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**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by licensed to ball,
- Start date
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These SouthBay Lakers players gotta stay. J.J. got 15 boards sheesh
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Blazers keep responding to every bucket our G leaguers get
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Let’s pray LeBron is so heart broken by magic resigning that he asks for a trade.
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Bron not going nowhere guys the kids and wife all settled in and the business ventures have ensued exponentially since he got there 
Just gotta ride it out now. Don't see any type of contention unless one of the 4 K's come thru and save his carcass lol
New clean FO not gonna help much if he making cavs 3.0
Just gotta ride it out now. Don't see any type of contention unless one of the 4 K's come thru and save his carcass lol
New clean FO not gonna help much if he making cavs 3.0
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Magic was low key taking shots at Bron when he was talking about how he couldn't fully commit to both his business ventures and Laker duties at the same time
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Caruso gets his cookies took a lot
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Damn Harkless with a GW
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http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/26482770/how-lakers-replace-magic-johnson
so cavs 2.0...?
Kevin Pelton ESPN Staff Writer
Magic Johnson's stunning announcement Tuesday night that he is stepping down barely two years after taking over the Los Angeles Lakers' front office leaves the team in need of new leadership at a crucial point in the organization's future.
After missing the playoffs in LeBron James' first season in L.A., the Lakers must decide how aggressively to continue pursuing a trade for Anthony Davis as well as what to do if they're unable to get him.
What kind of leader is best equipped to help the Lakers navigate these tricky waters and build a contending team around LeBron? Let's take a look at the requirements for filling Magic's job as president of basketball operations.
Someone willing to do the dirty work
As ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted on Twitter after Johnson's impromptu news conference, the legendary Hall of Fame player never fully committed himself to the business of running the team's basketball operations. Earlier Tuesday, The Athletic reported that Johnson was vacationing in Hawaii during the 2017-18 season when the organization was criticized for not supporting head coach Luke Walton in the wake of criticism from LaVar Ball, the father of Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball.
Magic abruptly steps down as Lakers president
Magic Johnson is stepping down as the Lakers' president of basketball operations, saying Tuesday, "I want to go back to having fun. ... I was happier when I wasn't the president."
The Lakers waived second-year center Thomas Bryant last summer to maximize cap space only to see him develop into a part-time starter with the Washington Wizards while making a paltry $1.4 million. And after trading center Ivica Zubac and forward Michael Beasley to the LA Clippers in a move done partially to clear a roster spot, the Lakers never added a free agent capable of helping their ill-fated playoff push. (They ultimately used the roster spot on G League call-up Jemerrio Jones, who has shown promise as a rebounder and defender down the stretch.)
Particularly if the Lakers are able to add a second max player to go with LeBron -- whether that's by trading several players for Davis or signing one of this summer's top free agents -- filling out the roster by getting production on the cheap from young players and undervalued ones will be crucial. That requires a president of basketball operations willing to grind at the hard work of scouting, managing the salary cap and utilizing statistical analysis to find bargains.
Someone capable of setting a positive culture
Perhaps the biggest disappointment of Johnson's tenure was that one of the NBA's greatest winners as a player was unable to bring a similar culture of teamwork and accountability to the front office. Instead, Johnson's efforts to lead appeared to backfire spectacularly.
LeBron and the Lakers[/paste:font]
The Lakers' season is close to over. What's next?
• How the Lakers wasted Year 1 of LeBron
• Curry: LeBron, Lakers will 'regroup'
• Lowe: LeBron vs. MJ implications
• Is this LeBron's new normal?
That started with Johnson's relationship with Walton, whom he inherited as coach and didn't seem to fully support. As ESPN's Dave McMenamin broke down in his treatise on how this Lakers season went wrong, Johnson's initial message of patience this season quickly flipped into privately blaming Walton for a slow start rather than acknowledging the limitations of a roster the rest of the world saw as ill-fitting. Though Johnson never fired Walton -- a move Wojnarowski reported the coaching staff expected after Tuesday's game -- the lack of support left them twisting in the wind all season.
