Magic Johnson Is Returning To The Lakers - YES

[wildturkey]

I think it was a more realistic response than the ones Jim Buss was hanging two-three years ago when he guaranteed the Lakers to be contenders of he would step down. When Magic retired from the NBA,it was ten years before the Lakers became realistic, five after Kobe retired, so to me common sense indicated that it could take five years or more.

10 years? He retired in 92 (not counting the short lives comeback). When the Lakers signed Shaq in 96, I guess I was the only one that thought they could realistically win a championship.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

10 years? He retired in 92 (not counting the short lives comeback). When the Lakers signed Shaq in 96, I guess I was the only one that thought they could realistically win a championship.

I remember being excited about the signing, but it wasn't until Phil Jackson was hired that they won though and that was in 2000, so I was off by two years. I thought that was pretty close. My point is it takes time to find that perfect combinations of players that are good enough to win a championship.

 

[trojanfan12]

10 years? He retired in 92 (not counting the short lives comeback). When the Lakers signed Shaq in 96, I guess I was the only one that thought they could realistically win a championship.

Me too. I seem to remember a trip to the WCF with Del Harris too.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Me too. I seem to remember a trip to the WCF with Del Harris too.

In an interesting article on Realgm, Magic had lunch or dinner with Jeannie Buss and admonished her concerning the direction of the Lakers whom he believed that Jim Buss was trying to instantly rebuild the team through the free agency and told her flat out that they had failed miserably and were headed the wrong direction. While he appreciated having some veterans on board to teach the young players, believed the Lakers signed to many and gave up too much money and it is believed he wants Jim Buss's job

Magic Johnson Expects Lakers' Rebuild To Take 3-5 Years - RealGM Wiretap

 

[trojanfan12]

In an interesting article on Realgm, Magic had lunch or dinner with Jeannie Buss and admonished her concerning the direction of the Lakers whom he believed that Jim Buss was trying to instantly rebuild the team through the free agency and told her flat out that they had failed miserably and were headed the wrong direction. While he appreciated having some veterans on board to teach the young players, believed the Lakers signed to many and gave up too much money and it is believed he wants Jim Buss's job

Magic Johnson Expects Lakers' Rebuild To Take 3-5 Years - RealGM Wiretap

I don't think he wants Jim's job so much as he wants the organization to be run like it was when Dr. Buss was alive.

Dr. Buss wasn't in charge of anything, but he influenced everything. He hired the best people he could find, provided them with his vision and left them to do their jobs. Magic has talked about that many times over the years and says that's how he runs his businesses.

Magic is pretty spot on re: the rebuild too.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I don't think he wants Jim's job so much as he wants the organization to be run like it was when Dr. Buss was alive.

Dr. Buss wasn't in charge of anything, but he influenced everything. He hired the best people he could find, provided them with his vision and left them to do their jobs. Magic has talked about that many times over the years and says that's how he runs his businesses.

Magic is pretty spot on re: the rebuild too.

I am still satisfied with the progress made by the Lakers. I have worked for a company where the kids came in and started running the company while their dad gradually slowed down. The father is still there, but his health not that great and he is something like 77. There was learning curve for the kids who were some what arrogant and thought they knew everything, but they have gradually learned the job. They hired one of the boys wife and she was really stupid at the beginning but I told the vice-pres who is the youngest of the three and in charge when dad is not around to be patient because it takes awhile for an airhead to be acclimated to office work and she is pretty good now. That experience is the reason I figured it would be more than three years. No matter how much Jeannie and Jim were doing things, it is still a different vision when your one parent, leader, hero and etc is gone. It simply takes awhile to figure it and honestly I don't like Jim Buss, but I do believe he will get better if given a fair chance. I was given a chance once and I think everyone deserves that, but....

Bringing in Magic was really a nice stroke and the right one - It will change the perception all the way down to the free agents and instead of us saying WTF?, we will have something to be happy about.

That being said, I am not contemplating that first round draft pick and am considering a third straight time at getting lucky is too much too hope for, but being one who is greedy and can eat half of a pumpkin pie in one night will greedily take it we get it.

 

[larryjohn]

I don't think he wants Jim's job so much as he wants the organization to be run like it was when Dr. Buss was alive.

Dr. Buss wasn't in charge of anything, but he influenced everything. He hired the best people he could find, provided them with his vision and left them to do their jobs. Magic has talked about that many times over the years and says that's how he runs his businesses.

Magic is pretty spot on re: the rebuild too.

Below is from a recent Magic quote. He says he wants to "call the shots."
----------------------------
Magic Johnson said he wants to “call the shots’’ for the Los Angeles Lakers, a week after it was announced he has rejoined the team as an adviser to owner Jeanie Buss.

“Working to call the shots, because it only works that way,’’ Johnson told USA TODAY Sports when asked what he hopes his role with the franchise will be. “Right now I’m advising. I get that. But at the end of the day, then we all got to come together and somebody’s got to say, ‘I’m making the final call,’ all right? And who’s that going to be?

