Magic Johnson's terrible Lakers tenure ends with an embarrassment of epic proportions

Joe Morgan

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Magic Johnson's terrible Lakers tenure ends with an embarrassment of epic proportions image

LeBron James knew his attempt to turn around the Lakers was going to be difficult, but there’s no way he knew he would end up in this kind of circus.

In one of the most bizarre moments we’ve seen in recent NBA history, Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson announced Tuesday evening he was stepping down immediately, addressing the media before the team's regular-season finale against the Trail Blazers.

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Tuesday was supposed to be the merciful end to a disastrous first season with James in Los Angeles, but there was reason for hope. Johnson promised to land at least one other superstar this summer to help James compete in the loaded Western Conference. He had visions of restoring the Lakers brand and bringing back "Showtime" vibes.

Instead, Johnson decided that quitting on his organization was the best option.

"I had more fun on the other side than on this side," Johnson said during his impromptu press conference. "Because now, tomorrow, I would have to affect someone’s livelihood and their lives. That’s not fun for me. That’s not who I am. I want to go back to having fun."

What exactly did Johnson think this job entailed? He accepted the president title fully knowing the duties and responsibilities. The Lakers are always in championship-or-bust mode, something he learned as a player. A little over two years in, he didn't just fall short of expectations — he failed spectacularly, leaving the franchise in embarrassing fashion.

A brief history of his marquee moves...

— Johnson decided to trade D'Angelo Russell back in 2017 after just two short seasons in LA. At the time, the move didn’t look terrible, as Russell had not made significant strides in his early years. 

But after a season in which Russell earned an All-Star nod for the first time and led the Nets to a surprising playoff berth, it's clear Johnson made the wrong call. He couldn't even stop himself from bringing up the old maturity criticism he had for Russell years ago.

— In 2017, when Paul George requested a trade from Indiana, he made it abundantly clear that he intended to eventually join the Lakers. Los Angeles didn't acquire George via trade, but Johnson did receive a fat tampering fine from the league office for openly talking about George. 

Fast forward to free agency in 2018, and the Lakers weren’t even granted a meeting. (By the way, George hit the game-winner for Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.)

— The decision to select Lonzo Ball with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft wasn't a shocker, as the UCLA guard was a highly-regarded prospect.

However, reports have since surfaced saying Johnson may have preferred De'Aaron Fox over Ball. It also hurts to know Jayson Tatum was the very next pick in that draft. Both Fox and Tatum have shown much more potential to this point, but more importantly, they've been able to stay on the court and avoid injuries, unlike Ball.

— Then there was a plethora of head-scratching decisions over the past year. Johnson and the Lakers allowed Julius Randle to walk for nothing. They easily could have re-signed Brook Lopez, who has been a key cog in the Bucks' rotation.

Despite the LeBron-plus-shooters formula leading to success with James' previous teams, Johnson signed Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee and Michael Beasley in the offseason. And at the trade deadline, the Lakers inexplicably sent Ivaca Zubac across the hall to the Clippers in order to obtain the services of... Mike Muscala.

— Oh, right. The Anthony Davis debacle at the deadline. That whole thing left a giant fracture in the locker room, and Johnson's response was to essentially tell his players to toughen up.

MORE: Magic's bizarre press conference in 10 quotes

As it turns out, Johnson was never fit for the job, and he never seemed particularly interested in doing the work.

He departs the Lakers at the most inopportune time. He couldn’t stomach making a difficult decision on the future of coach Luke Walton. He leaves that to general manager Rob Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss. With his free-agency promises looking bleaker by the day, he preferred to bail rather than face the prospect of striking out this summer.

By proclaiming that the Lakers organization has a bright future ahead, he takes zero responsibility for the mess he's left behind.

Johnson will always be remembered as one of the greatest Lakers of all time, perhaps the greatest to ever wear the purple and gold. His time on the floor will never be forgotten.

But his time in the front office will be viewed as a complete and utter failure. The only thing Johnson has from his brief tenure is the hope that the past two years will not tarnish the rest of his Lakers legacy.

Joe Morgan