The Los Angeles Lakers sit at 18-39, a game ahead of the Phoenix Suns for the worst record in the Western Conference and are on track for a fourth straight playoff-less season. That drought is the longest in franchise history — be it in the Los Angeles days or the Minneapolis days — and the Lakers took some drastic action today with some front-office moves.
The Lakers relieved Mitch Kupchak of his duties as GM and announced that Jim Buss will no longer hold his role as Lakers Executive Vice President. In addition, former Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson has been named President of Basketball Operations.
How will this move affect the Lakers going forward next season and also, how will it impact the team with the looming trade deadline a mere two days away? Reporters and analysts from across the NBA landscape provide some perspective below …
Jordan, Bird, Isiah all have had shots at running teams with varying success/failure rates. Magic never has, until now. It’s his show.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) February 21, 2017
Magic on @SpectrumSN: “I’m coming back to an organization that I love."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) February 21, 2017
Magic: "Jeanie has always dedicated her life to winning and making sure the Lakers fans are happy with the product that’s on the floor."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) February 21, 2017
Jeanie: “this was a very difficult decision. It probably was so hard for me to make that I probably waited too long."
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) February 21, 2017
Magic has spoken to a number of NBA GM’s since the announcement, some wishing congrats, but: “It’s work … the trade deadline is Thursday."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) February 21, 2017
Magic on @SpectrumSN said he “loves” Luke Walton. Very excited that he’s the coach to develop the young talent Magic was attracted to.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) February 21, 2017
Magic: "We have really good, young talent. We have to develop that young talent. I”m looking forward to getting out on the court with them."
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 21, 2017
Magic said the Lakers are going to get “All of Earvin Johnson,” and that he “understands what this team needs.”
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) February 21, 2017
Jeanie Buss will speak for the first time on all this with Lakers official station. https://t.co/UlnMHNl2OK
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) February 21, 2017
Magic in, Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak out. Quick story on Lakers’ dramatic front office overhaul: https://t.co/h7QNqXKHS3
— Baxter Holmes (@Baxter) February 21, 2017
Jerry West will not be part of the Lakers' revamped management structure, according to league sources.
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) February 21, 2017
Per source Jerry West has not been approached by Lakers to be in any role.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) February 21, 2017
Also, Magic wants Kobe Bryant to come back on board with some sort of player relations role. He recently intimated as much publicly.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) February 21, 2017
Jim and Mitch were attached to their young players but there is no player on the Lakers roster that is safe if there's a player Magic wants.
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) February 21, 2017
Rob Pelinka, Kobe Bryant's agent, has emerged as a candidate to join the Lakers' front office, sources told ESPN. https://t.co/eH15wHGjOr
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) February 21, 2017
Jeanie is done w/ Lakers' inability to get stars in Laker Land, & she had always seemed convinced Cousins could calm down in their setting.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) February 21, 2017
Arn Tellum is about knee deep in #Pistons move downtown. Would be shocking for him to leave midstream. https://t.co/GygrrHOeoU
— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) February 21, 2017
Going after DeMarcus Cousins was Jim & Mitch's last-ditch attempt to save their jobs, I'm told. Jim really wanted him, Mitch handled talks
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) February 21, 2017
The story from yesterday about Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak: https://t.co/cMGc7RCYDE
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) February 21, 2017
The Lakers decided to completely clean house with 24 games left in the season. What a mess. Team employees are shell-shocked.
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) February 21, 2017
Suddenly, in last 36 hours, no one seems to care much anymore about Westbrook/Durant relationship.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) February 21, 2017
Lakers axing Jim Buss no shock; it’s why Jeanie brought Magic in. Kupchak mild surprise. Axing longtime PR head John Black a 2×4 to head.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) February 21, 2017
Jeanie Buss has fumed about the Lakers' performance the past few years, and their inability to get in the door with big time FAs.
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) February 21, 2017
If Magic listens to Jerry, he'll hear a pitch of Warriors' Travis Schlenk and Larry Harris (former Bucks GM) https://t.co/SH6jj1r1yd
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) February 21, 2017
Last week I asked Mitch Kupchak about pressure, given talk about his future. "I’m not aware of really a lot of what you’re referring to."
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) February 21, 2017
The Lakers should've done this a month ago when Magic came aboard. Was obvious then that the end was near for Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) February 21, 2017
Well, it didn’t take long to figure out what exactly happens next under the Magic Johnson regime. On the same day he was announced as president of basketball operations, Magic proceeded to execute a trade that will reportedly ship guard Lou Williams to Houston in exchange for a first-round pick and forward Corey Brewer.
Magic had Luke Walton, Jesse Buss, Joey Buss and Ryan West with him in working on trade calls today from Lakers headquarters.
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) February 22, 2017
Magic is the person who made the trade with Houston for Lou Williams. He's the person working the phones.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 22, 2017
Moments before Lou Williams said his goodbye to L.A., David Aldridge reported that the Lakers have hired a new general manager in Rob Pelinka.
Told by one of Rob Pelinka’s clients that he believes a deal to make the prominent agent GM of the Lakers is done.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) February 21, 2017
Pelinka has vast experience working w/the Lakers, obviously, repping Kobe, Derek Fisher & others over the years for his agency, Landmark.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) February 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/sam_amick/status/834189473441124352
Trevor Ariza on Pelinka: "I think he'll be unbelievable in that role. He knows basketball. He has a really, really good eye for talent."
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) February 21, 2017
