The Lakers Reality Show

Jimbodandy

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I’m more questioning his ballhandking than his shot but the latter isn’t elite by any means. He has some skill work to improve upon for sure but the player can’t count on any physical growth to improve upon as he is already elite in that regard. Others like Morant can also make leaps physically as well.

There is a massive difference in dropping 20 a night with good defense and becoming the next LeBron.
Agreed completely.

I love the kid because he's high ceiling and high floor, but anyone projecting him as the next Lebron is overly enthusiastic. There's a multitude of possible outcomes, aside from the catastrophic ones that come with any pick.
 

Bernie Carbohydrate

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Oh this is the good stuff.

Magic wanted to be President of the Lakers, but only wanted to work part-time and didn't want any real heavy responsibilities. He designed his job so he could serve as a cheerful figurehead to remind restive fans of the Good Ole Days.

Pelinka and other front office types start treating Magic like, well, a figurehead, ignoring his authority and going behind his back when they don't agree with his orders/suggestions.

Magic resents this and instead of bearing down on his job and using his influence to oust Pelinka (who seems pretty dim), he quits. He quits his barely-show-up honorary job.

Weeks later he burns down the team.

SHOWTIME!
 

djbayko

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I also think it's humorous that he thinks the owner should be restricted to listening to only one person so that he can frame messaging any way he wants. I'm sure that's how powerful people got to where they are.
 

Jimbodandy

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I also think it's humorous that he thinks the owner should be restricted to listening to only one person so that he can frame messaging any way he wants. I'm sure that's how powerful people got to where they are.
These particular powerful people got to where they are by being born, but your point is the same.
 

The Raccoon

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Magic wanted to be President of the Lakers, but only wanted to work part-time and didn't want any real heavy responsibilities.
Hey, he did skip nights out with his wife, because he had to be at Staples Center watching the Lakers and couldn't go to the cinema with her. That has to count for something...?
 
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Tony C

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Just went back over the last page but the only person to mention "Klay Thompson" as a comp was.... Tony C...
.
er..check your apparently sub-par reading skills. I wrote:

Maybe I missed it, but did someone claim they thought he was Klay Thompson? If so that's silly and I think distorts the conversation. To my mind he'd be a truly excellent 6th man and possibly a complementary starter on a good team.
In other words: I said Klay T is not a comp. Exactly the opposite of what you claim I said.

Be better.
 

benhogan

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er..check your apparently sub-par reading skills. I wrote:



In other words: I said Klay T is not a comp. Exactly the opposite of what you claim I said.

Be better.
yep, apologies...edited my post

Literally, no one said Kyle Kouzma was Klay Thompson, so you didn't miss it.
 
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m0ckduck

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For those at work/who don't want to watch the whole 21 minutes and change, Business Insider has an article summarizing the interview.

What are the chances Johnson ever works for an NBA team again? One has to imagine that the Lakers are not the only franchise with this sort of "backstabbing" going on, especially in an industry where there are only so many high-paying jobs that don't involve being on the court during games.
I always like it when people focus on the behind-the-back nature of criticism directed at them, rather than engaging with the substance of the criticism. As if the onus is on your co-workers to tell you to your face that you're bad at your job.
 

Smokey Joe

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So Rob Pelinka is a sleazy weasel and a backstabber? I thought that was why they hired him.
 

reggiecleveland

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I also think it's humorous that he thinks the owner should be restricted to listening to only one person so that he can frame messaging any way he wants. I'm sure that's how powerful people got to where they are.
He may or may not be right. If he saw himself as having people working for him, it would be bothersome to have them go around him. If he thought decisions were made, then later they are unmade, then he needed to do something. Either it was a bit of a mess or they wanted him to go. This mostly seems to be him not getting his way. You don't care about too many voices if the boss picks your voice.
 

mauf

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Oh this is the good stuff.

Magic wanted to be President of the Lakers, but only wanted to work part-time and didn't want any real heavy responsibilities. He designed his job so he could serve as a cheerful figurehead to remind restive fans of the Good Ole Days.

