Shams: Magic Johnson steps down as Lakers President of Basketball Operations

[MrSparkle]

In the end... is it ever a good idea to put such a big, friendly (or conversely an antagonistic) personality in the P/VP/GM/Owner position? Didn't work for Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, Isiah Thomas... I can see quieter/shrewd types like Brand, Bird, Duncan, Ainge doing ok... but typically the guys who speak their minds to the press and have league-wide comradries and Hollywood/celebrity lifestyles and friends, it's too much pressure trying to juggle day-to-day personnel decisions and business.

[JimmyTheGreek]

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[JimmyTheGreek]

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[Spree2Houston]

I just came here for the memes and gifs

Me too (get it) ... oh, hold up, the pay off ...

[An Unbiased Fan]

In the end... is it ever a good idea to put such a big, friendly (or conversely an antagonistic) personality in the P/VP/GM/Owner position? Didn't work for Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, Isiah Thomas... I can see quieter/shrewd types like Brand, Bird, Duncan, Ainge doing ok... but typically the guys who speak their minds to the press and have league-wide comradries and Hollywood/celebrity lifestyles and friends, it's too much pressure trying to juggle day-to-day personnel decisions and business.

Well the Laker's previous GMs were Mithc and West, so they had done ok with players in the past. And again, Magic was more figurehead than hands on.

That said, here's an article from last year...

Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka were hired to run the front office of the Los Angeles Lakers approximately one year ago and while they have remained steadfast in their plan to maximize their 2018 cap space, the team has yet to show a real improvement.

There also may be issues between Johnson, who has the final say on the roster, and Pelinka, who is running the day-to-day operations.

"I have been told by multiple sources that Magic Johnson is doing that job the way that I thought Magic Johnson was going to do that job," said Dan Le Batard "Sort of whisking in and out of the office. ‘Yeah fire everyone. Trade everyone. You’re doing a bad job. I’m going to run my movie empire.’ Is he still doing that? The details, the specifics of the doing of that job. Magic Johnson has been given all of the power and isn’t doing any of the work that usually gets done. He’s doing the job the way Phil Jackson did the job.

"He’s pretty mad at (Rob) Pelinka from what I’ve heard."

When Johnson was hired by the Lakers in 2017, Le Batard criticized his credentials.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/248766/Magic-Johnson-Reportedly-Frustrated-With-Rob-Pelinka

[Capn'O]

I admittedly am short on details but this is somewhat reminiscent of the Knicks when they were essentially run by CAA with Carmelo as the big star. Agents make terrible GMs for the exact opposite reasons that coaches tend to make terrible GMs. For both, there's an inherent conflict in how you think about team construction. Coaches always end up overpaying coach's pet type players. Agents go the other way and don't think about a player's internal makeup and team chemistry whatsoever.

Only a few (Pat and Pop) are able to successfully wear both hats.

[Plutonashfan]

[An Unbiased Fan]

I admittedly am short on details but this is somewhat reminiscent of the Knicks when they were essentially run by CAA with Carmelo as the big star. Agents make terrible GMs for the exact opposite reasons that coaches tend to make terrible GMs. For both, there's an inherent conflict in how you think about team construction. Coaches always end up overpaying coach's pet type players. Agents go the other way and don't think about a player's internal makeup and team chemistry whatsoever.

Only a few (Pat and Pop) are able to successfully wear both hats.

Bob Myers was an agent and done a great job with the Warriors though. I'm not really sure we can surmise much from 2 seasons from Pelinka. Laker drafting has been solid. As has their ability to free up cap sapce and open space for Lebron and another star.

[guitarpatch]

In the end... is it ever a good idea to put such a big, friendly (or conversely an antagonistic) personality in the P/VP/GM/Owner position? Didn't work for Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, Isiah Thomas... I can see quieter/shrewd types like Brand, Bird, Duncan, Ainge doing ok... but typically the guys who speak their minds to the press and have league-wide comradries and Hollywood/celebrity lifestyles and friends, it's too much pressure trying to juggle day-to-day personnel decisions and business.

Well the Laker's previous GMs were Mithc and West, so they had done ok with players in the past. And again, Magic was more figurehead than hands on.

That said, here's an article from last year...

Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka were hired to run the front office of the Los Angeles Lakers approximately one year ago and while they have remained steadfast in their plan to maximize their 2018 cap space, the team has yet to show a real improvement.

