It’s open and shut: Buss ready to show Kobe the door

Those who have examined Jerry Buss’ few public utterances over the years have come to understand one of the paradoxes of Hollywood’s swashbuckling sports owner.

He doesn’t act.

He doesn’t posture, he doesn’t pose, he means exactly what he says.

What Buss said in Thursday’s paper about Kobe Bryant, then, was breathtakingly clear.

He said goodbye.

He said he was weary of Bryant’s ridiculing his family and degrading his organization. He said he was tired of living with Bryant’s consistent and vocal unhappiness.

He said he would listen to trade offers, which means he will eventually take one.

Maybe Bryant won’t be traded this minute. Maybe he won’t even be traded this winter.

But it is obvious the minute the Lakers can acquire anything that even resembles fair value, Bryant is gone, and Buss won’t much miss him.

Hey, Kobe, turns out you’re not the only one in the organization who feels betrayed, huh?

To understand the impact of Buss’ statements in his annual interview with the team’s beat writers on Wednesday, one must contrast them with his previous comments about his star.

Buss saying he would trade Bryant was like his coach suddenly announcing that the triangle had become a square.

Never has Buss shown anything but unconditional admiration for Bryant.

Never has he even hinted at anything other than wanting him to remain a Laker forever.

Go back to Feb. 22, 2004, when Bryant’s rivalry with teammate Shaquille O’Neal erupted in nastiness.

Buss flatly told ESPN that he backed Bryant.

“I believe he will be a Laker for life,” Buss said.

In the same interview, Buss questioned Coach Phil Jackson by saying, “There are times when it seems he doesn’t want to coach.”

Four months later, Jackson was gone.

Later, he also questioned O’Neal’s attitude, saying, “We have to talk and see if he wants to stay here.”

Five months later, O’Neal was gone.

Although Buss is an avid poker player, when it comes to talking basketball, he rarely bluffs.

Fast forward to later that summer, during free-agent negotiations with his favorite son.

On July 13, 2004, his public message to Bryant was, “Stay with the people who love you.”

A year later, that love was still going strong.

On May 4, 2005, Buss said, “I don’t want to trade Kobe. And I really think somebody would have to give me their franchise, their arena and the city in order to get him.”

At that point, with Bryant firmly in control of the franchise, acting as both coach and assistant general manager, he and Buss were seemingly joined, swaggering hip to swaggering hip.

On Oct. 29, 2006, Buss said his relationship with Bryant “is closer now than it has ever been.”

Even as recently as May 31, shortly after Bryant began his trade demands by implying that Buss was a liar and ripping the entire Lakers front office, the owner backed him during a phone conversation.

“We will continue to pursue every avenue possible to improve our team with him as the cornerstone,” Buss said.

That was then.

This is holy cow.

Maybe Buss finally lost his patience when, in June, an audiotape surfaced in which Bryant referred to Buss as an “idiot.”

Maybe Buss lost his cool when he heard Kevin Garnett say this week that he didn’t want to become a Laker because of their front office problems. Maybe, then, Buss realized the incredible damage Bryant’s public whining had done to the Lakers’ reputation and brand.

Whatever the reason, when Buss sat down with the beat writers this week, you could hear how everything had changed.

“I would certainly listen,” he said.

The question was about trading Bryant, and the key words were “certainly” and “listen.” Never have they been used together in a sentence on this subject.

“You can’t keep too many loyalties,” Buss said.

While witnesses said he used a matter-of-fact tone here, can’t you just feel the sarcasm? Is there a more loyal owner anywhere than Jerry Buss?

His staff is filled with longtime employees. Even some of the ballboys have seemingly been there forever. This was a direct shot at Bryant’s vindictiveness in the face of unconditional support.

“You’ve got to look at it like a business,” Buss said.

Again, check the sarcasm here. Buss is a good businessman but, c’mon, does any owner in basketball use the word “family” more than he does?

Buss was clearly mimicking Bryant’s mantra, his cold approach to a team that has spent the last decade wrapping him in a warm hug.

“[Bryant] looks at it the same way I look at it,” he said.

Indeed, after an confusing summer, they are finally seeing the same two things.

Kobe Bryant, and the Lakers’ front door.

Thankfully, finally, the owner of the joint is grabbing him by the collar and ushering him there now.

Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Plaschke, go to latimes.com/plaschke.