Pelinka and other front office types start treating Magic like, well, a figurehead, ignoring his authority and going behind his back when they don't agree with his orders/suggestions.

Magic resents this and instead of bearing down on his job and using his influence to oust Pelinka (who seems pretty dim), he quits. He quits his barely-show-up honorary job.

Weeks later he burns down the team.

SHOWTIME!

Ownership is to blame for this imo.

If Magic was really the team President, then Pelinka needed to work with him. If Magic was just a figurehead, then it shouldn’t be a big deal that Pelinka went around him. Either arrangement could be fine, but it was incumbent on ownership to establish clear roles and communicate them to both men, which they plainly did not do.
 

JCizzle

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I'm not sure if magic finally caught on, but this is incredible:


"Getting my skinny pop popcorn ready for Milwaukee versus Toronto! I think I’m going to go with sea salt & pepper."
 

Tony C

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Yeah, Magic has been exposed as egotistical ball of fluff. Pelinka as a lying backstabber. Phil Jackson as out of touch with contemporary basketball. And Lord knows what the Rambis' are doing as the apparent court jesters in Lakerland.

But at the end of the day this is on Jeannie Buss. She did a good job being cutthroat in getting rid of her brother, but hasn't followed up by setting up clean, clear reporting structures and lines of authority.
 

Big John

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Pelinka was Kobe Bryant's long-time agent. Kobe has to be involved in this saga at some level.
 

benhogan

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Pelinka was Kobe Bryant's long-time agent. Kobe has to be involved in this saga at some level.
ESPN presents:
DETAIL starring Ervin "Magic" Johnson from the mind of Kobe Bryant

Kobe: we have video of Magic's parking spot outside of Staples its 10am Monday morning...no car

Kobe: 11am...no car

Kobe: 11:27. Ervin enters Staples with a dozen donuts from Krispy Kreme, and a grande latte from Starbucks. Erv locks himself into his office until the catered lunch appears at 1pm...etc


 

NYCSox

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Jimbodandy

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Ownership is to blame for this imo.

If Magic was really the team President, then Pelinka needed to work with him. If Magic was just a figurehead, then it shouldn’t be a big deal that Pelinka went around him. Either arrangement could be fine, but it was incumbent on ownership to establish clear roles and communicate them to both men, which they plainly did not do.
Great point. Ownership generally is to blame. When people don't know who the boss is, chaos ensues. We have seen that in every team here to some extent. Hell that's basically the 1990s in Boston.
 

lovegtm

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It’s not like you couldn’t have read Magic’s Twitter and seen that he has slightly more insightful basketball analysis than a block of wood.

He’s a really, really, really dumb human being, and it’s hilarious to watch Buss (sorry, independent and talented sportswriter Ramona Shelburne) try and smear him after the fact, as if she didn’t know this when she hired him.

Time for more popcorn.
 

djbayko

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Ownership is to blame for this imo.

If Magic was really the team President, then Pelinka needed to work with him. If Magic was just a figurehead, then it shouldn’t be a big deal that Pelinka went around him. Either arrangement could be fine, but it was incumbent on ownership to establish clear roles and communicate them to both men, which they plainly did not do.
It wasn't just Pelinka though. Magic was upset that she was listening to the Lakers COO. Sure, his argument there is that he was speaking about subjects under his domain. In any case, Magic doesn't have this problem if he wasn't treating the Lakers' President of Basketball Operations as a part time job. The fact that he wasn't able to do anything to mitigate these office politics before it was too late tells me that part is most likely true.
 

chilidawg

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It’s not like you couldn’t have read Magic’s Twitter and seen that he has slightly more insightful basketball analysis than a block of wood.

He’s a really, really, really dumb human being,...
Okay, I'll take objection to this. He may well have mailed it in this job, but everything I've ever seen about the guy wouldn't suggest this is at all true.
 

mauf

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It’s not like you couldn’t have read Magic’s Twitter and seen that he has slightly more insightful basketball analysis than a block of wood.

He’s a really, really, really dumb human being, and it’s hilarious to watch Buss (sorry, independent and talented sportswriter Ramona Shelburne) try and smear him after the fact, as if she didn’t know this when she hired him.

