...key is the degree of acceptance these "millennial" youngsters will heed Johnson's advice and how much leeway he has without over-stepping on management/coaching. In the end, it's still Walton's team to steer.
Two people in the world that need to close their Twitter accounts: 1. Trump 2. Magic What the hell, add Lebron at #3.
I think Jim is going to step down. He said publicly that he would quit if he didn't get us back to contention by this year. We're nowhere near that - in fact we're down at the bottom of the league once again. I thought he might get a pass earlier this season when we looked like we might make the eighth spot and squeeze into the playoffs. But that's long gone. Jim made his bed when he made the statement about producing a contender within this timeline. He's not close. Mitch though has done a good job for the most part as GM and he and Magic have no beef. I don't see him getting fired. Mitch never made any kind of pronouncement like Jim did.
Clarkson and D'Lo need Magic. They want to live the LA lifestyle but they are going about it like complete amateurs. Magic will show them the ropes that the great Dr. Buss once showed him, have fun in the city and take care of business on the court.
Seen the TWC (or whatever it's called) w/Magic. I came across very impressed. Now if things are accurate and truthful to what he's saying about the present and future direction of our team (I believe him), I can see him very influential in may aspects. One of which is free agent recruiting: I can see a team of Magic, Kupchack, and Luke being very convincing. My observation is, Jim doesn't really fit in, does he?
I too hope Mitch stays. But Magic coming, to me, signals Jim getting shooed away more than anything. I'm very excited about that. Magic left his position years ago because he knew it was becoming Jimmy's show, and less of his dad's. Magic doesn't have the power to torpedo the franchise the way Jim does as son of the owner. Back in high school the kid who tried out the hardest but couldn't hack the basketball team was usually assigned as equipment manager... maybe Jimmy's new position?
I just watched Connected with Magic Johnson on Spectrum and it was pretty cool. He spoke pretty fondly about Mitch and their rapport together and so I don't think there'll be any change in that department. He was a little chillier about Jim but he didn't say Jim was leaving or stepping down. We'll have to see what happens. My feeling is that Jim won't like taking orders from Magic but if he wants to stay I think he'll have to listen to his input.
“It’s up to every individual that works for the Lakers organization how they want to utilize my expertise,” Johnson said. It remains to be seen if that’s enough to satisfy Johnson, who has dreamed of having a larger voice as either an owner or executive with the Lakers, or if his overall empire keeps him busy enough to not want more Lakers power. Obviously Johnson will never be a day-to-day general manager, and the current expectation is that he wants more to be part of a group effort with Jeanie; her youngest brothers Joey and Jesse, who were groomed for more by their father and have had recent success in the organization; a competent basketball operations executive; and head coach Luke Walton, who will unquestionably have an increased voice in all Lakers matters. Anyone around the NBA interested in filling that basketball operations post should start polishing the resume, even though Johnson has been close with Kupchak for a long time. Johnson is said to have an open mind about dismissing Kupchak to usher in a new era, according to sources." http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-johnson-really-do-for-the-los-angeles-lakers
