Magic disappears: Johnson leaves Lakers in lurch

Upon his arrival, he breathed new life into a once-proud franchise that had become stagnant. His bold promises ignited the passion of the fans, his famous smile charmed everyone, and they all followed suit, completely enamored.

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 continued, “You have to be happy. I have 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, cheers filled the air for these 16-time champions, but now, snickers aimed at them resonate, as they find themselves mingling with rejects and has-beens. It’s an unfavorable image, especially at such a critical time. The Lakers are about to set off on a summer quest to find a star who can rescue the remnants of LeBron’s career. However, they will have to do so without Magic leading the charge, after he realized he wasn’t cut out for all aspects of the job 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.

Despite some setbacks during Johnson’s tenure, it wasn’t completely unsuccessful. The Russell trade brought in Kyle Kuzma and extra cap space. He also drafted Lonzo Ball, who, despite injuries, has shown potential. Additionally, thanks to Johnson’s diligent safeguarding of the salary cap space, the Lakers are well placed to sign one or more free agents this summer.

Leading a team involves a lot of behind-the-scenes, unglamorous tasks such as conducting film sessions, scouting, planning, interacting with agents, resolving disputes, taking responsibility, and being the ultimate decision-maker. These are the thankless jobs that often persuade high-profile athletes to pursue a different career once they retire from playing.

Many all-time greats struggle to succeed as general managers or team presidents due to the intricacies of the role and their own impatience when handling less skilled players. Jerry West, however, stands out as the exception. As he guides the Clippers, who are headed for the playoffs, one can’t help but wonder what “The Logo” thinks about his former team today.

Was Magic prepared to take the necessary steps to succeed in that prominent position? Or did he find more joy in cheering on his cherished Michigan State at the recent NCAA Tournament, rather than analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of potential Draft picks?

What about the decision regarding the future of coach Luke Walton who managed to survive many challenges throughout the season? There is plenty of evidence suggesting that Magic intended to dismiss Walton as early as today, but encountered some pushback from Buss. Although she never openly declared Walton’s job was secure, she also never failed to express her fondness for him. Insiders say Magic was reluctant to handle the aftermath of that decision.

Johnson was quite ambiguous in his statements. He vaguely referred to “all the backstabbing” without providing further details. The whole experience and his departure seemed to have exhausted him, taking away some of his “joy.” Speculations of a team rebellion circulated, where several staff members allegedly showed discontent towards Johnson’s leadership. This could have been a contributing factor.

Another idea suggested by NBA insiders is that Johnson might have anticipated an uneventful summer for himself and the Lakers, and thus he might have thought it was best to step down now to avoid potential criticism.

Should the Lakers miss out on acquiring Davis for a second time and also not secure A-list free agents such as Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard, it would not only harm the image of the Lakers as a desirable franchise but also shatter the idea of Johnson being a draw.

Despite his success in business, his legacy off the court will mainly be remembered for squandering the golden basketball opportunities that the Lakers and the Buss family set up for him. This will indelibly stick to him, which is remarkable for someone so successful outside of basketball.

The Lakers need to reorganize. Buss has to mend a broken front office by bringing in proficient leaders who can manage the roster and set achievable objectives. Lakers’ General Manager, Rob Pelinka, who is a former agent, takes care of the financial aspects alongside Magic. If this continues as it is, the Lakers will require a seasoned president who is familiar with the landscape.

Primarily, they are facing two ticking time bombs. The first one is set to the Draft and summer season, during which the Lakers will pursue the caliber of talent that can bring them immediate victories. The second one is attuned to LeBron, who will be 35 in the next season, with three years remaining on his contract. His substantial determination will soon be put to the test. The question is how can they make the most of the time he has left? Or will they consider trading him?

The Lakers are once again facing a perplexing and confusing situation – a new normal for them. This former champion team is now at another crossroads. They’ve fallen far from the glory days of prime Kobe Bryant, as evidenced by Tuesday’s shocking revelation that has made them a laughingstock.

Johnson made his choice, convinced that it would be beneficial for him. It might also prove 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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