“So, we’ll see what happens.’’

 

[trojanfan12]

Below is from a recent Magic quote. He says he wants to "call the shots."
----------------------------
Magic Johnson said he wants to “call the shots’’ for the Los Angeles Lakers, a week after it was announced he has rejoined the team as an adviser to owner Jeanie Buss.

“Working to call the shots, because it only works that way,’’ Johnson told USA TODAY Sports when asked what he hopes his role with the franchise will be. “Right now I’m advising. I get that. But at the end of the day, then we all got to come together and somebody’s got to say, ‘I’m making the final call,’ all right? And who’s that going to be?

“So, we’ll see what happens.’’

Calling the shots and running things the way Dr. Buss did are not mutually exclusive. Dr. Buss called the shots in the sense that he had final say on everything and provided the vision that the people he hired followed. He had the final say on hiring and firing, how much could be spent on the roster or a particular player, etc. but when it came to the day to day operation of the team, he stayed the hell out of the way until he was needed.

As Magic said in his quote: "we all got to come together and somebody's got to say 'I'm making the final call.' That is what Dr. Buss did. When there was disagreement or someone wasn't completely sure about something, that's when Dr. Buss stepped in and made the final call.

Thus, he didn't really "run" anything (he wasn't determining what offense or defense they would run, didn't really evaluate players, didn't pick the roster) but he influenced everything by letting the people he hired know what he wanted the team to look like and play like and that he expected to win...a lot.

 

[LogicMan]

Magic will be calling the shots, as he should. Remember that at one time to get there he wanted to buy the team and save it. The Buss family knows they are in over their heads. Magic will correct the mess.

He will need to get a front office and GM without baggage and one he can trust to make smart decisions. Heck he may even ask West for advice on what GM he should find. He needs to get those FA signings (Mozgov/Deng) behind him somehow as he has stated. I am guessing its Ingram and Russell, and all others will be open for moves. The Randle situation will be interest.

By 2021 the Lakers will be back on top, as long as the Buss's get out of the way

 

[trojanfan12]

Magic will be calling the shots, as he should. Remember that at one time to get there he wanted to buy the team and save it. The Buss family knows they are in over their heads. Magic will correct the mess.

He will need to get a front office and GM without baggage and one he can trust to make smart decisions. Heck he may even ask West for advice on what GM he should find. He needs to get those FA signings (Mozgov/Deng) behind him somehow as he has stated. I am guessing its Ingram and Russell, and all others will be open for moves. The Randle situation will be interest.

By 2021 the Lakers will be back on top, as long as the Buss's get out of the way

Really, it's Jim that needs to get out of the way. Jeanie's way of doing things is a lot more like the way Dr. Buss did them. That's a big part of why she hired Magic in the first place.

There have been rumors that West would be open to a return to the Lakers as well. That would be a real coup if the Lakers were able to make that happen.

At the least though, I would expect that Magic will reach out to him and others around the league for advice. Word is that one of the first things he did was reach out to other teams and agents to get a feel for what it's like to deal with the Lakers FO.

The NBA, more than any other professional sport, is about relationships and there are few better at building relationships than Magic.

 

[LogicMan]

I am with you on this Trojan. I think there is some drama too in that Magic could bring back the Lakers and that would further his legacy. I agree that Magic draws people. The only thing better than this would be Bird running the Celtics. Because I do believe come 2021-2025 its going to be Boston vs LA all over again

 

[trojanfan12]

I am with you on this Trojan. I think there is some drama too in that Magic could bring back the Lakers and that would further his legacy. I agree that Magic draws people. The only thing better than this would be Bird running the Celtics. Because I do believe come 2021-2025 its going to be Boston vs LA all over again

From your computer screen to the basketball gods eyes.

How classic would it be for the Magic and Bird to be competing for championships again, only as executives this time? That would be fun.

 

[LogicMan]

It will happen, altho it will be the Tree Rollins biting Ainge not big bird and his god awful long beak

 

[larryjohn]

Magic Johnson Will Have a Damning Case Against Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak

Magic Johnson is about to see if Lakers executives Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak have any explanation for the mishaps that have driven the legendary Los Angeles Lakers to four of the worst seasons in franchise history.

As team president Jeanie Buss' new adviser, Johnson is meeting with Buss and general manager Kupchak on Monday to review their job performance. It is likely a significant step toward replacing both men in charge of basketball operations come April.

But as team president Jeanie Buss' new adviser, Johnson first wants to see if Jim Buss and Kupchak have any answers.​

Magic Johnson Will Have a Damning Case Against Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak

article later talks about choosing Rober Sacre over Hassan Whiteside

 

[WiggyRuss]

Magic Johnson Will Have a Damning Case Against Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak

Magic Johnson is about to see if Lakers executives Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak have any explanation for the mishaps that have driven the legendary Los Angeles Lakers to four of the worst seasons in franchise history.