Johnson's leadership proved wanting again when Davis trade negotiations played out in public, making the young players the Lakers reportedly offered in return question their place in the franchise's future. Instead of reassuring them, after a pregame meeting in Philadelphia following the deadline, Johnson told reporters to "Quit making this about thinking these guys are babies because that's what you're treating them like. They're professionals. All of them. And this is how this league works. They know it, I know it -- that's how it goes."
As long as the Lakers fall short of high expectations, trade talk involving the team's young players will continue. But a stronger, more supportive message from the front office gives the Lakers a better chance of building the cohesion necessary for players to sacrifice what's in their best interests for the good of the team.
Someone who appeals to stars
Ultimately, Johnson's legendary status in the NBA and magnetic personality did help the Lakers sign LeBron -- the first star player they've had since Kobe Bryant's retirement (and realistically since Bryant's Achilles rupture late in the 2012-13 season, after which he was never the same player). And the Lakers probably will miss Magic as they pursue another star in free agency or try to convince one they acquire via trade to re-sign for the long term.
Still, there's a reason this attribute falls last on my list. If the Lakers are competitive, the opportunity to play for one of the league's most successful and famous franchises in L.A. will recruit all by itself. So the ability to build a roster around a second star, as well as a winning culture, is more important than the role of a GM in attracting that player.
Who fits the bill?
As an additional criterion, I'd add experience as an NBA decision-maker. Instead of hiring a veteran hand to assist him, Johnson recruited Pelinka away from the agent side of the business, leaving the new front office low on front-office experience. Unless the Lakers decide to replace Pelinka as well, that makes a veteran GM or president the right choice to me.
While finding all those qualities in a single GM will be difficult, they seem to point to former Cleveland Cavaliers GM David Griffin as an obvious choice. Griffin has experience building a roster around LeBron's skills and managing the media scrutiny that comes with James' presence. He maintained strong relationships with his stars in Cleveland. (Remember, Kyrie Irving's trade request came only after Griffin and the Cavaliers were unable to agree on a new contract, meaning he never had the chance to mend those fences.) And he has long since earned his bona fides as a scout after moving up in the Phoenix Suns' front office early in his career based in part on an understanding of the cap and statistics.
If Griffin is not interested, the Lakers would be wise to look at the possibility of poaching a current GM intrigued by the potential of building a team around LeBron. Though that might require the Lakers giving up a draft pick as compensation, that price is worth it to get a decision-maker with a proven track record of success. The Lakers must maximize their limited remaining window with James as one of the league's best players. That's why it's crucial they get the decision of who replaces Johnson right.
Magic Johnson's stunning announcement Tuesday night that he is stepping down barely two years after taking over the Los Angeles Lakers' front office leaves the team in need of new leadership at a crucial point in the organization's future.
After missing the playoffs in LeBron James' first season in L.A., the Lakers must decide how aggressively to continue pursuing a trade for Anthony Davis as well as what to do if they're unable to get him.
What kind of leader is best equipped to help the Lakers navigate these tricky waters and build a contending team around LeBron? Let's take a look at the requirements for filling Magic's job as president of basketball operations.
Someone willing to do the dirty work
As ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted on Twitter after Johnson's impromptu news conference, the legendary Hall of Fame player never fully committed himself to the business of running the team's basketball operations. Earlier Tuesday, The Athletic reported that Johnson was vacationing in Hawaii during the 2017-18 season when the organization was criticized for not supporting head coach Luke Walton in the wake of criticism from LaVar Ball, the father of Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball.
Magic abruptly steps down as Lakers president
Magic Johnson is stepping down as the Lakers' president of basketball operations, saying Tuesday, "I want to go back to having fun. ... I was happier when I wasn't the president."
-
How the Lakers wasted Year 1 of LeBron
Rarely does one moment cause the downfall of a season. The failures of the 2018-19 Los Angeles Lakers started in 2017.
