Nearly a month ago, former Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson suddenly resigned without telling anyone — including owner Jeanie Buss.
While there are conflicting reports about why Johnson ultimately resigned, he recently had dinner with Buss where he reportedly endorsed the Lakers hiring former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue.
As James is set to be reunited with Lue in Los Angeles, he has remained silent but reportedly still ‘stands behind’ Buss and the Lakers.
However, the 34-year-old finally broke his silence about Johnson with Lonzo Ball on the latest episode of HBO’s “The Shop” (Warning: NSFW language):
Like James and Ball, the organization and fans were shocked about Johnson’s impromptu press conference. While the Lakers were officially eliminated from the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, most expected Johnson to fire former head coach Luke Walton after a 98-148 record.
As James has denied a report about his trust in the Lakers being ‘damaged,’ there are still more questions than answers.
Heading into Year 2, the Lakers have an opportunity to significantly improve the roster around James. Although a lottery pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and a max contract slot available in free agency is advantageous, they need to stabilize themselves first before even thinking about a second All-Star player.