Page 24 - Florida Sentinel 2-24-17

Sports
Laker legend Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson is now in the Lak- ers front office.
Magic Named Lakers President Of Basketball Ops
DeMarcus Cousins' Heart-Breaking Goodbye To Sacramento
DEMARCUS COUSINS
DeMarcus Cousins was caught on video saying good- bye to a gathering of Sacra- mentans, via local radio host Carmichael Dave. It’s diffi- cult to watch.
“My love for this city will never change,” Cousins said, holding back tears. “Even though I’m gone, it’ll still be the same. I’m still looking out for these kids. Every family in this city matters to me, every soul in this city matters to me. Everything’s the same, I’m just not in a Kings uniform any- more, which is OK because the love’s still here.”
Lou Williams Traded To Rockets For Corey Brewer, 1st Round Pick
COREY BREWER AND LOU WILLIAMS
The Los Angeles Lakers have traded Lou Williams to the Houston Rockets for Corey Brewer and a 2017 first-round draft pick, per the Vertical’s Shams Charania. The pick is unprotected.
Other playoff contenders, including the Wizards and Jazz, also pursued Williams, according to Charania.
This is the Lakers’ first move under new president of basketball operations Magic Johnson, and one many saw coming. It came quickly, though, as Johnson’s new position was announced mere hours before.
These teams are trending in different directions as the Lak- ers attempt to rebuild with their young pieces, while the Rockets have entered win-now mode behind MVP-favorite James Harden.
DeSean Jackson Could Join
Jameis Winston And The
Bucs In Free Agency
Magic Johnson has been named president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers, the team announced on Tuesday, just two days before the NBA's trade deadline.
In addition, longtime gen- eral manager Mitch Kupchak has been relieved of his duties, effective imme- diately, and Jim Buss will no longer hold his role as ex- ecutive vice president of bas- ketball operations.
This news comes just three weeks after Johnson was brought back to the Lakers organization as an owner- ship adviser to assist team executive Jeanie Buss in "all areas of basketball" and just two weeks after John- son told USA TODAY Sports' Josh Peter that he eventually wants to "call the shots" within the organiza- tion.
"Today I took a series of actions I believe will return the Lakers to the heights Dr.
Jerry Buss demanded and our fans rightly expect," Jeanie Buss said in a state- ment Tuesday. "Effective im- mediately, Earvin Johnson will be in charge of all basketball operations and will report directly to me. Our search for a new general manager to work with Earvin and coach Luke Walton is well underway and we hope to announce a new general manager in short order. Together, Earvin, Luke and our new general manager will estab- lish the foundation for the next generation of Los Ange- les Lakers greatness."
Johnson, who is a part- owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the WNBA's Sparks, won five champi- onships and earned three MVP awards during his 13 NBA seasons — all of which he spent with the Lakers. He is widely considered the greatest point guard in NBA history.
DeSean Jackson is one of the more intriguing NFL free agents this spring, and he could be eyeing an up-and- coming NFC team as his next landing spot.
After spending six years with the Philadelphia Eagles, Jackson was released by Chip Kelly before the 2014 season. The Washington Red- skins happily signed him, and he’s spent the past three years catching bombs from Robert Griffin, III and Kirk Cousins to the tune of 19 yards per reception and 14 touchdowns.
Now set to be an unre- stricted agent, the 30-year-old veteran speedster still has plenty to offer a team in need of a downfield threat.
DESEAN JACKSON
One of those teams is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team that features a quarter- back Jackson might love to play with.
As a long-term solution to the team’s deficit at receiver, this isn’t a tremendous fit given Jackson’s age. But as a short-term infusion of talent, this would be a brilliant get for the Bucs.
Cam Newton Shares Special Birthday Greeting For Girl Who Changed His Life
CAM NEWTON
Over the weekend, Carolina Panthers superstar quarter- back Cam Newton shared a birthday message for a girl who changed his life five years ago.
Meet Shakira, whom New- ton considers his stepdaugh- ter.
Newton and long-time girlfriend Kia Proctor have two children, a 1-year-old son named Chosen Sebastian and a newborn daughter whose name hasn't been re- vealed.
But his Instagram message posted on Shakira's birthday Friday reveals that the 2015 NFL MVP was a father figure long before they were born. Shakira is Proctor's daugh- ter from a previous relation- ship.
Newton has his own unique style of typing mes- sages, so here is the simplified version:
"Happy Birthday to the real girl who changed my life ever since we first met five years
ago. You have challenged me in ways you will never know, because in retrospect you were my first child. This mes- sage isn't to brag or to even complain about my situation, but this is just real talk. Being labeled a stepdad is hard on the parent just as much as it is for the child to accept it. It is hard work for both parties and I respect any stepparent that takes full responsibility of a God sent child. I remember the first day you called me daddy and I was scared as hell. But when I thought about it, I was honored for you to think of me as not only a male figure in your life but also as a father figure you could learn from as well. Your mom and I are not married, but no one can tell you that I'm not your father and they damn sure can't tell me that you're not my daughter. I love you, or better yet, Daddy loves you Kirry. Happy Birthday Shakira aka Kirry aka B1 Gsissy (as ChoCho calls her)."
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