EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- It was long past time for Jeanie Buss to head home. Her headache had turned into a full-blown migraine hours ago -- spots in her field of vision; throbbing at the back of her skull; the works.
It was 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24, and she had a few last calls to make before she could turn off the lights, leave the office and close the book on this, one of the most tumultuous weeks in Los Angeles Lakers history.
Earlier that week, with the Lakers headed toward a fourth straight losing season, Jeanie Buss fired Lakers executive vice president of player personnel, her brother Jim Buss, longtime general manager Mitch Kupchak and communications director John Black.