STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

The Lakers Just Made a Huge Announcement About Magic Johnson

The NBA Hall of Famer has just taken on a new role with the purple and gold.

Magic Johnson definitely has some clout.

Shortly after being named an adviser to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this month, the Hall of Famer and five-time NBA champion spoke about his desire to "call the shots" for the franchise during an appearance on ESPN's First Take just last week.

Well, the organization heard its former legendary player loud and clear, naming him the president of basketball operations on Tuesday in a splashy set of announcements, which also included letting the longtime Lakers general manager, Mitch Kupchak, go and removing Jim Buss from his post as the EVP of basketball operations.

As of now, it's unclear whether Johnson's role as Lakers president will have him in charge of the team's day-to-day operations or if the franchise will hire a new GM.

But it's more than clear that Johnson has power, assuming this position a week after letting it be known that he would love to be Lakers president.

The next question could be, will Kobe Bryant be the next Lakers' legend added to the franchise's front office?

During Johnson's appearance on First Take, he didn't hesitate, saying, "Oh, the first call I'd make — if I'm in charge — Kobe Bryant because Kobe understands winning, he understands also these players." 

Johnson even went as far as to say that he'd offer his fellow five-time champion any role he wanted.

With Magic Johnson calling the shots, are the Lakers about to make some trade-deadline moves?

Even if they stand pat, you'd think it's going to be a hot summer in LA for the purple and gold.

BET Sports News — Get the latest news and information about African-Americans in sports, including weekly recaps, celebrity news and photos of your favorite Black athletes.

Latest News

Subscribe for BET Updates

Provide your email address to receive our newsletter.


By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. You understand that you can unsubscribe at any time.