Magic Johnson named Lakers president of basketball operations
Magic Johnson has been named president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers, the team announced on Tuesday, just two days before the NBA's trade deadline.
In addition, longtime general manager Mitch Kupchak has been relieved of his duties, effective immediately, and Jim Buss will no longer hold his role as executive vice president of basketball operations.
This news comes just three weeks after Johnson was brought back to the Lakers organization as an ownership adviser to assist team executive Jeanie Buss in "all areas of basketball" and just two weeks after Johnson told USA TODAY Sports' Josh Peter that he eventually wants to "call the shots" within the organization.
"Today I took a series of actions I believe will return the Lakers to the heights Dr. Jerry Buss demanded and our fans rightly expect," Jeanie Buss said in a statement Tuesday. "Effective immediately, Earvin Johnson will be in charge of all basketball operations and will report directly to me. Our search for a new general manager to work with Earvin and coach Luke Walton is well underway and we hope to announce a new general manager in short order. Together, Earvin, Luke and our new general manager will establish the foundation for the next generation of Los Angeles Lakers greatness."
GALLERY: MAGIC JOHNSON THROUGH THE YEARS
Johnson, who is a part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the WNBA's L.A. Sparks, won five championships and earned three MVP awards during his 13 NBA seasons — all of which he spent with the Lakers. He is widely considered the greatest point guard in NBA history.
"It's a dream come true to return to the Lakers as president of basketball operations working closely with Jeanie Buss and the Buss family," said Johnson. "Since 1979, I've been a part of the Laker Nation and I'm passionate about this organization. I will do everything I can to build a winning culture on and off the court. We have a great coach in Luke Walton and good young players. We will work tirelessly to return our Los Angeles Lakers to NBA champions."
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The Lakers, they of the 16 NBA championships and lengthy list of Hall of Famers, are a franchise mired in mediocrity, well on their way to a fourth straight postseason absence. What's more, they're a franchise without a superstar and, before Tuesday's announcement, were nearing the timeline that Jim Buss gave himself to right the ship.
That timeline, of course, was revealed in a 2014 interview with the Los Angeles Times, when Buss said that he planned to step aside in "three to four years" if the Lakers weren't contending for an NBA championship by then.
While those championship days may be a ways away, the Lakers view Johnson's promotion as a step in the right direction.
"I took these actions today to achieve one goal: Everyone associated with the Lakers will now be pulling in the same direction, the direction established by Earvin and myself," Jeanie Buss said. "We are determined to get back to competing to win NBA championships again."
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