- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar mentions sad truth about relationship with LeBron James while describing admiration for him
- Report: Kyrie Irving wants to shut down notion that he’s ‘angling’ to get to Lakers
- Gilbert Arenas says LeBron James will be behind Karl Malone if he goes to Dallas Mavericks
- Jaren Jackson Jr. calls LeBron James the ‘greatest player to play’ the game of basketball
- Report: Lakers have maintained that they have no interest in Kyrie Irving
- Report: Kyrie Irving has been recruiting LeBron James to Dallas Mavericks in hopes of forming Big 3 with Luka Doncic
- Magic Johnson explains how he led Lakers in same way Jimmy Butler currently leads Heat
- Rich Paul offers cryptic response when asked whether he expects LeBron James to return next season
- Report: Kentucky big man among promising draft prospects Lakers worked out on Friday
- Lakers insider speculates Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley won’t be back with Lakers
Magic Johnson Says Lakers Would Not Be in ‘Position They Are in Without Me’
- Updated: December 18, 2019
The Los Angeles Lakers currently sit atop the Western Conference standings, and Magic Johnson believes he should be given ample credit for the team’s success this season.
“This team would not be in the position it’s in without me,” Johnson said according to Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times.
Johnson hasn’t been a part of the Lakers organization since he abruptly resigned from his position as president of basketball operations last April. The team failed to reach the playoffs during his two-year tenure despite the presence of LeBron James during the 2018-19 season.
But the Lakers legend pointed out that he sowed the seeds along with general manager Rob Pelinka that have led to the franchise’s current position as one of the NBA’s top teams.
“He talks about the trades he and Pelinka made to clear the salary cap space to sign James, notably the dealing of Timofey Mozgov and D’Angelo Russell,” wrote Plaschke. “He talks about his recruitment of James. He talks about the players they drafted — Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart — who were included in the deal for Anthony Davis.”
In his own words, Johnson said that this was his vision all along to get the Lakers to this position.
“This was my strategy, this is what I thought we’d be in three years,” Johnson explained. “I knew we were on the right track. Everybody wanted to do it their way, but I’m good with who I am. … I think people respect what I’ve done for the team.”
Though Johnson wants credit to be given to him, there is much more to be said about the excellent job that Pelinka has done without him.
Pelinka orchestrated the team’s summer haul that included the trade for Davis, as well as the free agent signings of Danny Green, Avery Bradley and the return of Dwight Howard to the Purple and Gold, among many others.
It’s unclear whether Pelinka would have been able to do his job as masterfully as he has the past few months with Johnson around, but the five-time NBA champion can rest easy knowing that the team is in good hands.