The Lakers waived second-year center Thomas Bryant last summer to maximize cap space only to see him develop into a part-time starter with the Washington Wizards while making a paltry $1.4 million. And after trading center Ivica Zubac and forward Michael Beasley to the LA Clippers in a move done partially to clear a roster spot, the Lakers never added a free agent capable of helping their ill-fated playoff push. (They ultimately used the roster spot on G League call-up Jemerrio Jones, who has shown promise as a rebounder and defender down the stretch.)
Particularly if the Lakers are able to add a second max player to go with LeBron -- whether that's by trading several players for Davis or signing one of this summer's top free agents -- filling out the roster by getting production on the cheap from young players and undervalued ones will be crucial. That requires a president of basketball operations willing to grind at the hard work of scouting, managing the salary cap and utilizing statistical analysis to find bargains.
Someone capable of setting a positive culture
Perhaps the biggest disappointment of Johnson's tenure was that one of the NBA's greatest winners as a player was unable to bring a similar culture of teamwork and accountability to the front office. Instead, Johnson's efforts to lead appeared to backfire spectacularly.
LeBron and the Lakers[/paste:font]
The Lakers' season is close to over. What's next?
• How the Lakers wasted Year 1 of LeBron
• Curry: LeBron, Lakers will 'regroup'
• Lowe: LeBron vs. MJ implications
• Is this LeBron's new normal?
That started with Johnson's relationship with Walton, whom he inherited as coach and didn't seem to fully support. As ESPN's Dave McMenamin broke down in his treatise on how this Lakers season went wrong, Johnson's initial message of patience this season quickly flipped into privately blaming Walton for a slow start rather than acknowledging the limitations of a roster the rest of the world saw as ill-fitting. Though Johnson never fired Walton -- a move Wojnarowski reported the coaching staff expected after Tuesday's game -- the lack of support left them twisting in the wind all season.
Johnson's leadership proved wanting again when Davis trade negotiations played out in public, making the young players the Lakers reportedly offered in return question their place in the franchise's future. Instead of reassuring them, after a pregame meeting in Philadelphia following the deadline, Johnson told reporters to "Quit making this about thinking these guys are babies because that's what you're treating them like. They're professionals. All of them. And this is how this league works. They know it, I know it -- that's how it goes."
As long as the Lakers fall short of high expectations, trade talk involving the team's young players will continue. But a stronger, more supportive message from the front office gives the Lakers a better chance of building the cohesion necessary for players to sacrifice what's in their best interests for the good of the team.
Someone who appeals to stars
Ultimately, Johnson's legendary status in the NBA and magnetic personality did help the Lakers sign LeBron -- the first star player they've had since Kobe Bryant's retirement (and realistically since Bryant's Achilles rupture late in the 2012-13 season, after which he was never the same player). And the Lakers probably will miss Magic as they pursue another star in free agency or try to convince one they acquire via trade to re-sign for the long term.
Still, there's a reason this attribute falls last on my list. If the Lakers are competitive, the opportunity to play for one of the league's most successful and famous franchises in L.A. will recruit all by itself. So the ability to build a roster around a second star, as well as a winning culture, is more important than the role of a GM in attracting that player.
Who fits the bill?
As an additional criterion, I'd add experience as an NBA decision-maker. Instead of hiring a veteran hand to assist him, Johnson recruited Pelinka away from the agent side of the business, leaving the new front office low on front-office experience. Unless the Lakers decide to replace Pelinka as well, that makes a veteran GM or president the right choice to me.
While finding all those qualities in a single GM will be difficult, they seem to point to former Cleveland Cavaliers GM David Griffin as an obvious choice. Griffin has experience building a roster around LeBron's skills and managing the media scrutiny that comes with James' presence. He maintained strong relationships with his stars in Cleveland. (Remember, Kyrie Irving's trade request came only after Griffin and the Cavaliers were unable to agree on a new contract, meaning he never had the chance to mend those fences.) And he has long since earned his bona fides as a scout after moving up in the Phoenix Suns' front office early in his career based in part on an understanding of the cap and statistics.
