WASHINGTON — Hall of Famer Magic Johnson has rejoined the Lakers as an adviser reporting directly to owner Jeanie Buss, the team announced Thursday. Johnson, who is a part-owner of the Dodgers, will be involved in all facets of the organization, including business and basketball, player evaluation and development and broader franchise needs.
The announcement comes just weeks after reports of Johnson meeting with Buss to discuss the future of the Lakers, which Johnson told the Southern California News Group was not uncommon. Johnson sat with Buss at the Lakers game against Denver on Jan. 17.
Johnson, who won five championships with the Lakers from 1980-88, is widely considered one of, if not the, greatest Lakers player in history. He is one of three players to be honored with a statue outside of Staples Center.
In recent years, however, his relationship with the organization had grown complicated.
He sold his 4.5 percent stake in the Lakers in 2010 and in June was removed from the team’s staff directory, where he had been liste as a “vice president.” That purely ceremonial designation was scrubbed at Johnson’s request, the team said at the time, “in hopes of clarifying any confusion” over his relationship with the team.
Johnson regularly took to Twitter to question the decisions of Lakers Executive Vice President Jim Buss, criticizing the executive for past coaching hires and being unable to restore the Lakers to a championship level.
In a statement, Johnson said he has considered other management opportunities in the past, however, the Lakers were his “first and only choice.”
“I will do everything in my power to help return the Lakers to their rightful place among the elite teams of the NBA,” Johnson said.
It is significant that Johnson, a longtime critic of Jim Buss, is coming aboard now, at the end of Jim Buss’s three-year timeline to build the Lakers back into Western Conference contenders. Jeanie Buss is expected to decide after this season whether to replace her brother atop basketball operations.
Johnson’s role is vague, although the organization said Johnson will spend time at the Lakers El Segundo headquarters.
“We are thrilled and honored to add Magic’s expertise and abilities,” Jeanie Buss said in the statement, “and I look forward to working with him.”
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