Magic Johnson's brief stint as President of Basketball Operations of the Los Angeles Lakers was marred with controversy, and if he does have one regret about his tenure, it's not hiring his own people.
In an appearance on SportsCenter on Tuesday, Johnson opened up about the recent ESPN report that claims he was abusive to Lakers employees. During the segment, the NBA Hall of Famer then went on to share what he would have done differently in his two years in the Purple and Gold front office.
Article Continues Below“I would've hired my own people from the beginning,” said Magic, who resigned from his post with the Lakers before their final regular season game.
“The one thing I didn't get to do is hire everybody that wanted. Rob [Pelinka] & I got put together. I inherited Luke Walton, so I didn't get to hire my own people.”
It's worth noting that the Lakers front office had problems with Luke Walton's coaching staff, primarily because the former coach didn't hire a seasoned former head coach as his top assistant.
Moreover, in his recent no-holds-barred appearance on ESPN's First Take, Johnson expressed his dismay over the organization's hesitance to let go of Walton as head coach midway through the season. While Magic wanted to fire Luke, he wasn't able to because the top brass hoped things would work out.
Johnson's frustration about personnel decisions is clear, and his latest comment is further proof of that. The Lakers have to move on without Magic, and they could only hope that they have the right people now.