Time for more popcorn.
How can you look at Magic’s business career and conclude he’s not bright?
 

benhogan

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Great point. Ownership generally is to blame. When people don't know who the boss is, chaos ensues. We have seen that in every team here to some extent. Hell that's basically the 1990s in Boston.
6 straight years out of the playoffs, its an ownership issue. This was messy before Erv showed up (or didn't show up). Watching Mr. Laker lob Molotov cocktails on the Laker hierarchy is pure entertainment.
I agree with lovegtm, pass the popcorn
:popcorn:
 

Gunfighter 09

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It’s not like you couldn’t have read Magic’s Twitter and seen that he has slightly more insightful basketball analysis than a block of wood.

He’s a really, really, really dumb human being, and it’s hilarious to watch Buss (sorry, independent and talented sportswriter Ramona Shelburne) try and smear him after the fact, as if she didn’t know this when she hired him.

Time for more popcorn.

Most Billionaires who come from no money or means are idiots, good call.


I haven't seen it mentioned here, so I will say it: If Magic was trying to force the Buss's to sell and just maybe had another group together ready to jump with $4 or $5B to spend on the team, his actions would look much like what he is doing now.
 

ElUno20

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Most Billionaires who come from no money or means are idiots, good call.


I haven't seen it mentioned here, so I will say it: If Magic was trying to force the Buss's to sell and just maybe had another group together ready to jump with $4 or $5B to spend on the team, his actions would look much like what he is doing now.
The way the trust is set up, i think 4 of the kids would have to agree to sell the team. Even then, i think AEG gets first right of refusal.

This is purely ego. He embarrassed himself and now he's shitting on the Lakers.

Btw, watching the interview, it somehow comes out worse than the plain text which is rare. It's usually the other way around.
 

InstaFace

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ESPN presents:
DETAIL starring Ervin "Magic" Johnson from the mind of Kobe Bryant

Kobe: we have video of Magic's parking spot outside of Staples its 10am Monday morning...no car

Kobe: 11am...no car

Kobe: 11:27. Ervin enters Staples with a dozen donuts from Krispy Kreme, and a grande latte from Starbucks. Erv locks himself into his office until the catered lunch appears at 1pm...etc
I just had to apologize to my colleagues for laughing so hard in a meeting. Thanks for nothing, pal.

I thought the kids have been split on the merits of selling for a while now.
The kids in the trust want to sell, but they're bound by Jeannie's decision via drag-along rights IIRC. If Jeannie wants to sell, they'll all sell, but if she doesn't then they'll just have to sit around playing with their $10-20M / year.
 

Bernie Carbohydrate

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The way the trust is set up, i think 4 of the kids would have to agree to sell the team. Even then, i think AEG gets first right of refusal.

This is purely ego. He embarrassed himself and now he's shitting on the Lakers.

Btw, watching the interview, it somehow comes out worse than the plain text which is rare. It's usually the other way around.
A few years ago I had to admit that as a player, Magic had more career value than Bird, and if that you were drafting in, say, 1979, and both Magic and Larry were on the board, you'd pick Magic. I hated admitting it, and it was close, but there it was.

But in terms of all-time NBA accomplishments, including post career? Larry blasts right past Magic. Larry's .687 coaching percentage, Coach of the Year award, Exec of the Year, not carpet-bombing your franchise after you quit...
 

benhogan

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I just had to apologize to my colleagues for laughing so hard in a meeting. Thanks for nothing, pal.


The kids in the trust want to sell, but they're bound by Jeannie's decision via drag-along rights IIRC. If Jeannie wants to sell, they'll all sell, but if she doesn't then they'll just have to sit around playing with their $10-20M / year.
this tire fire is feeding our Laker schadenfreude

need Kobe to weigh in and add some kindling
 

nighthob

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I would hope that we can all agree that the only way for the Lakers to right the ship is to hire Kobe to replace Magic.
 

nighthob

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See, #HisRoyalMajestyPresidentKobe won't take the Rambises fingers' off the pulse, just increase the entertaining chaos for the rest of us.
 

reggiecleveland

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A few years ago I had to admit that as a player, Magic had more career value than Bird, and if that you were drafting in, say, 1979, and both Magic and Larry were on the board, you'd pick Magic. I hated admitting it, and it was close, but there it was.

