The Zach Lowe Show

Episode: A Look Inside the Lakers Sale and the Buss Family Dysfunction
Date: January 22, 2026
Host: Zach Lowe (The Ringer)
Guests: Michael Pina (The Ringer), Baxter Holmes (ESPN), Sean Fennessey

Overview

This episode delivers a densely packed, multi-segmented journey through NBA news, spotlights the tumultuous Lakers’ sale and Buss family dynamics, explores the weird brilliance of the Houston Rockets, and closes with a “Mets Corner” segment dissecting recent New York Mets baseball transactions. The centerpiece is a compelling interview with Baxter Holmes, whose in-depth ESPN feature chronicles the Buss family's infighting leading up to the $10B Lakers sale, and what the future holds for this iconic franchise.

NBA Roundup with Michael Pina

[01:05 - 58:00]

Knicks "Bounce Back" vs. Nets

• [02:45 - 04:16]
  • Knicks' blowout win against rival Nets is discussed, but both Zach and Michael dismiss it as a reset rather than a sign of real progress.
    • “I don't care. I don't think they care that much either.” — Michael Pina [03:27]
  • Ongoing discussion on what qualifies as a “players-only meeting” in MSG lore.

Cat Trade Revisited

• [04:16 - 07:14]
  • Zach stands by his take: “I think the Wolves won the Cat trade.” [04:16]
  • Pina agrees factoring in contracts, but acknowledges Kat’s clutch moments for Knicks.

Bucks and Giannis’ Comments: Turbulence in Milwaukee

• [07:14 - 19:32]
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo’s cryptic, increasingly frustrated postgame quotes (lack of chemistry, not playing hard) with speculation on whether he will request a trade before the deadline.
    • “We're not playing hard ... we're not playing together. Our chemistry is not there.” — Zach, quoting Giannis [11:15]
    • “It's like he's not requesting a trade, but it's on a technicality ... making scorched earth comments, basically calling his teammates stupid.” — Michael Pina [12:45]
  • Consensus: Unlikely Giannis is traded at the deadline, but summer could be pivotal.

Bucks’ Future: Three Doors

• [15:29 - 19:32]
  • 1. Trade Giannis now
    2. Revisit after the season
    3. “Digging the hole deeper” with all-in win-now moves
  • Zach worries about the futility of “option 3” with current roster.

Warriors’ Eulogy and Jimmy Butler Update

• [19:32 - 26:36]
  • Warriors’ competitive window is “over.” Move for Jimmy Butler not enough to revive them.
  • Golden State will try to trade for Giannis if he becomes available, but their asset package isn’t the strongest.
    • “It’s been over. If ‘it’s over’ means they can’t contend anymore, that was already over.” — Zach [21:28]
  • Both agree: Curry + Giannis would be fun, but not enough for true title contention as constructed.

Deep Dive: Houston Rockets—Weird, Wonderful, and Worrisome

[26:36 - 58:00]

The League’s Weirdest Contender

• [26:36 - 33:06]
  • Houston is “the weirdest team in the NBA”: dominant offensive rebounding, low on threes and rim attempts, top-five on both ends by rating.
    • “Their best offense is missing a shot.” — Zach, paraphrasing [01:05]
    • “I still would label them a championship contender … But with Houston it's just like there's so much more there to either discover or they are just flawed, fatally in a way that will show up in the postseason and kill them.” — Michael Pina [30:41]

Impact of Steven Adams’ Injury

• [32:59 - 33:06]
  • Adams is central to their identity and their offensive rebounding machine. His absence moves Houston from “pessimistic contender” territory to a murkier playoff future.

Offensive/Defensive Weirdness

• [33:06 - 47:47]
  • Rockets are elite at forcing midrange shots on defense, but shoot the most midrange shots themselves.
  • Offense is slow, static, high in turnovers, and crunch-time struggles without Fred VanVleet are glaring.
    • “When you watch their crunch time possessions offensively, tell me what you saw—it's just such a mess … so formulaic and so predictable …” — Michael [37:45]
    • “They just beat the hell out of you with size and rebounding. I think that's less applicable when Hartenstein is healthy.” — Zach [41:22]
  • Rockets still have major draft assets but unlikely to make a big trade at the deadline.

Underrated Kevin Durant Segment

• [47:47 - 55:24]
  • Zach and Michael laud Kevin Durant’s elite, sustained career: No. 6 all-time scoring, nearly a 50/40/90 for his career, and under-appreciated due to Warriors era.
    • “I think Kevin Durant's going to be another one [on my higher-than-consensus list]. I think he's going to be historically underrated because of the bad taste his departure from OKC and his arrival in Golden State left in people's mouths.” — Zach [51:17]

6th Man of the Year Midseason Picks

• [55:24 - 57:45]
  • Michael: Isaiah Stewart (“I've always wanted a defender to win this award.”) [55:45]
  • Zach: Jaime Jaquez Jr. but offers shout-outs to others including Grayson Allen and AJ Mitchell.

FEATURE INTERVIEW: Inside the Lakers Sale and the Buss Family Dysfunction

Guest: Baxter Holmes (ESPN)
[59:19 - 82:49]

Setting the Scene

• Baxter’s ESPN feature chronicles the $10B sale of the Lakers, the resulting Buss sibling infighting, and Jeanie Buss' future as nominal governor.
  • “The palace intrigue has been a defining feature of the Lakers for some decades, but certainly in the post-Jerry Buss era since he passed in 2013.” — Baxter [61:07]

Why Did the Buss Family Sell?

