With the Los Angeles Lakers mired in the worst years in franchise history, owner Jeanie Buss has turned to Magic Johnson to lead them back to championship contention.
And she removed her own brother from his job to do it.
Jeanie Buss fired General Manager Mitch Kupchak on Tuesday and put Johnson in charge of basketball operations. Jim Buss also was dismissed as the Lakers’ executive vice president of basketball operations in a major shake-up of the struggling team’s front office.
Jim Buss retains his ownership stake in the team, but Jeanie Buss has final say under the structure set up by their late father, Jerry Buss. She used it to chart a new course for the 16-time champion franchise, which has the NBA’s third-worst record at 19-39.
The Lakers are almost certain to miss the playoffs for a team-record fourth straight season, and they posted the worst record in team history during each of the previous three years.
Just 19 days after Johnson returned to the Lakers in an executive role, Jeanie Buss decided the Hall of Fame point guard will be the Lakers’ decision-maker in basketball operations despite no experience as a personnel executive. Johnson is the Lakers’ new president of basketball operations, reporting directly to Jeanie Buss, and it appears that Johnson is moving quickly to surround himself with a team to help his transition.
According to a person with knowledge of the situation, prominent agent Rob Pelinka has begun informing his clients that he plans to leave Landmark Sports Agency to become the Lakers GM.
• The Lakers swung their first deal of the Magic Johnson Era just hours after announcing the transition, agreeing to send Lou Williams to Houston for Corey Brewer and a future draft pick.
Williams led the Lakers in scoring at 18.6 points per game, playing off the bench. Brewer was averaging 4.2 points for Houston.
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