Always be aware of the hot mic.
Los Angeles Lakers legend James Worthy remains outspoken and critical regarding the direction of his former team.
Recently, Worthy’s candid remarks caught attention again when he was caught on a hot mic making light of the Lakers’ front office, which he views as increasingly dysfunctional. These comments, which were circulated by LakersDaily, arose during an interview discussing the current state of the franchise.
Worthy, who has long expressed frustration over the management decisions post-2020 championship, didn’t hold back in his critique. The Lakers have struggled to leverage their roster’s talent effectively since their last championship win, a point of contention for Worthy. He humorously pointed out the front office’s tendency to make hasty decisions influenced heavily by the desires of star players LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
In a sarcastic tone, Worthy said, “They did it right,” mocking the strategic moves that saw players like Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Malik Monk leave the team with little return, and the controversial acquisition of Russell Westbrook, who has since also departed.
Furthermore, the discussion around Bronny James, LeBron James’ son, seems to particularly irk Worthy.
The Lakers have been rumored to be considering drafting Bronny in an effort to secure LeBron’s commitment to the team. Despite Bronny’s relatively modest collegiate stats at USC—averaging less than five points per game and standing at 6-foot-1, which is small for an NBA scoring guard—his potential selection has been a topic of intense speculation.
With evident sarcasm, Worthy commented on the hype surrounding Bronny, “Well, he’s the greatest young player ever right now, Bronny, that’s what I’m going to say.” His tone highlighted his skepticism about the merit of such a draft choice given the current state of the team.
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Amid these critical roster decisions, the Lakers have also made a bold move in appointing J.J. Redick, a former player and podcaster, as their head coach.
This decision has sparked debate among fans and analysts alike, many of whom are skeptical of Redick’s lack of coaching experience.
James Worthy, a revered figure in Lakers history, is clearly concerned about the franchise’s trajectory under the leadership of Rob Pelinka and the broader management team.
His comments reflect a nostalgia for the Lakers’ glory days under the stewardship of Dr. Jerry Buss and Jerry West, suggesting a deep-seated desire for a return to the strategic foresight and operational excellence that once characterized the Lakers.