If Griffin is not interested, the Lakers would be wise to look at the possibility of poaching a current GM intrigued by the potential of building a team around LeBron. Though that might require the Lakers giving up a draft pick as compensation, that price is worth it to get a decision-maker with a proven track record of success. The Lakers must maximize their limited remaining window with James as one of the league's best players. That's why it's crucial they get the decision of who replaces Johnson right.
so cavs 2.0...?
VinMillerHearn58
formerly lakersreppa008
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Officially over. Thank gawd.
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Tht lawyer dude is GOING OFF on Twitter the past few hours. How legit is this guy?
MVP
Supporter
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Hopefully Luke and KCP's last game as Lakers. I'll continue to drink to that.
MVP
Supporter
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Like I said this is all for naught unless Bron gets outta here, we can get rid of the entire front office and coach and it won't matter.
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Dude that runs that twitter account is a lame.
So is Darius Soriano (ForumBlueandGold?).
“I wish you knew what I know” is one of the most bad faith ways to slander a person without having to produce any evidence at all.
Magic is largely liked as a person by everyone.
Period.
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It's why some of the stuff is somewhat believable. Magic's tenure as Laker president started off good, nobody was really criticizing him for getting rid of D'Lo at the time, drafting Zo or getting Lebron. The results of those moves and subsequent others however have led to hit pieces being put out on him in his own city. Magic loves everybody, but I don't think he's willing to risk his reputation among Laker nation for a sinking ship. If this summer was going to be as bad as most predicted, I think the prospect of the one entity where he's been untouchable suddenly turning on him became apparent to some degree. Of course with all the other ancillary stuff going on.
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What makes LFR a lame? He puts out great content. Never took him as a dude to make up things either. Always keeps it real when he doesn't know something. Doesn't pretend to be some insider.
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My guess is that in they 3hr meeting they had yesterday Magic May have been like “Luke should be fired before the last game or I’m quitting before the last game!”
Jeanie and whoever else was there thought he was bluffing... and here we are.
I do want to know EXACTLY Magic feels like rob shouldn’t be back though...
I don’t get the impression that Rob is GM savvy. He’s always got that “I’m the smartest guy in the room” look on his face which is never a good thing.
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Let me be specific-
That method he used to criticize magic without actually saying anything or providing a sound reason as to why/how he arrived at that conclusion is complete BS.
If you’re in the media and you’re gonna take a swipe at someone’s character like that, man the F up and state the source or what led you to believe this.
It’s a p***y move. No other way to view it if we’re being completely honest.
Imagine someone said “if you only knew what I know about how that guy
jab step
treats people” then provided absolutely no corroborating evidence...That wouldn’t be Bull****?
Come on.
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He clearly has an agenda. He tried to excuse everything Mitch and Jim did and felt some type of way that Magic came in a cleaned house on the staff (which if you believe him, he was a part of in some capacity or had people close to him that were let go) so while what he says may have some credibility; he definitely has an axe to grind. Magic being forced out does make the most sense though looking at his comments today.
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Looks like Puke is still out
Former Cavs coach Tyronn Lue, Sixers assistant Monty Williams and former Warriors coach Mark Jackson were on the short list of candidates to replace Walton, with Lue and Williams being the primary targets, sources said.
But there was initially some pause from Buss, who was sensitive to the likelihood that the pursuit of Lue and Jackson would be perceived as James and his agent Rich Paul running the show and spearheading the coaching search, sources said.
Eventually, Buss’ concerns were alleviated after she reiterated that the Lakers are a “Buss-ran organization,” sources said.
Former Cavs coach Tyronn Lue, Sixers assistant Monty Williams and former Warriors coach Mark Jackson were on the short list of candidates to replace Walton, with Lue and Williams being the primary targets, sources said.
But there was initially some pause from Buss, who was sensitive to the likelihood that the pursuit of Lue and Jackson would be perceived as James and his agent Rich Paul running the show and spearheading the coaching search, sources said.
Eventually, Buss’ concerns were alleviated after she reiterated that the Lakers are a “Buss-ran organization,” sources said.
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That backstabbing comment, is he talking about Pelinka or Klutch? Crazy
