From Jerry West to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Kobe and Shaq and of course, Magic Johnson, the Los Angeles Lakers have been blessed to have multiple superstars wear the purple and gold over the years. Magic is now the team’s president, and he wants to bring another superstar back to the team.
Johnson joined Rodney Peete and Fred Roggin on AM 570 in Los Angeles on Monday and talked about his goals with the Lakers. One of the first things he wants to do is change the culture, which he knows won’t be easy.
“First you got to change the culture. It’s easy to say ‘Hey, we’re going to clean house.’ It’s easy to say that, but it’s not easy to do,” Johnson told the hosts.
“I think what we have to do first is change the culture in terms of holding everybody accountable. And then make sure they understand that we’re here to win. I’m not here to lose. I want to win. I want to win for them, I want to win for Lakers fans all over the world. We have to commit ourselves to playing hard every night, fighting every night, and to improve.”
Roggin then mentioned the franchise’s history of having stars and asked about Magic’s plans to bring in a new one. Johnson indicated that whether it’s via the draft, a trade, or something else, the team wants another star in place.
“We’re going to look at every scenario. We’re going to look at every option. This town and this team — the Lakers — have always had a superstar. And that’s what we’re going to try to bring in here.”
One of the most logical ways the Lakers would be able to add a star would be through the draft. They have a top-3 protected pick this year, so they won’t know until the lottery whether or not they’ll be picking high. If they are, that could result in them getting the franchise-changing player Magic desires.
