5-on-5: What should Magic do? How many stars do the Lakers have?
How should Magic Johnson fix the
Los Angeles Lakers? What about his new general manager?
How many future stars are already on the Lakers' roster?
Our NBA Insiders debate.
1. What five words best describe the news that Magic is taking over the Lakers?
J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: "Back to back! Yeah! YEAH!"
Those are five words I have associated with Magic ever since I saw
this video clip in 1988. It's hard not to think of the 1980s when you see Magic with the Lakers, but since he spent half of Tuesday trying to leave the deep past in the past maybe we can, too. After all, as an executive he just won a WNBA championship with the Sparks and came within two games of the World Series with the Dodgers in 2016.
Amin Elhassan, ESPN Insider: Let's see what happens next.
The Lakers definitely needed to move on from the Jim Buss era, but Magic taking over does not magically (pun intended) make the Lakers into contenders overnight. There's a lot of work left to be done, and he will need experienced advisers surrounding him.
Baxter Holmes, ESPN.com: Dramatic. Showtime. History. Iconic. Starpower. (OK, that last one is actually spelled as two words.)
In a Hollywood-dominated market, the Lakers love splashy headlines and the spotlight, love to hire familiar faces from their illustrious past and are as star-crazed as any franchise in professional sports, if not more so. They also love being dramatic, such as making a momentous move like this one two days before the trade deadline. Hiring Magic Johnson in his new role checks all these boxes. It is a very Lakers thing to do.
David Thorpe, ESPN Insider: (1) Brand: The Lakers have an immediate identity, for better or worse. (2) Fool's gold: Magic's brand means zilch to winning transactions or developing talent, which is where the franchise has been taking a pounding over recent years. (3) Caution: Former players like to go with their gut, letting their eyes dictate policy. That's a mistake. (4) Dreams: If Magic can build for the franchise what he did for his own brand, it is fair for Lakers fans to feel optimism regarding their future. (5) Losses: No description needed.
Chad Ford, ESPN Insider: About time for Showtime's return.
The Lakers have been in decline for some time and a bit rudderless. Jeanie Buss should've made this move last season. Magic is ideal for this role. He's highly intelligent, he understands the culture of the team and he makes a much better face of the franchise than anyone else they were going to get. And his decision to bring in Rob Pelinka to work on the day-to-day stuff shows wisdom as well. Magic has too much on his plate and too little experience to take on those responsibilities by himself.
2. Jeanie Buss evidently saw the Jim Buss-Mitch Kupchak regime as a failure. Do you agree with her?
Adande: Hard not to when they presided over the worst stretch in franchise history. The biggest problem was matching the coach to the roster, even when they had star players. The worst was when they rushed to hire up-tempo maestro Mike D'Antoni to take over a big, slow team while he was too wobbly from knee surgery to even start the job. They also tried for too many metaphorical 3-pointers in free agency when midrange jumpers would've worked fine.
Elhassan: I do agree. All indications are that there was a fractured approach toward the direction of the basketball operations department, with several high-profile missteps outweighing whatever small victories they have amassed. But more important, Jim Buss was the one who put the artificial timeline on his job security. So in a way, Jeanie didn't do it, he did it to himself.
Ford: Yes. In recent years they couldn't figure out a way to put a contender around Kobe Bryant, nor would they commit to the full rebuilding process. The horrible
Luol Deng and
Timofey Mozgov contracts combined with their inability to land a marquee free agent -- or
DeMarcus Cousins, for that matter -- were the final blows to their Lakers tenure.
The middle road is usually the worst path in the NBA. Buss and Kupchak were following it and it has led them here.
Thorpe: It's hard to say -- seems like until Kobe retired their hands were tied. I like their talent and their coach. Thus, I like their future. My guess is there were deep chasms between sides inside the organization.
Holmes: Given the Lakers' abysmal record and the laundry list of terrible moves that led them here, it's clear that Buss and Kupchak failed, but so too did others in the organization. Kobe Bryant's controversial $48.5 million, two-year deal did Kupchak & Co. no favors, as it limited their financial flexibility.
But there were too many mistakes to overlook, from swinging and missing on countless free agents (not to mention bumbling through the
LaMarcus Aldridge sit-down) to not drafting
Kristaps Porzingis, to the signings of Mozgov and Deng. There are surely more from which to choose. But simply put, the Lakers have only gotten worse in recent years, and someone had to take the fall.
3. What do you make of the news that Kobe's agent, Rob Pelinka, is expected to be named GM?
Ford: I think it's a strong hire. In covering his clients in the draft for ESPN, I've worked with Pelinka for the past decade. He's highly intelligent. Detail oriented. Has a great eye for evaluating talent (an underrated quality in a good agent -- just look at his client list). And the players he represents really like him. Some GMs and other agents don't like him, but that would be true with almost anyone who has been around as long as Pelinka.
I think more front offices should consider agents for these positions. They are expert negotiators who have started and run their own businesses, and they have deep experience recruiting and working with players. This one gets an A from me.
