Magic Johnson’s tenure as President of the Los Angeles Lakers somehow keeps getting worse.
ESPN published a lengthy and in-depth report from Baxter Holmes covering the two-year debacle of Magic Johnson and General Manager Rob Pelinka being in control of the Lakers’ basketball operations. Among many damning details in the story is that Johnson berated a long-time Lakers employee for a mistake she made at work, which led to her having panic attacks at work and having to eventually see a therapist.
The report cites multiple employees as sources backing up the story and claiming additional employees had to begin seeking medical treatment for increased anxiety stemming from working with both Johnson and Pelinka.
The piece also dives into the friction between Johnson and Pelinka, the two’s propensity for making unilateral personnel decisions and the fallout of Magic abruptly quitting the job on the last night of the season in a bizarre impromptu press conference with assembled media, before he had even officially resigned to Lakers owner Jeanie Buss.
It is a worthwhile read and does a good job of painting the picture of why Johnson’s tenure in LA didn’t work out.
Magic has certainly done many amazing things in basketball, business and philanthropy, but his time as Lakers President will be remembered as one of his lowest basketball points.
