Report: Lakers president Magic Johnson viewed as ‘absentee executive’

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-lakers-president-magic-johnson-193202238.html



Report: Lakers president Magic Johnson viewed as ‘absentee executive’



Dan Feldman, NBC Sports
3 hours ago



Magic Johnson did a nice job setting up the Lakers to land a star free agent last summer. He even lured the biggest star free agent of all – LeBron James.

And then it all went downhill from there.

Johnson had terrible ideas of how to build a supporting cast around LeBron. The Lakers prioritized their notion of tough playmakers – Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Michael Beasley – over shooters. As if LeBron would truly be content playing off the ball. Of course, the player with the greatest combination of scoring and passing in NBA history wanted the ball in his hands. That left LeBron surrounded by ill-fitting, and just plain not-good-enough, teammates.

How did Johnson think this was a good plan?

Maybe by not working hard enough to come up with a better one.

Bill Oram of The Athletic:

"Johnson is seen as an absentee executive"

If Johnson isn’t putting in the work, that’d be a major problem for the Lakers. He wouldn’t be alone throughout the league, and the Lakers have other executives, including general manager Rob Pelinka. But Johnson is in charge of the front office. Running an NBA team’s basketball operations is a hard job that requires a lot of work to do well. It’s on him to move the Lakers forward – especially because he has so much job security.

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss has repeatedly stated her faith in Johnson. She also defended Phil Jackson after the Knicks firing him despite him being unprepared, out of touch, unavailable and low energy. Buss just might have too much patience for lackluster work ethics, especially by people she’s close with.

And no wonder Johnson’s comments after not trading for Anthony Davis went over so poorly within the Lakers. Executives who build strong connections with their players can get through those situations. It’s much more difficult when the team president isn’t around to establish a bond in the first place.

To be fair, the Lakers were right to pursue Davis. He’s a superstar. The opportunity to land him justified potential chemistry disruptions.

But that wasn’t the Lakers’ only discussed move that showcases the organization’s flaws.

Oram:

"on the weekend of Jan. 25, the Lakers had a tentative deal in place to acquire Bulls forward Jabari Parker in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Michael Beasley, league sources told The Athletic."

Because he’s on a one-year contract and would have Early Bird Rights, Caldwell-Pope had the right to veto a trade. The Lakers also got into the mix for Davis, putting other deals on the backburner. So, the Parker trade never happened.

But it would have been awful for the Lakers. Parker would have been yet another player who doesn’t do enough without the ball.

At least the Lakers avoided that mistake.

To avoid the next one, they’ll probably need a front-office leader more focused on the job.


bob
MY NOTE: I have NO idea if this is true or not or even remotely fair, but I do know one thing: NOBODY would ever say something like this about Danny. He is full-on engaged.


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It is true, big mouth Draper is going to talk about it

As I said on Game on.....LaVar taking over

I cannot wait to see what Stephen A has to say, big mouth

They are absolutely drooling over this on ESPN. That blowhard, Brian Windhorst, who I believe is on the Laker payroll, is defending Johnson six ways to hell.
Let's face it, there are guys cut out to be Presidents and then there are the fakers. The rumor mill had Johnson as an absentee executive, that doesn't surprise me. One of his big excuses was that he was not able to smooze with the players for fear of being charged with tampering. Please, Magic, that is ridiculous. Excuses. He did not want to be the hard guy, having to fire Walton. Again, Please Magic. Enough. You stunk, period. When you couldn't pull off the AD trade, you had mud all over you. You did it in public,and then you lost your team because of iti.

Now what Jeannie????Kobe????Shaq said no last night on the air. This is absolutely crazy. Magic .....you are full of it. What a story

Magic's job, the reason why he was hired, was to use his smile and reputation to lure talent to LA.  He got LeBron, and that's something.  Is LeBron approaching the end of his reign?  Yes, but if he can lure some players around him in his last few years then Magic will have accomplished his mission.  Did Sam Hinkie get to see The Promised Land?  No, but he put "the process" in motion to get there.


bob


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He just wanted to be a hero to all, TJ. What he did, do you believe that she really didn’t know he was going to quit? Supposedly they had met for hours the night before.

Magic is Magic, he should never have taken this job. He is the Laker icon, period. Jerry West you got dumped on, Shaq said last night he wanted no part of this debacle let Kobe take it, Kobe is too involved with his book writing, his Hollywood career. So, they are going to have to go outside the “Laker group” tend hire someone with no ties.
David Griffin has been a name thrown out there, there you go, LeBron would accept that easily.

Where does this leave Walton? If a team came knocking that he liked, I would go before they fire him (of course, there may be $ involved here that will make it difficult for him to just quit)

The Lakers will land on their feet, they still have a decent core, young guys who will grow with time, LeBron for ????? And I am sure he willl convince a free agent to come for the ride.

You have to admit, this was like a circus show last night