OT: Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka
This (Magic Johnson and Pelinka) news is all over the WWW but I thought it might make a nice break from Searchbits and associated board posts. Here are two takes from SI:
https://www.si.com/nba/2019/05/20/magic-johnson-lakers-rob-pelinka-jeanie-buss-lebron-james
In fairness, it depends on which max player we're talking about. If Anthony Davis is the max player then you absolutely do it because he's young enough to be your franchise player for years to come post-Lebron. Same thing with Kawhi Leonard. In my opinion, you simply don't pass up top 5 players, regardless of the asking price, especially with GS breaking up the band and Houston on a treadmill with the worst contract in the NBA and a coach not capable of winning a championship.
Wouldn't it be something if the Cavs orchestrated a #5 and Love for LeBron deal?
That gives LA two top-five picks to then flip to NO for Davis. And then Kawhi signs!
Wolverine-Spartan rivalry, played out over the decades, and now in the Lakers front office.
Magic is an idiot and Pelinka has garnered no trust in the NBA before becoming an exec.
This was doomed to fail. Pelinka was a great agent and should probably go back to that. And Magic should just go back to tweeting
Magic has succeeded in his behind the scenes post playing roles. The ones in the public eye - Lakers, Dodgers, talk show etc - he's pretty much flat out failed. Not surprised to see him take a shot at someone else.
Certainly I'm biased to love Magic, but I've got no preconceived notions about Pelinka either way. That said, based on the reports I've read, his rep around the league is that of an utter snake.
Magic sucking and Pelinka sucking are not mutually exclusive.
Pelinka was always an interesting hire. He’s spent his entire career trying to negotiate with GMs and front office people to get the most money for his clients, demanding trades, advising players to leave or go etc. It was always going to be hard to turn around his reputation amongst other front office execs.
"Here's the story of girl named Jeannie.
She ran the Lakers with five boys of her own.
But not one of them,
Really knows what he's doing.
So she was all alone.
The Laker Bunch!
The Laker Bunch!
That's they way they destroyed the Laker Bunch!"
I actually suspect two of them know what they're doing, but... don't let that get in the way of poetic license. Well done.
"Like LeBron being benched for the final weeks of the season, so are the days of our lives...."
Raises a etiquette question, is it better manners to complain about a worthless MSU grad coworker behind their back or to their face?
Raises a etiquette question, is it better manners to complain about a worthless MSU grad coworker behind their back or to their face?
Tough situation for Rob: having to manage two of the most powerful and influential people in the sport, both with many diva-like tendencies. To assume there wasn't going to be over the top drama would be silly. I don't think there was any way to avoid this inevitability... except to have avoided it altogether.
Too late for that.
Hot Take: The Lakers should trade Lebron for a young star.
Offer Lebron to Philadelphia for Ben Simmons. Or to Boston for Jayson Tatum. Or to the Nuggets for Jamal Murray.
Maybe they don't accept. But maybe they do! And if they do you've put Lebron in a better spot to win while also setting yourself up for a better future.
The Lakers are never winning a title with Lebron because no one other than AD wants to go the Lakers and he can only get there via trade. And Lebron has already started slipping a bit. Its only going to get worse.
Except LeBron wants to be in LA to make the transition to his business career easier. He's not there because he wants to win more titles
I believe he lacks a no-trade clause so it doesn't even matter.
Basically, Magic told Jeanie Buss that he'd take the job but wouldn't be around very much because of his other businesses. Then Pelinka, supposedly, said Magic wasn't there very much and Magic got pissed and quit.
The whole organization, outside of LeBron, is a disaster right now. Like a bad soap opera or something.