There also may be issues between Johnson, who has the final say on the roster, and Pelinka, who is running the day-to-day operations.

"I have been told by multiple sources that Magic Johnson is doing that job the way that I thought Magic Johnson was going to do that job," said Dan Le Batard "Sort of whisking in and out of the office. ‘Yeah fire everyone. Trade everyone. You’re doing a bad job. I’m going to run my movie empire.’ Is he still doing that? The details, the specifics of the doing of that job. Magic Johnson has been given all of the power and isn’t doing any of the work that usually gets done. He’s doing the job the way Phil Jackson did the job.

"He’s pretty mad at (Rob) Pelinka from what I’ve heard."

When Johnson was hired by the Lakers in 2017, Le Batard criticized his credentials.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/248766/Magic-Johnson-Reportedly-Frustrated-With-Rob-Pelinka

Ainge isn’t exactly the most quiet personality. Bird had a lot of help along the way. I think that’s the issue here. They didn’t surround Magic with the right people that understand the current NBA at the level needed. I think that’s the key when you bring in former players

[MagicBagley18]

I admittedly am short on details but this is somewhat reminiscent of the Knicks when they were essentially run by CAA with Carmelo as the big star. Agents make terrible GMs for the exact opposite reasons that coaches tend to make terrible GMs. For both, there's an inherent conflict in how you think about team construction. Coaches always end up overpaying coach's pet type players. Agents go the other way and don't think about a player's internal makeup and team chemistry whatsoever.

Only a few (Pat and Pop) are able to successfully wear both hats.

Bob Myers was an agent and done a great job with the Warriors though. I'm not really sure we can surmise much from 2 seasons from Pelinka. Laker drafting has been solid. As has their ability to free up cap sapce and open space for Lebron and another star.

while i agree it's very early to make blanket statements it's been said pelinka was not well liked as an agent and was very aggressive and hard to work with from a teams perspective. myers didn't have such a negative image when he was hired.

[iamworthy]

Imagine the blow back on this if we didn't have a top 5 player on the roster with plenty of cap space and trade assets....sheesh

[lamscott]

Apparently from twitter speak. Pelinka is a pretty bad guy and Magic was actually forced out for being the fall guy. The tampering fine was just because it was really bad. Pelinka's cell phone was confiscated and held a bunch of terrible texts between all of them. Magic, jeanie buss, rich paul, and Lebron.

[TinmanZBoy]

i just hope all people will go easy at Magic...otherwise i'd advice lakers put suicide watch on him... I am not joking... Hollywood does dramatize you ...I'd suggest all nba players keep away from hollywood, for their own health sake..

[Effigy]

Not telling Jeanie is the only part I really dislike. She must feel so betrayed.

[Guest202]

I think Magic is a nitwit and it's asinine the media treats him like some genius businessman. It's obvious real businessmen have for decades just used him, his name, brand and likeness for a front. There's no genius, it's just a marketing illusion with Magic getting a cut off the top. It's painful to my ears to hear this guy talk. He has no business running an org, stick to slapping your name on movie theaters or whatever.

[BigShaq34]

magic completely overshadowed the retirements of wade and dirk **** ****. Especially Dirk that annoys me

People have been kissing Wade's ass all season on his little farewell tour. I think he'll survive.

Oh i know. But what about Dirk? He deserved the headlines today man. Tired of the loser lakers.

[kodo]

I admittedly am short on details but this is somewhat reminiscent of the Knicks when they were essentially run by CAA with Carmelo as the big star. Agents make terrible GMs for the exact opposite reasons that coaches tend to make terrible GMs. For both, there's an inherent conflict in how you think about team construction. Coaches always end up overpaying coach's pet type players. Agents go the other way and don't think about a player's internal makeup and team chemistry whatsoever.

Only a few (Pat and Pop) are able to successfully wear both hats.

Bob Myers was an agent and done a great job with the Warriors though. I'm not really sure we can surmise much from 2 seasons from Pelinka. Laker drafting has been solid. As has their ability to free up cap sapce and open space for Lebron and another star.

Also immediately thought of Myers.

But in GS's case, they retained their former GM Larry Riley, who drafted Curry, as Director of Scouting and it was said that Myers was learning from Riley, since Myers was new to the profession and only in his mid 30s.

[LLJ]

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[ITYSL]

I remember just a few short months ago when some people thought the Lakers had NO over a barrel and could be a threat in the West this season. Yikes.

[dynamic duo]

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