Getty Images NBA Great, Magic Johnson.
The Los Angeles Lakers are legitimate contenders to win this year’s title as they currently share the league’s best record with the Milwaukee Bucks at 24-4. It comes as no surprise that the Lakers are off to an impressive start to the season as this past summer the team struck a blockbuster trade that got them Anthony Davis.
The Lakers now have a dominant duo with both Davis and their superstar LeBron James. Davis is currently averaging 27.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists a game while James is averaging 25.9 points, 10.6 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game.
With all the success that the Lakers have had this season, the team’s former player and president of basketball operations Magic Johnson commented on the role he played which got the Lakers to where they are now.
”This team would not be in the position it’s in without me,” he told Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times.
Johnson continued to talk about all the trades he and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka made to clear salary-cap space in order to sign LeBron. He also spoke about trades and deals with players like D’Angelo Russell, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and AD.
”This was my strategy, this is what I thought we’d be in three years,” Johnson said. “I knew we were on the right track. Everybody wanted to do it their way, but I’m good with who I am. … I think people respect what I’ve done for the team.”
Magic Johnson’s Resignation From Lakers
Getty ImagesFormer Lakers Legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson
In February of 2017, Johnson was named the Lakers president of basketball operations, per NBA.com.
“It’s a dream come true to return to the Lakers as President of Basketball Operations working closely with Jeanie Buss and the Buss family,” Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson said about his new title per the Lakers. “Since 1979, I’ve been a part of the Laker Nation and I’m passionate about this organization. I will do everything I can to build a winning culture on and off the court. We have a great coach in Luke Walton and good young players. We will work tirelessly to return our Los Angeles Lakers to NBA champions.”
Magic didn’t hold his title for all that long as he abruptly resigned from his position in April of 2019, just before the final game of the 2018-19 season. More than a month following his resignation, Johnson revealed to ESPN that Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka was “backstabbing” him, according to the NBA. On one of ESPN’s episodes of First Take, Magic talked about the issues he had with Pelinka.
“Things got going in the right direction. And then I start hearing, ‘Magic, you’re not working hard enough. Magic’s not in the office.’ So people around the Lakers office was telling me Rob was saying things. And I didn’t like those things being said behind my back,” Johnson said. “That I wasn’t in the office enough and on and on. So I started getting calls from my friends outside of basketball and those things were said to them outside of basketball. Now it’s in the media and so on…If you’re going to talk betrayal, it’s only with Rob.”
The Lakers are a great team and despite their recent loss against the Indiana Pacers, 105-102, they still boast the league’s best record.