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A20 SPORTS
Wednesday 22 February

Lakers shake-up: Magic is in charge after GM Kupchak fired

GREG BEACHAM The charismatic former su- Jim Buss had been in the
AP Sports Writer perstar spent the morning Lakers’ front office for
With the Los Angeles Lak- fielding calls from general 19 years, including 12 in
ers mired in the worst years managers and preparing charge of basketball oper-
in franchise history, owner for the trade deadline in ations alongside Kupchak.
Jeanie Buss has turned to two days. The former horse trainer
Magic Johnson to lead “I’m coming back to an was widely seen as a dilet-
them back to champion- organization that I love,” tante when he moved into
ship contention. Johnson said. “The timing is a job in the family business,
And she removed her own right. It was time to put aside but he worked to deserve
brother from his job to do it. my businesses and focus on the responsibility of mak-
Jeanie Buss fired general the Lakers’ business.” John- ing basketball decisions in
manager Mitch Kupchak son has no time to waste. recent years. Yet the Lak-
on Tuesday and put John- The Lakers are expected ers have steadily declined
son in charge of basketball to be sellers at Thursday’s from the heights of back-
operations. Jim Buss also trade deadline, and John- to-back championships
was dismissed as the Lak- son acknowledged teams in 2009 and 2010. They
ers’ executive vice presi- are very interested in high- haven’t made the playoffs
dent of basketball opera- ABOVE: In this Aug. 23, 2016, file photo, former Los Angeles Lak- scoring guard Lou Williams, since 2013, and they’ve
tions in a major shake-up ers star Magic Johnson speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony who could fetch at least won only 84 of their past
of the struggling team’s for a stadium which will be home to the Los Angeles Football a first-round draft pick — 386 games since then.
front office. Club in Los Angeles. BELOW: This Oct. 26, 2010 file photo Los An- something the Lakers might After an extraordinary
Jim Buss retains his owner- geles Lakers Jeanie Buss, then, executive vice president, reacts not have this year, thanks trade for Pau Gasol pro-
to the crowd during the Lakers’ NBA championship ring cere-
ship stake in the team, but mony in Los Angeles. to years of win-now trades pelled the Lakers to three
Jeanie Buss has final say Associated Press by Kupchak and Jim Buss straight NBA Finals appear-
under the structure set up during the Kobe Bryant era. ances, Kupchak and Jim
by their late father, Jerry Johnson also acknowl- Buss made a series of high-
Buss. She used it to chart a edged the Lakers were profile personnel moves
new course for the 16-time involved in trade discus- that didn’t pan out.
NBA champion franchise, sions for All-Star center De- In 2012, they made a pric-
which has the NBA’s third- Marcus Cousins, who went ey trade for Dwight How-
worst record at 19-39. from Sacramento to New ard, who fled the franchise
The Lakers are almost cer- Orleans. Los Angeles has after one year, and an-
tain to miss the playoffs plummeted out of conten- other deal for Steve Nash,
for a team-record fourth tion after an encouraging who barely played thanks
straight season, and they 10-10 start under Luke Wal- to back woes. The Lakers
posted the worst record in ton, but the rookie coach are still feeling the effects
team history during each got a strong vote of con- of that deal, which will cost
of the previous three years. fidence from Jeanie Buss them their first-round pick
“It was such a hard to deci- and Johnson, who said he this summer if it isn’t in the
sion to make, that I proba- “loves” Walton as a coach top three.
bly waited too long,” Jean- and an example of the Lak- The Lakers finished 17-65
ie Buss said in an interview ers’ championship culture. last season, a franchise low
on Spectrum SportsNet, is the Lakers’ new president tion of anonymity because Kupchak is a former Lakers in the last year of Bryant’s
the Lakers’ television net- of basketball operations, the Lakers have not com- center who had been em- two-decade run with the
work. “For that, I apologize reporting directly to Jeanie mented on the front office ployed by the franchise in franchise.
to Laker fans. Now, with Buss, and it appears that search. some capacity since Au- Pelinka is in line to become
clarity and direction, and Johnson is moving quickly “The status quo wasn’t ac- gust 1981. He had been the latest player agent to
after talking with Earvin, a to surround himself with a ceptable,” Jeanie Buss the Lakers’ GM since 2000, move into an NBA front
change was needed.” team to help his transition. said. “It wasn’t Lakers bas- studying under Jerry West office, following a similar
Just 19 days after Johnson According to a person ketball. It wasn’t what this and eventually succeed- path as Bob Myers in Gold-
returned to the Lakers in an with knowledge of the situ- organization stands for.” ing him. en State and Arn Tellem in
executive role, Jeanie Buss ation, prominent agent Johnson said he will put Kupchak had been in the Detroit, among others. For
decided the Hall of Fame Rob Pelinka has begun aside his numerous business Lakers’ front office for 30 years Pelinka has been a
point guard will be the Lak- informing his clients that obligations and his role with years, including the last 17 league power broker, rep-
ers’ decision-maker in bas- he plans to leave Land- the Los Angeles Dodgers, in as general manager — the resenting Bryant, James
ketball operations despite mark Sports Agency to be- which he holds an owner- longest current stretch run- Harden, Eric Gordon and
no experience as a per- come the Lakers GM. The ship stake, to concentrate ning a front office in the other high-profile players.
sonnel executive. Johnson person spoke on condi- on his work with the Lakers. NBA. q