Magic Johnson visited superstar LeBron James and agent Rich Paul on Saturday, but the NBA legend did not talk about his plan to quit as Los Angeles Lakers president.
Accroding to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Johnson didn;'t give any indication that he will quit the organization during his visit to LeBron and his agent.
Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka visited with LeBron James and agent Rich Paul on Saturday, league sources tell ESPN. Johnson offered no indication that he was on the brink of bailing on the Lakers, sources said.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 10, 2019
Magic Johnson announced that he will be leaving his post because he is no longer happy. The decision came as a huge surprise, as most fans and basketball analysts are looking forward to how Johnson will transform the Lakers into a contender in the next several seasons.
His decision to step down might have a direct impact on LeBron James because it was Johnson who primarily convinced the four-time Most Valuable Player to sign with the Lakers. The Hall of Fame guard was reportedly the first one to visit James minutes after the free-agency period started last year.
It remains to be seen how James and his camp would react to the surprising announcement from Johnson. The Lakers are looking to make a big splash again in free agency or trade market this summer with Magic at the helm. They have enough cap space to add one more superstar to pair with James.
Los Angeles also has young players and future picks, which they can use in trades for another superstar. It can be remembered that Johnson tried hard to strike a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans before the trade deadline in February, but the Pels eventually opted to keep disgruntled superstar Anthony Davis for the rest of the season.
James' first season in Los Angeles did not go as planned. The Lakers failed to make the playoffs this season, and will likely finish tenth in the Western Conference.
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