The Los Angeles Lakers made a massive change to their front office on Tuesday when they decided to fire their general manager, Mitch Kupchak, and name a former Laker player, Magic Johnson, as president of basketball operations.
Johnson played for the Lakers from 1979 to 1991 before leaving the NBA for a few years after being diagnosed with HIV. He came back to the league for one more season in 1996 before officially retiring from the game of basketball. He was and still is considered one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game, winning four NBA titles and three league MVP’s.
It is no secret that the Lakers have struggled in recent years. They have acquired some good, young talent in the past few NBA drafts, but injury and a lack of experience have kept them out of the playoffs for some time. A few weeks back, Johnson made a statement about his role with the Lakers, and what he would do if he were in charge of the team.
“First call I make if I’m in charge? Kobe Bryant,” Johnson said in an interview on ESPN’s First Take. “Because Kobe understands winning. He understands these players. … Whatever time he has, I want him to come and be a part of it.”
This would be the perfect first move for Johnson to make in his new position with the Lakers, and here are a few reasons why: First, if there is anyone who knows the Lakers organization better than Magic Johnson, it is Kobe Bryant.
Bryant spent 20 seasons in the NBA, every single one with the Los Angeles Lakers. He won five championships in LA. He is the Lakers all-time leading scorer (which is impressive if you think about all of the great players in Laker history). He has been around the team through all its ups and downs in the past 20 years, and there is nobody that knows the organization like he does.
The second reason why Magic should call Kobe is that Kobe’s basketball IQ is off the charts. You don’t play with one team for 20 years and become one of the all-time greats by accident. He has played with most of the young guys on the team already, so he knows how they work. Being in a position of authority will give Kobe the chance to work with those young guys on a different level than he did while he was playing alongside them.
Finally, I think Kobe and Magic would work great together. Kobe’s rookie year was in 1996, the same year that Magic retired. And being the two best Lakers of all time, they have a connection that most NBA front offices wouldn’t have. So Magic, if you’re reading this, you need to call Kobe Bryant. It would only mean great things for the already promising future of the Los Angeles Lakers.
