Exclusive: Former Lakers Assistant Tracy Murray on $10B Sale and Coaching Kobe Bryant in His Final Season

Former Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Tracy Murray shared his thoughts on the team's $10 billion sale and his history with them. 

He sees the sale as part of a growing trend in the NBA, where soaring franchise valuations are prompting owners to cash out.

Murray wasn't shocked that the Buss family sold their majority stake for a staggering $10 billion. The Buss family agreed to sell their majority stake in the team to Mark Walter, CEO of TWG Global, who also owns the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

The Lakers are one of the NBA's most historic and successful franchises, having won 17 NBA championships.

Legends like Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James have all worn the purple and gold. 

In this exclusive conversation, produced in collaboration with The Game Plan, Murray discussed the sale and the Buss family capitalising on the Lakers' value. 

Murray pointed to the sale as part of a broader shift happening across the league among NBA team owners. 

"If you look around the league, people are selling their franchises," Murray told SportsBoom.com.

"It's a business. You get into the business to grow the business and sell it at some point."

"Boston [Celtics] sold, Portland [Trail Blazers] were on the market, Dallas [Mavericks] sold, now Lakers are sold. People are getting out of the game. So, it had to happen at some point, so I'm not surprised," he added. 

HAPPY FOR THE BUSS FAMILY

Murray's relationship with the Buss family began during his UCLA days, when he first met Dr. Jerry Buss.

"I've been part of the organization two different times. I knew Dr. Buss when I was 19-years-old," Murray said. 

Growing up in Los Angeles, Murray witnessed firsthand the work that the late Dr. Buss—and later his children—put into all areas of the franchise.

Murray called the sale a well-earned reward for decades of dedication and leadership by the Buss family. 

"[The Buss family] put a lot into it and got more out of it," he said.

"I'm happy for the family because they put the work in. Now they're reaping the benefits of the work that they put in."

FROM PLAYER TO ASSISTANT COACH

Murray joined the Lakers as a player in 2002, acquired in a trade from the Toronto Raptors alongside rookie Kareem Rush.

Years after retiring, he returned as an assistant coach under Byron Scott during Kobe Bryant's memorable farewell season in 2015-16. 

Murray, 53, had been Bryant's teammate in 2002, giving them a personal connection. 

He wasn't the only one—the other coaches on staff had long-standing ties to Bryant, going back to his rookie season in 1996. 

The relationship Bryant had with the coaching staff made for a full circle and emotional farewell season.

"There were five guys on the coaching staff that Kobe played with, so he had more in common with us than he did with the young guys," Murray said.

Bryant scored 60 points in his final game against the Utah Jazz, capping off a storybook ending to his legendary career.

Murray praised Bryant's maturity and leadership during his final season, which stood in contrast to his earlier seasons. 

"To come back and to coach [Bryant] was also a joy because you saw the maturation from the #8 days through the #24 days. It was really different. He was more of a leader, a family man, a father...And I thought that was the cool part."