Elhassan: The pros are obvious, as Pelinka is a shrewd negotiator and, as an agent, presumably has not only an intimate familiarity with the nuts and bolts of the CBA but also a creative mind toward contract construction and deal parameters.
Having said that, it is important to note that Pelinka is just as inexperienced at his role as Magic is at his, and so there is still a strong need for competent voices with prior front-office experience to be a part of the inner circle.
Thorpe: I love it, though he isn't the only name I can think of. Being partners is a part of running a team and if Magic feels close to Rob then there is an argument for it. One thing is certain: Pelinka will have vastly more experience dealing with agents and should know how to talk to players. This would not be a decision I'd be worried about.
Holmes: First the Lakers hire Luke Walton from the
Golden State Warriors, then they mimic the Warriors by hiring a powerful agent as their GM. This outside-the-box move is another sign that the Lakers are hoping to duplicate the Warriors' model.
It's unclear how Pelinka might fare, but he knows the Lakers well, having been Kobe Bryant's longtime agent. He has strong ties with players, executives and teams around the NBA. Those edges alone make him a quality hire, even if he lacks front-office experience.
Adande: It speaks to Kobe's influence more than involvement. Nothing indicates a desire to not be bothered like saying, "Let my agent handle it." But Magic and Jeanie obviously valued Kobe's input. Maybe they can have him work out with current or prospective players and get his feedback. On second thought, we've already seen
how that goes.
4. How many future stars do the Lakers have?
Thorpe: Three as of today, meaning
Julius Randle,
Brandon Ingram and
D'Angelo Russell have All-Star talent and upside. They need lots of work, a better culture, more experienced teammates, etc. -- but the raw talent is there.
The league is full of great players who were not great initially. It is a mistake to think those three guys can't be special. Example:
Paul George and
Klay Thompson didn't have a player efficiency rating over 20 until their fourth seasons.
Adande: They had two players in the
Rising Stars game. Do we count that? We should, because none of the players on the current roster will be an All-Star soon.
The Lakers might not have a player on the court on Sunday at next year's All-Star Game in Staples Center, which never happened in the five previous times Los Angeles hosted the event. Magic might have to make a big trade just to keep the streak alive.
Holmes: The Lakers have some promising young talent, but at the moment, none of their players are in the same category as Porzingis,
Joel Embiid,
Giannis Antetokounmpo and
Karl-Anthony Towns. Which is to say, the Lakers don't have any obvious franchise stars that they can build around for the next decade or so.
They hope that Ingram will blossom into a star within a few years, and it will likely take him that long to even know, given how much he needs to physically develop. But Ingram seems like the most likely candidate. Russell has shown flashes, but his frequent knee injuries are troublesome. Randle and
Jordan Clarkson have talent, but it's unclear whether they have star potential.
Ford: I'm not sure they have any right now. Their best bet will be landing a top-three pick in this year's draft. All three of the top players on
my Big Board -- Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball and Josh Jackson -- have higher ceilings than anyone currently on the roster. As for current Lakers, I'm still a believer in Ingram, but it's clearly going to take awhile.
Elhassan: Maybe two? Russell and Ingram both have potential, but they're both pretty far off from realizing it.
5. What advice would you give to Magic?
Adande: Delegate. It's something he always did well, anyway -- in business and running sports franchises. Maybe you can't point to specific transactions he was behind with the Dodgers and Sparks, but you also can't find examples of him meddling. He also needs to be more visible and accountable than Jim Buss was. Pretty sure he can clear that bar.
Elhassan: Surround yourself with smart people and listen to what they have to say. When I was working in the league, I always felt my responsibility was to provide the people I worked for with all the information they needed to make an informed decision. Whether or not they followed my recommendation was inconsequential compared to the idea that they were fully equipped to make an educated decision.
Thorpe: Hire Tommy Sheppard from the Wizards, if you can. He is more experienced than pretty much anyone not currently a GM today at how to run a franchise from A to Z. The game is evolving so fast and we see how Washington has become a successful program, with good drafting, smart acquisitions and a very good coach who was supported fully after a rough start. He is a wheeler-dealer who also can work well behind the scenes.
Ford: Follow the game plan of your arch-nemesis, the Celtics. Keep collecting assets. Let your young players develop. Don't rush to put a contender out there. As your pieces grow, look for advantageous deals. Don't let the lure of L.A. be your blueprint. If the Lakers keep their pick this year, they'll be in very good shape going forward as long as Magic doesn't get trigger happy.
Holmes: Do not dwell on the Lakers' glorious history. Instead, focus on the nuances of the new CBA, how globalization and technology have affected the reach of big-market teams and how analytics, biometrics and more can help give you an edge in the modern game.
For too long, the Lakers have been stuck in the past. Magic Johnson was one of the brightest lights in that glorious past, but unless they want to stay irrelevant for years to come, Magic and the Lakers need to look ahead and appreciate how much has changed and how much they'll need to change to be contenders again.
