Magic Johnson has high praise for Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, called Pelinka the “No. 1 GM in the NBA this offseason,” he told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times in a wide-ranging interview.
Johnson was impressed with Pelinka’s trade deadline acquisitions, which propelled the Lakers into the playoffs and all the way to the conference finals. This offseason, Pelinka has re-signed Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell, and added Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish and Jaxson Hayes.
“I think he followed it up with another outstanding job, first from the trade deadline and then he kept it going in the summer,” the Hall of Famer and former Lakers executive said. “He did better than anybody in the summer. All the moves he made, he was the No. 1 GM in the NBA this offseason. No question about it. All the guys that we signed will help (LeBron James) and the other guys because now we are deeper. Rob is going to be executive of the year.”
Johnson sees the Lakers as a serious contender for the title.
“This is a Western Conference championship team. We could actually win everything if we can stay healthy,” he said. “This team has a real shot. … It’s not going to be easy for Denver to repeat, even though you always got to pick the champion as the favorite right now, and I do. But the Lakers, Memphis with the trades they made, Phoenix and Golden State, and Sacramento and Denver, man, the West is going to be hard.”
Johnson is part of the ownership group that purchased the Washington Commanders of the NFL. Johnson said he has ties to Washington, D.C. than many people don’t realize.
“I’ve done business there in Washington, D.C.,” Johnson said. “And I told this story — and people forget this — I was the last person [former Lakers owner] Jack Kent Cooke signed and he had to sign me so that he could then sell the team to Dr. Buss [in 1979]. So, when Dr. Buss wrote him that check, he needed that check to buy the Washington Redskins. It’s that crazy. People don’t know that. That [$67.5 million] went a long way. So, I guess it’s destiny that I’m supposed to be a part of this because I’ve done so much in the city.”
Clearly he didn’t see what the sixers did this off season.
Morey is always C O O K I N G
Yeah, the 76ers 2nd round exits are always “C O O K I N G” too
Darryl Morey the most overrated mediocre GM of this era. Guy wants to hang banners for being second to Golden State every year
Yeah, I’ve never understood the hype behind Morey…
What moves has he actually made that were so great?? What team has he built that really won anything??
Morey is by far the most overrated GM in the game. His teams have never made a Finals and he’s just made trades for stars that any other GM could/would have made, but they haven’t worked out because the stars… aren’t as good as he thinks.
They were always going to make the top 5 CBS list just based on how much they had to spend and RFA/bird rights held
The only real free agency (work) was Vincent Prince Hayes and CR – Id give them a solid B there per price points
Robs last deadline deserves the praise moreso and a strong hat tip to the other 29 teams who put near minimal pressure on DLO Rui and Reaves in the marketplace
*Still a little bummed Naz signed that team friendly deal w minny , him on the MLE woulda been electric imo and they coulda offered a starting role and 95% of the money he got
A former lakers legend praising what his team has done wow…..
Lakers needed to make those moves earlier, everyone and there dog knew lakers didn’t have enough pre all those trades. As for this offseason, I think Gabe Vincent is massively overrated. Undersized, can’t shoot, not a playmaker just a hard worker. Reddish is going to get 27 minutes per game like he did in Portland on a tanking team, again another poor shooter just has upside. Hayes been underwhelming for a couple years even as a back up. However I do like Prince as a role player. Could’ve done a lot better really. Losing Denis is a loss,
Jae Crowder would’ve been a better pick up than Prince, Miles Bridges would’ve been a really solid get there had you tried that route. JaMychal Green is still sitting there waiting he could be handy, Andre Drummond would’ve been solid had he hit the market. Idk if your building for a championship I think you’ll fall short again, it looks as if your building for the future post LeBron which I suppose isn’t the worst idea ….
Not prejudiced at all, completely objective statement
Hate to say it but it’s probably true. Either them or the Rockets.
The GM of the Team LeBron is always the Man in the Arena. I think he’s done a very good job overall. Never a popular view among the 2k’ers here, but I usually consider them a good contraindicator. He’s had one bad offseason, with the RW deal, and that was tough to unwind. Almost all his other significant deals have looked pretty good from a risk/reward perspective. Whether or not they worked out. He gets some credit for volume, not easy when you’re making win-now moves while seeking to maintain flexibility.
They get a F
Pelinka did make good moves, but most of it was undoing the damage from earlier stupid moves made by the same guy. Can’t just look at the deadline and ignore how he got there.
I remember when everyone was saying the Lakers won the 2020 offseason. Look how that turned out.