Magic Johnson Steps Down as Lakers President of Basketball Operations

Who expected this!? No one! Look, he was already doing a bad job, but even then, I didn’t expect him to quit now!

Magic got the job in February of 2017. He started with dumping the 2nd pick of the 2015 N (who just brought the Nets to the playoffs after 4 years). Then, drafting a future Point Guard of his liking: Lonzo Ball. Unfortunately though, Ball has had some injuries that have taken him out of commission for weeks or months at a time so he’s never actually had time to progress or evolve into a player the Lakers want. It’s been only 2 years so I wouldn’t worry much now. But I guess Magic couldn’t wait.

Luke Walton? That might not have been the smartest move by the Lakers. Why not just wait a year for a good head coach or something? There’s always going to be a weird riff between an executive and the coach he didn’t hire. It’s not his guy. Reports actually surfaced today that Johnson actually hadn’t spoken to Walton in weeks because of job security issues. Weeks? I can’t even imagine Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens not talking for more than a day.

Woj actually dropped a huge pile of shit on Magic Johnson’s time with the Lakers.

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

Woj is fucking going in baby! No holds barred. Calling Magic a pussy, calling him out on quiting on his dumpster fire of a team and not being patient? My pants are coming off!

How do you not have office hours available? How do you not scout for the very team who needs talent desperately? Was this some fucking side project? It’s the LA Lakers! The once proud franchise is in one of its worst funks I’ve seen in awhile.

Listen, why the fuck would you hire someone who owns another team already (Magic owns the Dodgers)! He already has a shitload of responsibility, so why pile on more shit?

This is one of those things that make you say “Great player but as an executive? Horse shit!” Isiah Thomas, Michael Jordan, and now, Magic Johnson are known as some of the worst player turned executives ever.