Johnson met privately with James in L.A. for three hours after free agency opened on Saturday nightNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
LeBron James' decision to sign a four-year, $154M contract with the Lakers means the "shine returned to the league's glamour franchise," according a front-page piece by Ganguli & Turner of the L.A. TIMES. After five years of "missing the playoffs, infighting, turmoil, bad contracts and snubs in free agency, the Lakers got the player whose opinion matters more than anyone else’s every four summers" (L.A. TIMES, 7/2). ESPN.com's Ohm Youngmisuk wrote James is the franchise's "biggest free-agent splash since Shaquille O'Neal joined the Lakers" in '96. Lakers President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka have "delivered a major piece to the plan they plotted" when they joined the franchise in February '17 (ESPN.com, 7/1). In California, Mark Heisler writes the "single-minded pursuit of James over the past 18 months was a Magic Johnson show" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 7/2).
THIS MAGIC MOMENT: USA TODAY's Sam Amick cites a source as saying that Johnson "closed this monumental deal." He met with James in L.A. for "approximately three hours on Saturday night, when the NBA’s free agency period tipped off." It was just Johnson, James, and his agent Rich Paul, "discussing everything from business to basketball to social activism." Lakers President Jeanie Buss "deserves the assist for getting this done" (USA TODAY, 7/2). In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes the "big winner here, besides James and the Lakers," is Johnson. His only job was "basically to sell the franchise to a superstar, and he landed the biggest one." In typical "dramatic Johnson fashion, he did it face-to-face with James in the first minutes of the free-agent negotiating period Saturday." In that meeting, Johnson "sold the star on the power of Magic." He "persuaded James to trust him to build a championship team around him." (L.A. TIMES, 7/2). In S.F., Scott Ostler writes, "This was big for Johnson." He put himself "on the clock last week, promising he would resign in a year if he was unable to lure a great free agent to the Lakers" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/2). ESPN's Jalen Rose said, "Magic Johnson was solely brought on in the front office capacity to do moves like this. When Knicks fans look back at the Phil Jackson era, that's what they expected" ("Get Up!," ESPN, 7/2).
PURE CONFIDENCE: NBA.com's Shaun Powell writes it "says plenty" about Johnson and Buss that James "found the Lakers intriguing enough to leave" the Cavaliers and sign up. When Buss "assumed controlling interest of the franchise three years ago," she sought Johnson’s counsel and then "hired him to run the basketball operations." He promised Buss that the "necessary steps would be taken to develop stars and acquire stars, something the Lakers have done habitually and brilliantly in their history and especially under the late Jerry Buss." Powell: "No question, Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson sold all that glam to LeBron" (NBA.com, 7/2). THE ATHLETIC's Bill Oram writes it is "more impressive that the Lakers were able to secure a commitment from James without another star in place rather than allowing him to orchestrate a super team before agreeing to come here." That speaks to the "confidence James has in the organization, its leadership and the players already in place" (THEATHLETIC.com, 7/2).
WILLING TO GIVE IT TIME: ESPN's Brian Windhorst said, "One of the most amazing things is that (LeBron) committed for four years, and that is basically a message to the Lakers: 'I'm going to give you time.' So they will have time and they will chase the other star" ("Get Up!," ESPN, 7/2). In N.Y., George Willis notes signing a four-year deal "shows James’ commitment to the franchise, which gives the Lakers time to build the kind of team that can contend in the West" (N.Y. POST, 7/2). Also in N.Y., Stein & Cacciola note by agreeing to a four-year contract, James "essentially acknowledged that the Lakers would need time to build a title-worthy team around him." After Johnson visited James on Saturday night, James was "willing to afford the franchise that time" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/2).
STAR STUDDED: The TIMES' Plaschke writes James "fits into everything, and dramatically changes everything." An organization that has "not had a true star since Kobe Bryant retired" in '16 now has one who "can match him breathtaking highlight for breathtaking highlight." The Lakers will again "become one of the most glamorous sports teams in the country" (L.A. TIMES, 7/2). ESPN's Michael Wilbon said, "Every time this happens with the Lakers, it energizes the league in a certain way" (ESPN2, 7/1). In L.A., Mark Whicker in a front-page piece writes James' arrival is the "most celebrated of any of the great pro athletes who have come to this area since Edmonton traded Wayne Gretzky to the Kings" in '88 (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 7/2).
