With the NBA currently in its All-Star break and some 50 games into the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers which consists mostly of a young crop of talent, are enjoying some time off the court in preparation of the final stretch. But while the team sent zero players to participate in the actual All-Star Game itself, the organization has remained every bit as busy in the front-office. And on Tuesday, team owner Jeanie Buss made the announcement that both Mitch Kupchak who had been with the Lakers organization since 1981, including six years as a player before spending the last two plus decades in the front-office as general manager, and Jim Buss (executive vice president of basketball operations) would be relieved of their duties. And the man Jeanie would replace her own brother with is one that knows the Lakers franchise as well as anyone -- Mr. Earvin "Magic" Johnson. After helping lead them to five NBA titles in the 80's, Magic isn't quite done helping the Lakers return to being the dominant franchise he remembers them as.
The move to bring Johnson aboard is a seismic shift in the landscape of the Lakers organization and is one Jeanie Buss says she should've made years ago as the franchise is suffering from its worst playoff drought in team history which will reach four consecutive seasons come seasons end. And in just his first day on the job, Johnson wasted little time before making phone calls to get a deal done just days before Thursday's trade deadline as he shipped guard Lou Williams to the Houston Rockets in exchange for small forward Corey Brewer and a first round pick in this year's draft. Williams, a former Sixth Man of the Year Award winner in 2015 with the Toronto Raptors, is having the best year of his career while averaging 18.6 points per game coming off the bench. With the Rockets (40-18) being one of the better teams not only in the Western Conference this year but in the entire Association, the acquisition of Williams provides depth to a team already stacked with shooters including Eric Gordon who won Saturday's Three-Point shooting Contest and is second in the league in points off the bench, trailing only his new teammate.
The trade figures to help both teams as the Lakers add another draft pick in their ongoing efforts to rebuild and Houston adds another shooter which now gives them the top two highest scorers coming off the bench. Not to mention Rockets superstar James Harden gets some much appreciated help while leading the league in assists per game (11.3) and trailing only Russell Westbrook and Isaiah Thomas for the scoring title. With the Western Conference looked at as being Golden State's to lose, Houston is one of the teams that isn't expected to stand in the way of the Warriors but at least stands a punchers chance and could cause problems for the back-to-back Western Conference Champions come playoff time.
Back to the Lakers, Los Angeles is suffering yet another disappointing season at 19-39, one win better than the Phoenix Suns for the worst record in the West and third worst overall, but has already surpassed last season's win total of 17-65 under first-year head coach Luke Walton. After a fast start to the season which saw L.A. win six of its first ten games for the first time since the 2011-12 season, Walton's team has taken a step back whether that be a result of a series of injuries they've endured or the young guys are experiencing exhaustion while still getting acclimated to the grind of the NBA season. Or perhaps a combination of the two. Moving forward, Johnson promised in his interview with Spectrum Sportsnet that when it comes time to making a pitch to a player in the free-agent process, that it won't be about telling old stories about the organization's past success during the Showtime Lakers or the Kobe-led Lakers, but rather "the new Lakers." For me personally, this comes off as especially important considering its an area that Kupchak struck out in numerous times in the past few seasons when attempting to lure star players via free agency. With a new GM expected to be announced in the coming days, only time will tell if the hiring of Magic will pay off. But at least for now it's a hire that ensures Lakers fans they've got someone in the drivers seat who cares dearly about the organization and one who will give it his all to try and right the ship in Tinsletown just like he did on the court.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
As we learned on Friday, for some people, money isn't everything. At least not to 13-year NBA veteran David West who elected to ditch a hefty payday for a better chance at hoisting a Larry O'Brien trophy. With a $12 Million dollar player-option to re-sign with the Indiana Pacers, West instead chose to sign with the San Antonio Spurs for the veteran minimum of $1.4 Million, leaving more than $10 Million on the table to head west. West, a former AP Player of the Year while attending Xavier University and 2-time All-Star while a member of the New Orleans Hornets where he spent the first 8 years of his career before signing with Indiana in 2011, averaged 11.7 points and 6.8 rebounds with the Pacers a season ago.
Facing the twilight of his career and having earned over $50 Million dollars in contracts, West can ill-afford another unsuccessful season at the age of 34 and has reached the point in his career where the cost of winning far outweighs the amount of dollar signs. Just two years removed from an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals with the Indiana Pacers who nearly took the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat to the brink of elimination in a deciding Game 7 which Indiana went on to lose, the Pacers figured to be the next up and coming team in the east. But over the course of the next few months, the state of Indiana basketball would be altered when the team's star player Paul George suffered a freak injury in a U.S.A. Men's Basketball scrimmage which left George with a compound fracture in his right leg and the Pacers on the outside looking in on the 2014-15 playoff picture. What was once touted to be a true title contender for many years to come, was instead put on hold with George's playing career in question.
With the uncertainty regarding the future of the Pacers franchise depending on the health of its star player and a question mark hovering over whether or not the team would ever be as good as they were in 2013-14, West's decision was made a bit easier. What may come off as a head-scratcher for many, just might end up being a good decision that pays dividends given the Spurs also landed the most coveted piece in all of free-agency when 4-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge agreed to a four-year, $80 Million dollar deal with the Spurs. With San Antonio's roster aging but still very much a threat in the west prior to Aldridge's signing, the acquisition of the big man and Texas alum automatically catapults the Spurs back to the top of the Western Conference alongside the reigning NBA Champion Golden State Warriors. While money is certainly something that West left on the table, it isn't the only thing as him signing with the Spurs also means he'll have to accept a lesser role by coming off the bench and no longer starting like he's grown accustomed to throughout his NBA career. Another decision that may come off as questionable to some but could be one that benefits West and prolongs his career in the long run.
Whatever role it is that coach Greg Popovich chooses for his newest acquisition, it'll be one that best compliments his talents as West provides a much needed toughness that the Spurs have lacked.
Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest
