Magic Johnson Interview; Speaks on our young talent, his plans for the future and role

[MJST]

What he wants to do:

Magic Johnson: What I want to do, is try to just, little by little, build the Lakers back up, to where they should be. We have a great group of young players. I think that we're missing a leader though. We have to have D'Angelo step up to the leader role. He had a wonderful game the other night, and I think that if he can step up into the leadership role and really lead the guys. Because we've lost a lot of games in the 4th quarter, when somebody should have stepped up and said 'hey bad shot' or 'hey slow it down, let's do this or do that', and I think he's the guy who has the ball in his hand and he could become an even better leader than he is today.

On messages to the young players:

What we didn't have back in the day was social media. Social media has changed everything. Guys do care, sometimes even more so, about their brand, and they don't realize that, performing on the court gets you everything that you want. But what has to happen is this, you have to figure out 'How can we win?' and a lot of times, (James) could have been averaging 25-30 points on another team. But said "I'm good with what I can average, because it's all about winning.". I could have did the same thing, Kareem could have did the same thing. But we all bought into Coach Riley's system and that if the team won, we all won. And that's what we have to get these young Lakers to understand is that, if the team wins, individually you win, you get everything that you want. When we win, you get the new contract. When we win, you get the endorsements. When we win, everything that you're looking for you get. But first it has to start with, you've got to put the time in, you've got to love the game and put the time in.

But if you have other guys around, (LeBron), did this probably better than anybody. He really sat down with some of the older guys, and picked their brain because not only did he want to be great in basketball, he wanted to be great as a business man outside of that. But he sat down with people. So don't look at it as a bad thing if Kareem is around or if (James) is around or if I'm here. Pick my brain. I picked Jerry West's brain. Chick Hearn, every time we had breakfast I'd run over and sit with him. "Tell me about Wilt Chamberlain." "Tell me about when they won 33 games in a row.". Those type of things helped me as a player, to develop.

So I think that if all of them understand that "We all have to give some of our game to get what we want." "We all could be, yes, a star. Or average a lot of points, but the team would be losing." so if we all say "Hey, I'm gonna give my game, for the sake of winning, and then I'm going to get what I want on the back end of that. Whether it's a new contract or a commercial, or anything that we are seeking."

On relationship with the FO and thoughts on our young talent:

Jim is calling the shots, and I want him to understand that I'm just here to lend advice. I explained that to Mitch Kupchak today. We're gonna have a 2-3 hour meeting and the strategy of where they think they're headed and we'll break down everybody on the team's strengths and weaknesses. And really just talk basketball. It's okay to have a lot of basketball knowledge. That's one thing Dr. Buss had around him was a lot of basketball expertise and knowledge. I'm not here to be anything but to give some basketball knowledge.

I watch college games all time, I watch the NBA all the time, I watch (Spectrum SportsNet) all the time. Because I know, if Randle gets his right hand, James (looks to James Worthy) Woooooo!! He don't even know. If he gets that right hand.. man, he could be an all-star. If he gets on that right side, and he knows how to drop step. It could be money.

And, I could tell you Lou, I could tell you Clarkson, I know every Laker, frontwards and backwards. But I'm just looking forward to talk basketball and how I can help you, be it that you're making a decision and I'm just offering advice, whether that's going on the floor, or just giving you notes. About what I see, game to game on every player. Because, again, I've watched every Laker game, so I know every guy, and it's great that we're seeing young guys develop.

On his critical opinion of the Lakers in the past:

Some of the coaches that we brought in didn't fit the talent. We see, Mike D'antoni is doing a wonderful job in Houston because he had the talent that fits his offense. We didn't have a run up and down team or a spot up three team. So that's what I was critical of. I thought Mike Brown was an excellent coach, and he liked the slow down game. He was excellent on defense, though. So I thought that, we could have went in another direction with the talent that we had.
On their current situation:

Coach Walton was the perfect choice, for the talent that we have, his system he brought in. He's getting the most out of everybody. Now if this Lakers team could tighten up on defense, whether it's their defensive intensity, because it's the defense, now we can score with anybody, we can score the basketball. What we need to do now is tighten up our defense, and if we could do that, man this team could really do some special things. So I'm just looking forward to really watching tonight's game and all the other games after this. Giving notes, like I told Mitch we'll trade information. I'll sit down with Jim and see what role I could play with him if he needs me or needs information. Jeanie and I already talked about the role I'll play with her.

I've already sat down with Jesse and Joey, the role with the D-Fenders, and talking basketball with them. They're very bright young men and smart. I'm just looking forward to really sitting down with everybody and talking how we can improve not just basketball, but, this brand is incredible but we want to take it to another level with the brand. The Lakers business, we want to take it to another level, so it's all those things we want to do.


On what makes him feel Luke will be a great head coach in this league:

I love that Zubac. Here's a young man who had a special game probably, 3 weeks ago, now he's not afraid to give him 20 minutes or 25 minutes and now we're seeing him develop in front of our eyes and Luke is saying 'ok. well if you're rolling I'll keep you out there.' and I like that about him. He's saying 'whatever team is performing well, we're gonna stick with that five, but also too if you're making a bad mistake or taking a bad shot, here. sit next to me.'

So you're seeing Luke really developing the players, and I'll tell you who else he really did a good job with; Brandon Ingram. Nobody else in this league would have put the ball in his hands like he's put the ball in his hands. He has put the ball in his hands, and it seems like because of that, we're seeing him every game he gets more confidence, every game he makes play that you say 'wow' like against Denver, at the free throw line, fake, went to his right, BAM!

I said 'oh oh!!' I got excited. We know he can defend, he's long, and what I like about him is that he's a gym rat, he wants to get better. So that's the kind of guys we want to have on the Lakers, guys who want to improve, who stay in the gym. Their number one priority is basketball and I have loved watching Brandon just continue to grow.

We have some nice young pieces. I've always felt the thing about him is that he could be a two-way guy that (has the potential) that he could be a shut down guy on defense.

More Here:

Enjoy, lot's of great stuff

[watchME]

A real laker

[Killer_Z]

So much love for Magic Johnson. For him to care this much about the Lakers after so many years is simply amazing. Great idea bringing him on board. The young players will love spending time with him.

[Eindhoven]

[pmacla]

Magic got me fired up in that interview, if he is the public voice for the Lakers in the media now and really lends his knowledge in all areas to the Lakers from business to what he sees strategy wise, to mentoring players and even his opinion on players we may draft, sign or trade for I think this will be excellent for teh Lakers

If he is Jeanie's stealth hire to replace Jim and put him in charge of all Basketball decisions it is a terrible hire

[MJST]

Yeah that interview did put me at ease a bit, Magic does seem to have a good idea or knowledge that he could use to help or lend advice to. If it's helping towards our young players development it's great to hear and watch, his analysis on how far Julius could go just by perfecting his right hand and his drop step and him speaking of how Russell could be the leader and stuff like that I really liked to hear.


I think we can all agree, if he was Jeanie's stealth hire to get rid of Jim, then I would be worried. But if he is there in the capacity he says he will be, then I think that's a great hire, because I could honestly listen to Magic talk basketball in a basketball sense all day and those little nuggets of knowledge he does have or could share, could help our young guys more than hurt.

[Ziggy]

[justsomelakerfan]

[laker4life]

Great interview.

Lakers are where there at due to these legends.

It is good to hear what other people on this board realized when the Lakers hired MDA. It was simply a bad hire.

The reality is that hire led to many problems and we are now slowly building ourselves up.

If we get West back in any capacity, that would be awesome.

[MJST]

Yes, this interview at least thus far made me worry less.

[MJST]

This helps too

Shortly after Magic was hired he received a call from Jim Buss

Shortly after Magic Johnson was hired by the Los Angeles Lakers last week, he received a call from Jim Buss.

Johnson had long been publicly critical of Buss' moves within the Lakers' front office and stood by those comments, but also said he was there to help and hoped they could move forward without that baggage. Johnson's tone disarmed Buss.

Buss agreed and asked to schedule a meeting after the All-Star break where he and general manager Mitch Kupchak could explain their decision-making over the past few seasons.

"I'm taking Magic at face value, that he's here to help," Jim Buss told ESPN. "He's one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Who wouldn't value his opinion? I'm excited to work with Magic for years to come."

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/244830/Jim-Buss-Excited-To-Work-With-Magic-Johnson-For-Years-To-Come


This really makes me feel like Magic does mean what he says, but it also says that Jim extended the olive branch and is willing to work with him.

If these two can work together and be on the same power or just take advice from one another, then this most definitely can work.

Someone spoke of Magic could be the branch of communication between Jeanie and Jim / Mitch that could resolve some of the gap that there is in communication. Which Jeanie also placed there when she declared she just handles business and leaves Mitch and Jim to their own devices.

This seems like it could keep that status quo but create more of a communication than there had been. Magic spoke of getting everyone into a room and discussing the team, and the players. This kind of meeting helps to define the vision and direction of where the franchise is headed and those lines of communications can help, not just between Jeanie and Jim but the franchise as a whole, and Magic may be the medium that creates that bridge of communication.

I can get behind that for sure.

[LakerSD]

Great stuff. This could really, really work out if everyone checks ego at the door lol

[Ziggy]

[Krispy Kreme]

Jim needs help. A lot of help. Hopefully Magic can help him out.
_________________
Dominating every day.

[venturalakersfan]

I love the idea of Magic helping out. But with the news of interest in Jerry West (who I would also welcome), is Jeanie looking in the right direction? What next, fire Luke and hire Riley to coach? Sign Kareem to play center? This is 2017 Jeanie, not 1980. Show a little vision.
_________________
RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.

[bandiger]

[yinoma2001]

[anpherknee]

that espn article was strange

[Truck Turner]

The whole spiel about social media seems kind of pointless considering most of the Lakers young core don't use social media all that heavily, especially compared to other players in the league.

[greenfrog]

Same interview from a few days?

[venturalakersfan]

[MJST]

[laker50]

Except for the drafts the FO decisions for the past 5 years have been bad.

And the Mosgov and Deng signings at 40M a year for four years. For two bench players? Is this competence?

Is the 4 FR draft picks for Nash and Howard who hardly played for the Lakers a show of competence? Nash had already played many years and Howard did not like the Lakers. Why gamble the future?

What was Mich and Jim thinking?

Even at an advisory capacity Magic if taken seriously would have helped.
Deng and Mosgov should have been given shorter terms. And maybe even 50M year but just for a year. To scratch the itch in Mich and Jims.

Maybe the younger West at GM would work. But J. West is older now.

[governator]

Sounds like Magic would be nothing but a help in recruiting FAs. He sounds like he understands players

[Ziggy]