Magic: I'll step down if I don't land free agents for Lakers

[YaThreadTrashB!]

Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson said Tuesday he will step down from his role if the Lakers fail to attract marquee players in the free-agency periods of 2018 and 2019.

“Next summer if nobody comes and I’m still sitting here like this, then it’s a failure,” Johnson said. “But if you judge us on one summer that’s ridiculous. Then a lot of dudes shouldn’t be in their roles. Because if we’re banking on one summer for the Lakers we’re in trouble, we’re in trouble. You have to give us time. This class, like I told you before I took the job and when I took the job, it’s going to be a two-summer thing for the Lakers. This summer and next summer. That’s it.

If I can’t deliver I’m going to step down myself, she won’t have to fire me,” he said of controlling owner Jeanie Buss. “I’ll step away from it, because I can’t do this job.”

Johnson’s ultimatum is nothing new. Jim Buss, then the Lakers executive vice president of basketball operations, made a similar promise in 2014.


“If this doesn’t work in three to four years, if we’re not back on the top — and the definition of top means contending for the Western Conference, contending for a championship — then I will step down because that means I have failed,” Jim Buss told The Times in 2014.

Jim Buss is still a co-owner of the Lakers, but has no role in its basketball decisions after his sister fired him.

Free agency opens Saturday at 9:01 p.m. PDT and the Lakers will try to sign top free agents like Paul George and LeBron James. In past years, the Lakers have had trouble even getting top-tier free agents to consider their pitches. Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka are expected to change that.

Johnson was asked if he feels pressure.

“Look, I have been playing … do you know how many Finals I have been in?” Johnson said. “So you think I am worried about this? I have played against Larry Bird in the Finals. I mean, come on man. I have been in nine Finals. I have been in college NCAA championships.”

Sign deng and mozgov to the worst contracts in sports brehs

 

[Rigby.]

As fukking putrid as the lakers have been for the better part of this decade, it must be stressful as duck managing that market and its expectations. Unlike the Knicks, they actually expect championships (even tho that hasn’t been a realistic goal any time recently)

 

[PortCityProphet]

Lakers been too focused on FA and big names. That's what started their downfall in the 1st place. Always chasing somebody and blowing the bag on em. Build your young squad, let them turn into potential contenders, and it won't be hard to attract guys. Hell might even find one to take a paycut to play there

 

[Hey_zeus]

The Lakers are back!!! Yeah!!

 

[Adebisi_Said]

Yeah, Magic, because we know you're headed to the poor house if you do step down.

 

[old boy]

as a life long lakers fan i believe in magic

he'll get us to the promised land just like he did as a player

 

[10bandz]

glad to hear Magic say this. All he's done for the 6 years or so years is yap and yap about how HE can get us FA's if only he got the chance. Taking shots at Jim and Mitch every shot he got. Even last summer he said dont expect nothing this summer, its all about 2018 and 2019. Well now we're here......he either delivers or bounces. He's here for 1 reason and thats to get max FA's.

 

[ezrathegreat]

Laker fans should be glad yall getting paul george this year. Next year yall getting kawhi and deandre jordan

Nikkas just making shyt up now, I guess.

 

[Conscious Pilot]

He has a deal with PG in place, he wouldn't be stupid enough to say this without one

 

[calh45]

Them reporters got Magic fukked up comparing him to Buss Jr. That man has been out in the world conducting actual business acquisitions. This shyt is probably easy money for him, but that last stanza about pressure is code for he been had some shyt locked up.

That said, unless he got Bron at that press conference they ain't got zero shots at the Warriors.

 

[Paper Boi]

he already knows

 

[GreatestLaker]

He talks too much

Just like Bron, his Son and apparently PG this fakkit love the attention

glad to hear Magic say this. All he's done for the 6 years or so years is yap and yap about how HE can get us FA's if only he got the chance. Taking shots at Jim and Mitch every shot he got. Even last summer he said dont expect nothing this summer, its all about 2018 and 2019. Well now we're here......he either delivers or bounces. He's here for 1 reason and thats to get max FA's.

Whats up with these bytch ass Laker fans throwing shots at Magic?

 

[UpAndComing]

Hey magic.....at this point nigggas have more faith in your blood panel results than in the ability of the Lakers to attract marquee names

Just keep your head down and look for good deals where you can get them....no need to box yourself into a corner like this

 

[Trojan 24]

Whats up with these bytch ass Laker fans throwing shots at Magic?

I ain't talking shyt, how you think he got HIV

 

[Guile]

Good for Magic. Landing big free agents like Paul George, Lebron James or Kawhi Leonard should be a part of the plan for any team.

But that can’t be The Plan. NBA history is littered with examples of teams with top talent that failed to win.

What the Lakers need to do is build the system. What’s their basketball philosophy? Who’s running the analytics department? Who’s in charge of player development? Is it still Rondre Jackson? Wasn’t he hired by a WNBA team? Is Luke Walton the guy to lead the way?

Magic is a successful business man so there’s little doubt he can sell people on the Lakers. But that’s not enough in this basketball landscape. Philly, Boston and Golden State have built solid contenders without any real big FA signings. Sure, GS got Durant but they were winners without him. And while Hayward and Horford are known good players, you could hardly put them in the same tier as a Lebron or Kawhi.

The point is, they need to build the foundation along with the free agents.

LA needs a super team. yog gotta draft well (magic has done alright) but outide of that you got manage the cap and get super talent free agents. LA is not San Antonio.