As team president Jeanie Buss' new adviser, Johnson is meeting with Buss and general manager Kupchak on Monday to review their job performance. It is likely a significant step toward replacing both men in charge of basketball operations come April.

But as team president Jeanie Buss' new adviser, Johnson first wants to see if Jim Buss and Kupchak have any answers.​

Magic Johnson Will Have a Damning Case Against Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak

article later talks about choosing Rober Sacre over Hassan Whiteside

lol.....i wonder what their explanation is for the Deng and Mozgov contracts....id love to be a fly on the wall in that room.

 

[wildturkey]

Magic Johnson Will Have a Damning Case Against Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak

Magic Johnson is about to see if Lakers executives Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak have any explanation for the mishaps that have driven the legendary Los Angeles Lakers to four of the worst seasons in franchise history.

As team president Jeanie Buss' new adviser, Johnson is meeting with Buss and general manager Kupchak on Monday to review their job performance. It is likely a significant step toward replacing both men in charge of basketball operations come April.

But as team president Jeanie Buss' new adviser, Johnson first wants to see if Jim Buss and Kupchak have any answers.​

Magic Johnson Will Have a Damning Case Against Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak

article later talks about choosing Rober Sacre over Hassan Whiteside

I fail to see how this has any relevance considering every team passed on him, some multiple times. Whiteside is literally like a 1 in 1000 success story.

 

[trojanfan12]

I fail to see how this has any relevance considering every team passed on him, some multiple times. Whiteside is literally like a 1 in 1000 success story.

Yeah, you can't really hold passing on Whiteside against them. That just hindsight being 20/20. The only reason the Heat even bothered with him was because they were desperate for a big. They got lucky. It happens sometimes.

A lot of the rest of the article is pretty damning though. It's definitely time for Jim to go sit in the corner, but this article also has me doubting Kupchak (even though I really like him). His slower, more deliberate pace doesn't seem to work in today's NBA like it used to.

When Magic spoke to FO's and agents around the league, that was something that was mentioned. One person said that he is literally the only GM that waits until 12:01am on the day FA starts before he'll contact anyone. That means the Lakers have been having to play catch up in FA, every off season for the past few years.

I wouldn't mind seeing them keep Kupchak if he'll adjust his style, but if he's going to insist on doing things the way he always has, then it's time to move on from him too.

Hopefully, if he's really going to have as much influence as he seems to want, Magic will follow the Dr. Buss model that he apparently uses in his businesses, of hiring the best people he can get, letting them do their jobs and stepping in as a "closer" when it's time to get a deal done.

 

[shopson67]

Yeah, you can't really hold passing on Whiteside against them. That just hindsight being 20/20. The only reason the Heat even bothered with him was because they were desperate for a big. They got lucky. It happens sometimes.

A lot of the rest of the article is pretty damning though. It's definitely time for Jim to go sit in the corner, but this article also has me doubting Kupchak (even though I really like him). His slower, more deliberate pace doesn't seem to work in today's NBA like it used to.

When Magic spoke to FO's and agents around the league, that was something that was mentioned. One person said that he is literally the only GM that waits until 12:01am on the day FA starts before he'll contact anyone. That means the Lakers have been having to play catch up in FA, every off season for the past few years.

I wouldn't mind seeing them keep Kupchak if he'll adjust his style, but if he's going to insist on doing things the way he always has, then it's time to move on from him too.

Hopefully, if he's really going to have as much influence as he seems to want, Magic will follow the Dr. Buss model that he apparently uses in his businesses, of hiring the best people he can get, letting them do their jobs and stepping in as a "closer" when it's time to get a deal done.

I still hold it against them for Baze if not Whiteside, as Sacre's cap space would've been better spent on someone with a pulse, if not spent on Whiteside or retaining Baze.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Nick Young - is next and then this summer, find victims to take Mozgov and Deng

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I don't think he wants Jim's job so much as he wants the organization to be run like it was when Dr. Buss was alive.

Dr. Buss wasn't in charge of anything, but he influenced everything. He hired the best people he could find, provided them with his vision and left them to do their jobs. Magic has talked about that many times over the years and says that's how he runs his businesses.

Magic is pretty spot on re: the rebuild too.

Personally, I thought Jim Buss boxed himself in with the 3 year plan. I thought from the beginning it would take a minimum of 5 years, but I do think the Lakers have some good talent. According to the other articles here are the business decisions that got Jeannie upset and remember hell hath no fury like that of an angry woman


Passed on buddin star Mozgoz
couldn't get Carmello who said he resonated with Jeannie, but flat out didn't connect with Buss or Kupchak
Couldn't get other free agents who just didn't connect with the front office and nothing they offered made sense
Gave a 136 million for aging beat up players Mozgov and Deng
passed up on a chance to get Cousins this last week. Kupchak refused to give up Ingram -

I have mixed feelings about the Cousins for Ingram - I think Ingram has better potential then Russell, but Cousins would have been a really huge piece to build around -