Recent Lakers rumors are that Magic Johnson endorsed Tyronn Lue for the head coaching job.
With a lot of Lakers rumors circulating this offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers have been focusing on improving after a poor 2018-19 season.
Since the Lakers fell short of their goals this season, there has been a lot of change as expected. One of the surprise moves, however, was the resignation of Magic Johnson as the president of basketball operations.
This move came as a surprise to everyone during an impromptu press conference before the final game of the season for the Lakers. Johnson didn’t seem to be happy in the role, and he didn’t seem to be as committed to it as the Lakers needed him to be for success.
Even though Johnson resigned, Jeanie Buss still values his opinion. As the Lakers have been going through their coaching search, Johnson gave his endorsement to Tyronn Lue according to a report from Brad Turner and Tania Ganguli of the LA Times.
"Johnson and Buss had a dinner Thursday night during which they discussed Buss’ pending decision. Even though Johnson abruptly resigned as the president of basketball operations on April 9, Buss still considers him a close confidante and values his opinion on the direction of the franchise. Johnson expressed his support for Lue and impressed upon Buss how difficult a feat it is to make three consecutive NBA Finals appearances, the source said."
The Lakers appear like they will be hiring Lue soon after Monty Williams went to the Phoenix Suns. Lue might have been the favorite all along for the job, and it looks like the Lakers will be getting their man.
Even though Johnson resigned, it seems like Buss still certainly values his opinion, and he might have some sort of role behind the scenes helping out. While Lue might not have been the first choice of many, he has reached the NBA Finals three straight times with James.
Doing this is no easy task, and Johnson seemed to have stressed that to Buss. Since the Lakers have James, they obviously have high expectations. While year one with James might not have gone according to plan, the Lakers are still in a strong position to bounce back next season.
With a good core, cap space, and a lottery pick, the Lakers can easily reach the playoffs next season. If it weren’t for all of the injuries this past season, they likely would have made it this year.
Now, it will be up to Lue to help lead them to the playoffs and stop the lengthy drought. As of now, it seems like many have endorsed him for the job, including Magic.