Roland Lazenby knows a thing or two about the Lakers. He wrote the book on them, for one thing, and he sometimes runs a Laker blog (when he's not too busy doing many things associated with the journalism classes he teaches at Virginia Tech).

His take on the latest Laker news is fascinating. He sees two camps in Lakerville. There are those who want the Lakers to do everything possible to bring in top talent immediately, so that the team can have a shot at winning titles while Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson are still functioning at high levels. Then there are those who want Kobe, Phil, and their allies to be patient as the youngsters like Andrew Bynum develop. Chief among this second camp is Laker owner Jerry Buss's son Jim, who is said to be Bynum's biggest supporter.

Lazenby emails the following thoughts: 

Jerry Buss is a lot of things but fool isn't one of them.

Isn't it amazing the way he just trumped Phil and Kobe? They seemed ready for one of those season-long PR wars, with Phil, Kobe, the team and Jeanie Buss lined up against Jim Buss.

That's just like Phil allied things against Jerry Krause and Jerry Reinsdorf in Chicago in 1998.

Usually, nobody plays this game better than Phil. He eviscerated the Jerries in Chicago with Jordan as his major card, had them begging for mercy by the end of the season. Krause and Reinsdorf still haven't recovered from that showdown with Phil, who coolly rode off in the sunset after it was over.

Phil had primed the pump this time by getting his pal Sam Smith at the Chicago Tribune to write a column saying Kobe ought to sit out the season. Jerry Buss could see the play coming. So the owner walked into training camp and knocked Kobe almost unconscious. We'll trade your ass and put it on the table now, Jerry Buss told Kobe in so many words.

Phil was left gulping, Kobe speechless.

Phil has finally met his match in those juicy PR games that sell newspapers and books. Question is, do Phil/Kobe/Jeanie have another move? Or are they done, left slinking away sheepishly?

Phil wants another championship and he wants Jim Buss out of the way so that he can do it. It was Jim Buss, supposedly, who talked his father Jerry in firing Phil in 2004, so this thing has a history.

In case that's not crazy enough, Jeanie Buss and certain Hollywood producers are shopping around a reality series about her life. Too bad the cameras aren't rolling right now, because this is very dramatic stuff.

But Jerry Buss is pushing toward that Rodney King solution. Can't we all just get along? Nothing else will be tolerated. Buss can't fire Phil again, but he can make him walk away from his contract offer on the table by simply taking away the talent. With no toys, Phil would have to retire or look elsewhere to coach. Which leaves the team free to start over.

Buss seems to prefer building around Kobe, but not on Phil's terms. Would Buss actually trade Kobe? Only if he has to to thwart Phil and save Jim Buss' position with the franchise.

I wrote this summer that Buss was headed into his dotage, like King Lear, and leaving the kids to fight it out. Boy, was I wrong. The old guy still has a poker hand or two left in him.