"We might choose to keep our own guys"= "Hey Dallas, we're fine paying for Julius if we have to. Take Deng or take a leap." It's too close to the deadline now to not take everything that's said with a big grain of salt.
So soon? https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/248766/Magic-Johnson-Reportedly-Frustrated-With-Rob-Pelinka Magic Johnson Reportedly Frustrated With Rob Pelinka JAN 30, 2018 9:28 AM Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka were hired to run the front office of the Los Angeles Lakers approximately one year ago and while they have remained steadfast in their plan to maximize their 2018 cap space, the team has yet to show a real improvement. There also may be issues between Johnson, who has the final say on the roster, and Pelinka, who is running the day-to-day operations. "I have been told by multiple sources that Magic Johnson is doing that job the way that I thought Magic Johnson was going to do that job," said Dan Le Batard "Sort of whisking in and out of the office. ‘Yeah fire everyone. Trade everyone. You’re doing a bad job. I’m going to run my movie empire.’ Is he still doing that? The details, the specifics of the doing of that job. Magic Johnson has been given all of the power and isn’t doing any of the work that usually gets done. He’s doing the job the way Phil Jackson did the job. "He’s pretty mad at (Rob) Pelinka from what I’ve heard." When Johnson was hired by the Lakers in 2017, Le Batard criticized his credentials.
Everything I've read says Magic and Rob talk every day, share the same vision, love the teamwork between them. Maybe if a legit NBA source says something similar to Dan the Man I'll start to believe it.
