Magic disappears: Johnson leaves Lakers in lurch

He arrived, infusing a stale franchise with fresh hope, made audacious pledges at his arrival, fueled the fans’ passion, charmed everyone with his renowned smile, and effortlessly won their allegiance and belief.

And then, like magic, poof — or more like oof — Magic Johnson vanished and left the Lakers hanging.

This was in 1994, when the most radiant superstar of his generation was a freshly retired player searching for a new way to be seen as a winner. And so Magic did something unorthodox and took the Lakers’ coaching job, even though he’d never coached before. He lasted all of 16 games before pulling the plug on a misguided experiment, and maybe that was the no-look pass we all should’ve seen coming two decades later.

Because once again, Magic failed in a poorly planned way to make an impact in the game other than running the fast break. In another bizarre moment to cap this season of several, he bailed on the Lakers again, this time as president of basketball operations after 14 months. He made that official with a spontaneous and confusing ramble moments before the season finale Tuesday.

Appearing tired and on the verge of tears, Magic started by saying, “I cried before I came here and I’m about to cry now.” He then referred to his seemingly impulsive decision as “a tough thing.”

He stated, “You need to be happy. I need to be happy.”

Nobody had an advance heads-up, most notably Jeanie Buss, the principal owner who put her reputation on the line in 2017 by putting Magic in charge shortly after wrestling control of the club from Jim Buss in a family takeover. And now, what exactly has changed since the dreadful era of Jeanie Buss’ baseball cap-wearing bro? The Lakers, who haven’t made the playoffs in six years and just put the wraps on a lost season with LeBron James in the fold, remain an organization that’s been frantically searching for traction ever since the passing of the great Jerry Buss.

For her part, Buss struck a loyal pose next to Johnson in the wake of his about-face, having a Lakers-issued statement that was all good: “We are deeply grateful for all Magic has done for our franchise — as a player, an ambassador and an executive.” Buss also sent a social media love-letter that read in part: “You’ve brought us a long way. We will continue the journey. We love you.”

Earvin, I loved working side by side with you. You’ve brought us a long way. We will continue the journey. We love you https://t.co/ofmQl6BtBz

— Jeanie Buss (@JeanieBuss) April 10, 2019

Once cheered, the 16-time champions now find themselves the target of mocking laughter, surrounded by castoffs and retreads. The situation is unfavorable and comes at a delicate time for the Lakers as they are about to embark on a summer quest for a star player to rescue what remains of LeBron’s career. They will do this without Magic in the lead, who decided he was not cut out for all the job demands after all.

Magic quit because he couldn’t be Magic anymore, not in the way he wanted to be, not in the special and fawning way folks treated him prior to this trainwreck. In particular, those close to him say he hated criticism of his personnel decisions. And that volume was turned up the last few months after the botched Anthony Davis trade attempt at the deadline, then again when the Lakers looked feeble on the floor down the stretch with and without LeBron, costing the club a playoff spot.

For someone so beloved, someone who sits on the Mount Rushmore of Los Angeles sports figures, that negativity has stung, particularly in this social media age during which there’s no escaping the glare. Too often, the basketball public reminded Magic of those he threw off the Lakers’ boat as president — chief among them the young point guard D’Angelo Russell, diminished by Magic for being unfit to lead the Lakers.

Russell is now an All-Star on playoff-bound Brooklyn. There were others: Lou Williams, Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr., Brook Lopez, heck even Ivica Zubac, who was dealt at mid-season. All of them are thriving in other uniforms and causing second-guesses.

Johnson’s tenure was not entirely unsuccessful: the trade of Russell brought in Kyle Kuzma and additional cap space, he drafted Lonzo Ball who has shown occasional promise despite injuries, and the Lakers have the potential to sign one or more free agents this summer, largely due to Johnson’s dedicated protection of the salary cap.

Leading a team involves a lot of unglamorous and laborious tasks such as film sessions, scouting, planning, handling agents, resolving issues, being responsible, and being the final decision-maker. These are the kind of behind-the-scenes and thankless tasks that persuade superstars to pursue a different career path once they retire from playing.

Numerous legendary players struggle to achieve similar success as general managers or team presidents due to intricate details and their own lack of patience in managing less skilled players. Jerry West, however, stands out as the exception. One can only wonder what “The Logo” thinks of his former team today, as he guides the Clippers, who are headed for the playoffs, across town.

Did Magic have the determination to excel in that prominent position? Or, when he recently attended the NCAA Tournament, did he derive more pleasure from supporting his favorite team, Michigan State, rather than analyzing the skills and weaknesses of top Draft prospects?

What about determining the future of coach Luke Walton, who evaded criticism throughout the season? There’s plenty of reason to think that Magic Johnson wanted to dismiss Walton immediately, but encountered some pushback from Jeanie Buss. She never explicitly assured Walton’s safety in public, but also never refrained from expressing her affection for him. Insiders suggest Magic didn’t want to handle the potential backlash.

Johnson kept everything quite ambiguous. He mentioned “all the backstabbing” but didn’t provide further details. He seemed exhausted by the entire experience and his departure. It seemed to have taken a toll on him, robbing him of some of his “joy.” There were whispers of a team rebellion where several employees voiced their dissatisfaction with Magic’s leadership. This might have played a part.

An alternate theory, suggested by NBA insiders, is that Johnson might have known or strongly suspected that he and the Lakers were heading into an uneventful summer. Perhaps he thought it was the right time to step down and avoid any potential criticism.

Should the Lakers once again fail to secure Davis, and also miss out on top-tier free agents such as Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard, it would not only tarnish the Lakers’ reputation as a premier franchise, but also dispel the idea of Johnson being a drawcard.

Despite his success in business, his miss of all the genuine basketball opportunities provided to him by the Lakers and the Buss family will undoubtedly tarnish his off-court legacy.

The Lakers need to reorganize. Buss has an obligation to mend a broken administrative structure by introducing capable leaders who can rationalize the team lineup and establish a clear and achievable objective. Lakers General Manager, Rob Pelinka, a previous agent, manages the Lakers’ financial intricacies alongside Magic. If this structure persists, then the Lakers require a seasoned president who is familiar with the terrain.

Above all, they’re battling against two timelines. The first is geared towards the Draft and summer, during which the Lakers will pursue the caliber of talent that can assist them in achieving immediate wins. The second timeline is tied to LeBron, who will be turning 35 in the upcoming season. With three years remaining on his contract, his deep determination is about to be put to the test. How can they make the most of what he still has to offer? Or should they consider trading him?

The Lakers are now facing a confusing and unfamiliar situation, a new norm for them. This once powerful championship team is now at a critical junction yet again. Their decline has been rapid, from the heyday of superstar Kobe Bryant to becoming the butt of jokes after Tuesday’s surprising revelation.

Johnson made his choice. He exited, convinced it would be beneficial for him. It might also possibly be advantageous for the franchise.

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

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