Magic Johnson, a regular on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show, discussed his transition from a longtime Los Angeles Lakers fan to becoming the president of the team, including rules, obligations, and his knowledge of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement that will kick in this offseason.
While discussing a potential re-write of the 2011 Chris Paul trade to the Lakers (which was nixed by the league) and the potential to add Indiana Pacers star forward Paul George to the equation, Johnson was his usual candid self.
The Lakers legend discussed what would happen if he and George were to cross paths while on vacation this offseason.
“We're gonna say ‘hi,' because we know each other,” Johnson told Kimmel. “You just can't say, ‘hey, I want you to come to the Lakers,' even though I'm going to be wink-winking, like (winks). You know what that means, right?”
The fact that he is aware of the rules will not make him any less eager to pull the strings necessary to get George to the Lakers, but he will have to operate carefully within the confines of league rules to not conflict with its tampering.
The Palmdale native has been linked to the Lakers in this year's trade deadline and could possibly be in purple and gold sooner than anticipated, according to how the offseason plays out and in what position Los Angeles ends up drafting this summer.