Magic Johnson Pulls D’Angelo Russell Aside For Talk After Practice

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2017/03/16/magic-johnson-pulls-dangelo-russell-aside-for-talk-after-practice/



Magic Johnson Pulls D’Angelo Russell Aside For Talk After Practice




March 16, 2017 3:26 PM





Rob Pelinka, D'Angelo Russell and Magic Johnson speaking after Lakers practice on Mar. 16, 2017




LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A day after what was perhaps D’Angelo Russell’s worst game in the NBA, the second-year guard was pulled aside for an after-practice talk with newly installed president of basketball operations Magic Johnson.

The content of their discussion was not immediately clear, but Johnson’s body language suggests he was trying to give Russell some on-court pointers. Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka reportedly spoke with several players individually after the practice.

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Jaime Maggio ✔ @jaimemaggio
Magic Johnson & Rob Pelinka individually speaking with several players after Lakers practice.
1:12 PM - 16 Mar 2017
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In the Lakers’ 139-100 loss to the Rockets Wednesday night, Russell logged seven turnovers and five points off the bench before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

The performance made Russell just the second player in the last decade to foul out of a game and also register more turnovers than fouls and more fouls than points, according to a reporter.

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Michael Gallagher ✔ @MikeSGallagher
D'Angelo Russell is the first player to foul out, have more turnovers than fouls, and fewer points than fouls since Josh Smith in 2007.
7:13 PM - 15 Mar 2017
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Johnson said last month that he intended to be involved with the Lakers primarily on the business side, including helping with personnel decisions.

But he said he didn’t plan to be coaching basketball in any official capacity.

“I tried coaching,” he said of his brief stint on the sidelines in 1994. “I never wanted to be a coach.



bob
MY NOTE:  Russell's body language in this pic is VERY bad.  Arms crossed, legs crossed and with an unfocused stare in a direction NOT towards the speaker.  He is tuning Magic out, and don't think for a second a leader like Magic doesn't see that.  Magic has been in too many locker rooms, too many huddles not to recognize who is paying attention, focused and "buying in" and who is mentally somewhere else.  I was thinking that Russell's immaturity was behind him after his embarrassing filming of his teammate but it appears I am wrong.  If the Lakers get to keep their pick this year (1-3) then I think Russell is gone.  They'll take Fultz or Ball or whomever and trade Russell (maybe they'll even trade the pick and Russell for a quality veteran.  If they are not playing Mozgov and Deng, even next year, then they need to get older with another player that they do like).  Either way, I think Russell might have just sulked his way off this team. Magic and Pelinka weren't brought in to play Mr Nice Guys. They were brought in to turn the ship around in as short a time as possible and that means you're either with the program or not.


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They should blow it all up. Every single one of them should get traded. Start Again Magic, see where it gets you. Nick Young is a piece of work, Russell ..ditto, Ingrham is following suit (against the Celtics he didn't attempt a shot until the fourth quarter) What a mess they are, and it is sickening that they are getting another first round (1-3) pick. keep screwing it up and it will be ten years before they a relevant again

A picture may be worth a 1,000 words but a picture is still just a fraction of a second in time.

Russell is a very talented PG. The Lakers are in the tank. Magic brings a wealth of knowledge to the game. I had the same reacton when looking at the photo but since I am not remotely privy to what was said and how Russell reacted, I cannot make a fair judgement based on a moment in time photo.