Lakers president Magic Johnson says Luke Walton’s job is safe despite a highly publicized meeting last week where the need for improvement was emphasized, relays Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. That meeting started rumors that Walton may not survive the first month of the season, but Johnson said a coaching change isn’t in the team’s plans.
“Yeah, we’re not going to fire him,” Johnson said Sunday night. “[The meeting last week with Walton] wasn’t even a meeting about that. We just have to be better, and that was it.”
Johnson added that something drastic would have to happen for Walton to be replaced, but declined to speculate what that might be, responding, “No, not going into that. He’s our coach, we’re supporting him, and that’s it.”
Johnson said the meeting with Walton, which came after a 2-5 start, was to discuss issues that were plaguing the team, especially on defense where the Lakers are among the worst in the league. L.A. responded with back-to-back wins, but was embarrassed by the Raptors last night, falling behind 41-10 on the way to a double-digit loss.
Before the game, Walton told reporters that he has been receiving messages of encouragement, but added that the public reaction won’t affect his approach to coaching.
“I have my job to coach this team and the support is nice, obviously, whether it is coming from my dad or it is coming from another coach,” Walton said. “It’s nice, but it doesn’t change what I am doing as far as the job and coaching this team and these players. It doesn’t influence that at all.
“… My job is hard, but it is a lot of fun. I love my job. And nothing changed. It didn’t get any harder.”
Walton is 65-109 since taking over the Lakers at the start of the 2016/17 season, but with the signing of LeBron James this is the first year he has had the talent to compete for a playoff spot.
Westbrook and George to the Lakers for Ingram,Kuzma,Ball, and Wagner. Get my boy Ingram and Lonzo away from LeCancer Lames so they could get their careers back. Let LeBron have his two superstars, they are both locked into 4-5 year deals just like him and let’s move on.
Dude are you ever going to go away? You are the biggest troll I’ve ever seen. Guaranteed LeBron going back to Miami, then to the Clippers, now he’s a cancer? Get outta here
Plot twist. It’s someone pretending to be Dionis lmao
I said I’ll go away if the Lakers make the playoffs.
The thunder would never agree to this joke of a trade. Regardless, salaries don’t match either.
To get Westbrook and George the Lakers would have to throw in LeCancer too. Scottie Pippen says Magic might want to coach LeCancer himself.
U smoking thats not happening at all.
Whatever it takes to get the Lakers to make playoffs and you have to leave as you said you would. Once you said you would leave website if Lakers made playoffs I became a Lakers fan. Then you can move on, sooner rather than later we can only hope and you can go back to attending the Troll conventions.
Nah man I’m straight, a bet is a bet. I’ll stay out forever.
I love Magic but he’s starting to come off as a jackass. He’s not there day to day, he needs to keep his mouth shut instead of constantly trying to make headlines. You signed LeBron, this is LeBrons team now. Unless/until Bron falls off, any coaching changes or suggestions thereof shoyld be coming from Bron and no one else. Not a big Bron fan, but he’s earned that level of sway.
He hasn’t earned nothing quite honestly. All 3 of his titles were won by other players(Allen,Kyrie, and Battier,Miller,Chalmers, and Wade).
Let’s not forget ALL LeBron’s titles were in the Eastern Conference. When with Miami they faced the Pacers for the conference title. The Pacers had a lineup of Hibbert, George, West, Stehenson, and Hill.
Last season he faced the Celtics minus Kyrie and Hayward. WOW!
And Chris Bosh. He was LeBron’s whipping boy.
Yes Magic comes off really poorly—to the point that the Lakers should seriously consider firing HIM.
U smoking dude Lebrin is the problem on the court.Lakers are horrible with him on the court. Magic wants to fire Luke cause he didn’t hire him. Lebron is a problem and he will find out the West is a different animal.
U smoking dude Lebron is the problem on the court.Lakers are horrible with him on the court. Magic wants to fire Luke cause he didn’t hire him. Lebron is a problem and he will find out the West is a different animal.
PSA
It’s not worth your time to respond to Dionis’ comments. They are baseless, unsupported opinions, nothing more. Let’s all do these forums a favor and not validate further comments with a response. Thank you.
Someone put it out there that Walton’s seat was at least getting warm. Magic at least threw Walton a brush back pitch or permitted one to be thrown.
Once again, a coach or player of a LeBron led team gets thrown under the bus? How does he get away with this? It’s not the coaches fault you’re losing, LeBron. It’s YOUR FAULT. Own that ish and be a leader for once. Magic deserves more blame than anyone because he put this roster together. Did they actually think they would smash people with that roster? LeJoke’s on you if you did.