It was time for the #Los Angeles Lakers to make a significant change. With a new head coach (Luke Walton) this season, the first in the post-Kobe Bryant Era, there have been signs of progress, but the team still stinks—just not as much as it has the last three seasons. However, the issues are enough that team president Jeanie Buss decided it was time to make another change. So she fired longtime general manager Mike Kupchak and promoted magic johnson to President of Basketball Operations.
Kupchak started out with the team as the assistant general manager to Jerry West in 1986.
While he was the architect behind several championship squads during his time with the team but the Lakers have gone downhill pretty far in recent years. It was time for a change. Something needed to happen to shake the team up and get it on track for greatness. So co-owner and team president #Jeanie Buss did what she had to do. It was out with the old general manager and the president of basketball operations (her brother, Jim Buss), and in with Magic Johnson, arguably the greatest Laker in franchise history and one of the greatest NBA players of all time.
"It's a dream come true to return to the Lakers as president of basketball operations working closely with Jeanie Buss and the Buss family," Johnson said in a statement (ESPN).
He was a great player—but can he be an executive?
Several teams have tapped into the well of former NBA players for coaching and management talent in recent years. Some have done well (like Steve Kerr) while others have struggled. It’s one thing to play well and understand the game on the court, but the game off the court is a whole different animal that takes a totally different skill set to do well.
So—why do the Lakers think Magic Johnson has it? He wasn’t great during his short stint as the team’s head coach back in 1994 (5-11). He worked as a commentator for several years, but few were sad when that career came to an end. Johnson has become an incredibly successful businessman since he retired from the NBA in 199, but that doesn’t mean he can resurrect the once-proud franchise.
#Magic Johnson is taking over the Los Angeles Lakers!
From comments he has made since his promotion was announced, it sounds like he is aware of his shortcomings and doesn’t plan on doing too much too fast. He’ll have some help from his new general manager, Kobe Bryant’s agent, Rob Pelinka.
Johnson wasted no time making his first move. After having been on the job for just a few hours, he traded Lou Williams to the Houston Rockets for Corey Brewer and Houston first-round pick in the next draft.
One factor that can’t be overlooked when predicting Johnson’s success as an NBA executive—he’s Magic Johnson, one of the greatest players to ever play the game. The team will undoubtedly use his notoriety to lure free agents to Los Angeles. What will be interesting to see is if he can convince them to stay once he gets them there. #Magic Johnson