But in terms of all-time NBA accomplishments, including post career? Larry blasts right past Magic. Larry's .687 coaching percentage, Coach of the Year award, Exec of the Year, not carpet-bombing your franchise after you quit...
In your time machinge draft can you put in Larry's contract he is not allowed to shovel crushed rock? Because he doesn't hurt his back two more good years he surpasses Magic.
 
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MuzzyField

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In your time machinge draft can you put in Larry's contract shovel crushed rock? Because he doesn't hurt his back two more good years he surpasses Magic.
Amen!
I drove from Athens, Ohio to Detroit to see the Celtics for a game at the Silverdome in March of 87 that until Jordan visited the Hawks at the Georgia Dome on one of his retirement tours was the largest crowd to attend an NBA game, 30+ thousand. Eating breakfast we discovered that Larry didn't make the trip due to a back sprain while doing yard work. Ainge carried the load and they lost in OT. Fred Roberts, not quite able to fill the Bird shoes.

We called an audible and drove to Cleveland in April to see Bird, and we did, he scored 26! Too bad the Celtics were blown away by the last place Cavs. I blamed Muck Fiami alum Ron Harper.
 
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Kliq

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So the Bucks dumped Jason Kidd and hired Budenholzer, whose coaching and system helped turn Giannis into the likely MVP and may take Milwuakee to the NBA Finals in his first year. But Giannis is going to ditch that, to go play for the dysfunctional Lakers because his former, underachieving coach, is an assistant there; all the while hoping Giannis turns down an extension that will make him more money that the entire Greek economy.
 

DisgruntledSoxFan77

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So the Bucks dumped Jason Kidd and hired Budenholzer, whose coaching and system helped turn Giannis into the likely MVP and may take Milwuakee to the NBA Finals in his first year. But Giannis is going to ditch that, to go play for the dysfunctional Lakers because his former, underachieving coach, is an assistant there; all the while hoping Giannis turns down an extension that will make him more money that the entire Greek economy.
Sounds about right...
 

the moops

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It is well documented that Kidd work extensively with Giannis in his first few years and there is a great relationship between the two. I dont think that means all that much though
 

snowmanny

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A few years ago I had to admit that as a player, Magic had more career value than Bird, and if that you were drafting in, say, 1979, and both Magic and Larry were on the board, you'd pick Magic. I hated admitting it, and it was close, but there it was.
That's fine, but there was no question Bird was pretty much universally regarded as the better player each of the first 7 years. ROY followed by 2-2-2-1-1-1 in MVP voting while Magic went 11-8-3-3-2-3. 1987 Bird was still great but Magic took a step up and then Bird started to get hurt so the last 6 years went to Magic. I'm quite sure I'd still take Bird but have him shoot more threes.
 

Jimbodandy

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That's fine, but there was no question Bird was pretty much universally regarded as the better player each of the first 7 years. ROY followed by 2-2-2-1-1-1 in MVP voting while Magic went 11-8-3-3-2-3. 1987 Bird was still great but Magic took a step up and then Bird started to get hurt so the last 6 years went to Magic. I'm quite sure I'd still take Bird but have him shoot more threes.
Word. I don't take issue with anyone making a case for Magic's total career being better, given how badly Larry fell off the cliff and the ring counts. But if you're drafting a player, you'll take Larry's first eight years every day and twice on Sunday and worry about who has a better golden age later.
 

Captaincoop

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I wasn't going to get into it in this thread, but since we've gone there...

If six years went to Magic, then you have to be including his silly comeback when Bird was retired.

I see three years when they both played at all and Magic had a better season, and Bird played no more than 60 games (and as few as 6) in those seasons.

Up through 87-88, Bird was the guy. Overall, Bird was the guy.
 

moondog80

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