Once the Lakers’ $10 billion sale was approved in October, we expected changes to be coming to the front office. No one thought this was the restructuring, though. Joey and Jesse Buss, Dr. Jerry Buss’ sons, were dismissed from their positions in the Lakers organization on Thursday morning. Both were executives on the team with official titles but had big roles in scouting talent like Austin Reaves, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., and Max Christie. Surprisingly, the Lakers didn’t immediately comment on the dismissal. That’s probably why JJ Redick took a cautious tone with it.

He was asked about it during team practice. Redick was apparently just as shocked as we were. “I found out this morning that it was going to happen. But I don’t have any comment on personnel decisions as it relates to the organization.”

A few months after announcing the $10 billion sale to Dodgers owner (and friend of Lakers legend, Magic Johnson) Mark Walters, the team signed JJ Redick to a contract extension in September. If insiders are to be believed, the head coach has the most job security in the Lakers right now besides the players. The same couldn’t be said about Rob Pelinka, who also got a contract extension.

The NBA board of governors approved the sale to Walters in October, and he immediately initiated the changes right from the top, starting with the Buss family. He fired Joey and Jesse Buss from their roles while their sister, Jeanie, remains the primary governor of the team. The Buss siblings also retain their minority stakes within the team.

Joey and Jesse Buss announced their exits with a heartfelt address to Lakers nation and even referenced their father. However, the Lakers organization’s intentional silence after what is a very shocking move has created an atmosphere where an insider might find it hard to react.

Joey and Jesse Buss’ reaction could be why the Lakers and JJ Redick are quiet

Joey Buss was an alternate governor alongside his sister and vice president of research and development with the Lakers. He was also team president and chief executive of the Lakers’ G League team, the South Bay Lakers, where LeBron James recently scrimmaged ahead of his comeback on Tuesday against the Utah Jazz. Jesse was the team’s assistant general manager and director of scouting.

“We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last 20 seasons,” Joey and Jesse Buss said in a statement to ESPN. “Thank you Laker Nation for embracing our family every step of the way. We wish things could be different with the way our time ended with the team. At times like this, we wish we could ask our Dad what he would think of it all.”

After this emotional statement, Jesse blatantly blamed his eldest sister, Jeanie, for their firing. The brothers were also apparently against the sale to Walters. This is now looking like the new season of Running Point, loosely based on Jeanie and the Lakers, that we didn’t sign up for. Given this statement, it’s understandable why the Lakers aren’t jumping to respond.

What makes this move shocking is not the ouster of the Buss family, barring Jeanie. Mark Walters is not known for making such rapid transitions into team ownership. When he bought the Dodgers in 2012 with Magic Johnson, he waited until two more seasons before firing and hiring people. He’s since won three World Series titles, including one last month, in five appearances with 13 consecutive playoff berths.

It may be the effect of having Luka Doncic on the team, the recent MLB success, or Magic Johnson’s critical analysis of the Lakers’ flaws, but this ups the pressure on JJ Redick, too.

Considering the improvements, not limited to medical, nutrition, and analytics tech, Walters brought to the Dodgers, Redick and his staff stand to benefit the most from the new boss. He just can’t voice it out loud.