• Dysfunction, fractured relationships, and Jerry Buss’s prescient fear that infighting would doom the family’s stewardship.
  • “Before Jerry Buss died in 2013 ... he was concerned about infighting among his siblings ... should we just sell now and get it over with? His fears ultimately proved correct.” — Baxter [63:49]

The Bonus Payouts Controversy

• $114M paid to Jeanie’s “inner circle” (Linda & Kurt Rambis, Tim Harris) as part of the sale, to the surprise of other siblings.
  • “When some of these details came out ... figures stuck out to them ... people close to you … why are they [Kurt and Linda Rambis] getting these figures?” — Baxter [67:21]
• Jeanie maintains this isn’t unusual in major sales, but at least some siblings feel blindsided.
• At one point, Joey and Jesse Buss considered legal action over the negotiations.

The Sadness of the End

• For all the riches, the whole saga is tinged with tragedy for a once-close family.
  • “Honestly, like, ... this is all really sad … To see a family just broken apart like this and siblings at each other's throats … It's just like, it made the whole thing just made me sad, honestly. And I think people look at these people—well, they're all billionaires or millionaires—but family is family, man.” — Zach [69:47]
  • “The Lakers were the tension point in the family … Like a toxic asset that was really driving the family apart and against each other.” — Baxter, quoting Johnny Buss [72:02]

LeBron James and Lakers Power Struggles

• Holmes details how LeBron's encroaching influence triggered concerns within the organization and may have factored into Jeanie’s calculus on selling.
  • “People in the organization described seeing Jeanie sort of change and becoming more consumed with criticism … They had noticed a pattern emerge more and more, especially by that time with LeBron James.” — Baxter [76:56]
• Zach ties the LeBron tension to the “is it worth it?” calculation for ownership and possible mutual parting between LeBron and the Lakers after this year.

The Unending Lakers Drama

• Zach recalls the near-constant environment of chaos: lawsuits, firings, Magic Johnson’s bombshell resignation, tampering fines, etc.
  • “There's just been so much stuff … it's been a lot … And very little of them have anything to do with basketball or with winning on the court.” — Baxter [81:29]
  • Holmes’ reporting is described as “airtight historical documentation” of the end of an era.

Mets Corner: “We’re Back, Baby!”

With Sean Fennessey
[82:49 - 123:25]

New-Look Mets & Big Trades

• Zach and Sean break down the recent trades for Luis Robert Jr. (CF) and Bo Bichette (3B), and the impact on the Mets’ lineup and pitching.
• Both enthused by the revamped defense and deeper, contact-heavy lineup; concern persists over thin starting pitching and bullpen.
• Zach: “I'm excited about this team. I'm excited about the revamp lineup. … All I want is just let me get to September and the games matter. Just can we just, like, I'll take 85 wins, 88 wins, transitional year. Just keep, like, let us be in contention for a wild card.” [119:41]
• Mets fans manifesting cautious optimism—upgrade on defense, better balance, but one more ace pitcher (and some bullpen arms) would make them legit threats.

The Dodgers as the New Villains

• Lamentations over LA’s relentless spending spree, the seismic contracts for Ohtani/Soto/Kyle Tucker, and speculation about the need for CBA changes.
  • “I now hate the Dodgers. It happened fast for me.” — Zach [98:24]

Prospects and the Value of Youth

• Discussion of potentially trading top prospects Jet Williams and Sproat for pitching help (Freddy Peralta).
• Sean: “He's (Jet Williams) just like kind of a get dirty kind of player that you really love rooting for. And I would have a hard time parting with him. But … if you want a player like Freddie Peralta, you got to give up to get.” [114:07]

Mets Clubhouse Dynamics and Fresh Starts

• Both hosts agree: last season’s Mets environment grew toxic, and the front office has made a conscious decision to overhaul the roster, culture, and vibes.

Most Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Lakers dysfunction:
  “Family is family, man. … This stuff is sad.” — Zach Lowe [70:30]
• On Giannis trade drama:
  “It's like he's not requesting a trade, but it's on a technicality ... making scorched earth comments, basically calling his teammates stupid.” — Michael Pina [12:45]
• On the Rockets:
  “Their best offense is missing a shot.” — Zach Lowe [01:05]
• On Durant passing legends:
  “Can we just pause for a second and look at this guy's career? Because it's absolutely insane and I feel like he's going to be remembered as the 18th best player or 14th best player. And I'm like, I think he's probably a little better than that.” — Zach Lowe [52:29]
• On the new Mets:
  “All I want is just let me get to September and the games matter.” — Zach Lowe [119:41]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:05] – NBA Roundtable: Knicks, Cat trade, Bucks turmoil
• [26:36] – Houston Rockets deep dive
• [55:24] – 6th Man of the Year picks
• [59:19] – Lakers Sale: Baxter Holmes feature discussion
• [74:29] – LeBron/Jeanie Buss/Lakers power struggle
• [82:49] – Mets Corner: Big trades and new outlook

Tone and Language

The episode is smart, conversational, and peppered with wit, cynicism, and deep affection for the craziness of sports. Zach’s style is candid, ever-questioning, and self-deprecating (“I don’t really know much about baseball, Sean…”). Guests harness both reporting detail and fan perspective, making the episode both newsworthy and relatable.

Final Takeaways

• NBA: The league’s weirdness (Houston), dysfunction (Bucks/Lakers), and the perpetual trade rumor mill are alive and well.
• Lakers’ sale: Was defined by decades of family drama, secrecy, and ultimately sadness and fractured ties, now ushering in an era where LA is poised to run like a superteam under corporate control.
• Rockets: Super weird, possibly elite, but big questions linger (especially minus Steven Adams).
• Mets fans: It’s a time of cautious optimism—an overhauled team with better vibes but not enough arms, and reminders that hope (and heartbreak) spring eternal in baseball.
• Signature Zach Line: “Just let me get to September and the games matter. That’s all I want.”