Johnson said his talk with Walton was one they needed to have and that they have all moved on from itNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
Lakers President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson said that coach Luke Walton will keep his job "barring something drastic happening this season," according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. Johnson's "comes two days after ESPN reported" that Johnson had "chided Walton in a meeting following the Lakers' two road losses" against the Spurs and T'Wolves. Johnson said that the meeting was "not about Walton's future but rather about how the Lakers had been playing during their rocky start" to the season. During a loss to the Raptors yesterday, Johnson said, "We're not going to fire him. [The meeting with Walton] wasn't even a meeting about that. We just have to be better, and that was it" (ESPN.com, 11/4). Johnson also said that his conversation with Walton was "one they needed to have and that they have all moved on from it." He added that the meeting had "no bearing on Walton's job security" and Walton is "not on a clock." In L.A., Tania Ganguli reports during the meeting, Johnson "shouted and cursed at Walton," and at one point "chided Walton for interrupting him." Johnson has "insisted he would be patient" with the team's early season struggles. Consequently, his "outburst last week surprised some" in the organization. However, Johnson "simply felt he was doing his job in holding Walton accountable." Johnson said that his "only regret" is that the conversation "became public" (L.A. TIMES, 11/5).
NOT A GOOD LOOK: In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes the meeting was "tense," and lacked "any semblance of professional collaboration." However, Johnson has "problems bigger than Walton," namely the "apparent dysfunction in the Lakers offices." Plaschke: "Can there be any other explanation for someone leaking the story of the meeting? It makes Johnson look bad. It makes him look impetuous and unprofessional." Whoever leaked the story was "clearly trying to embarrass Johnson and undermine his credibility" with Lakers President Jeanie Buss. The meeting made Johnson "look bad because it was bad." He "came across as a bully." It was "not a good look for the basketball boss of a team that will be trying to lure another superstar free agent" to join LeBron James next offseason (L.A. TIMES, 11/5).
WEARING THIN: ESPN’s Mike Golic said James “isn’t used to patience, even though he’s preaching it, and certainly not Magic Johnson, with the rings he has, is used to a winning formula and competing for championships." Golic: "Guys like LeBron and Magic know they should be more patient but the patience will get thinner and thinner the more losing goes on.” ESPN’s Mike Golic Jr. said, “This is not surprising. You’ve got guys that have been at the height of their profession in plenty of different regards and with LeBron and Magic. … They don't sit there and wait for others to develop” (“Golic & Wingo,” ESPN Radio, 11/5).
