot of time to talk about it because of the pressures of the playoffs,but he and I have both agreed.There's no disagreement on next year.Uh The real interesting thing is how about the year after?All,right.Thank you,jerry.Dr jerry Buss.Ladies and gentlemen,very interesting interview.And a wonderful man that has done so much for sports,not just basketball in the great city of Los Angeles.I'll be back with more in a minute on the Lakers basketball Network.