Laker's owner Jerry Buss has died.

[URGatorBait]

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/18/lakers-owner-jerry-buss-passes-away-at-age-79/related/

[rogdochar]

Typical California ...one sentence "He's dead." next sentence "credit"
for who broke the story first. The rest of the "rest in peace" piece was
all about the spread of his wealth.

[Class of '78]

Fans usually dismiss the owner as nothing more than the guy with deep pockets. Buss meant much more than that to the Lakers. He was a father figure to Magic Johnson and squeezed out another two championships when he made the commitment to Kobe over an aging and diminished Shaq.