The NBA’s premier all-time point guard turned front office executive has left his post today. Five-time NBA champion, three-time Most Valuable Player and 1992 Dream Team Alum Magic Johnson had been serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Los Angeles Lakers, the team he spent the entirety of his playing career with, since his appointment to the role in 2017, but has left his position in a public, impromptu press conference. In his reasoning for leaving the Lakers so abruptly, Johnson stated feeling strapped to his responsibilities.
Magic Johnson is conducting an impromptu press conference and just stepped down as Lakers president. He said he loves Jeanie Buss like a sister.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 10, 2019
BREAKING: Magic Johnson has stepped down as Lakers' President of Basketball Operations. pic.twitter.com/yrHkguOO02
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 10, 2019
Magic: “I’m a free bird and I’ve been handcuffed. And I don’t like that.”
— Bill Oram (@billoram) April 10, 2019
During the course of his press conference, Johnson acknowledged the reports of the fiery meeting he is said to have had with Lakers Head Coach Luke Walton following the beginning stages of what materialized into a disastrous season in Los Angeles. Johnson was also asked about his feelings in regard to Luke Walton and General Manager Rob Pelinka’s suitability to the Lakers organization, to which he said those decisions rested solely with controlling owner Jeanie Buss.
Magic is still going. On his infamous early-season meeting with Luke: “I think everybody blew that up. They overblew it. … We had a tough meeting and after that we’ve been fine … We haven’t had any problems.”
— Bill Oram (@billoram) April 10, 2019
When Magic Johnson was asked about his opinion of both Luke Walton and Rob Pelinka keeping their jobs, he declined to answer and said those decisions have to be made by Jeanie Buss.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 10, 2019
Pelinka and Magic Johnson oversaw the Lakers’ unsuccessful attempts to acquire Anthony Davis away from the New Orleans Pelicans following Davis’ public trade request, which was reported to have alienated the team and worsened their chemistry. With the end of the regular season this week, Magic Johnson’s departure is the first in what is expected to be an exodus from the Lakers’ front office in the coming days.
Since taking over as president of the Lakers, Magic Johnson never fully committed to the job. Often he was traveling and away from the team. His office hours were limited. He didn't do a lot of scouting. Running an NBA team takes a tremendous commitment of time and energy.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 10, 2019
Lakers coaching staff fully expected to be fired in hours after the final game of the season. They had believed they were gone for months. Now? Magic quits in public, saying he's too scared to tell Jeanie Buss face-to-face. What an embarrassing episode for a historic franchise.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 10, 2019
Magic Johnson sounds like a senior on the last day of school pic.twitter.com/Rxvz6pSnQq
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) April 10, 2019
