Magic Johnson says Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton will “finish the season,” this despite recently cursing him out over the team’s sluggish start.
Walton “took it and we’re all good,” according to the team’s president of basketball operations.
In a conversation with me, @BA_Turner and @BillPlaschke, Magic Johnson said his contentious meeting with Luke Walton had no bearing on Walton’s job security. “I said it, Luke took it and we’re all good,” Johnson said. Johnson assured us Walton will finish the year.
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) November 5, 2018
In a jconversation with me, @taniaganguli and @BA_Turner tonight, Magic Johnson said Luke Walton's job is safe — "He is going to finish the season, unless something drastic happens, which it won't.''
— Bill Plaschke (@BillPlaschke) November 5, 2018
My read on our conversation with Magic was that he's not setting any kind of timetable for Walton. He wanted to make it clear that they won't be reactive to the ebbs and flows of the season when it comes to Walton's job. But he also doesn't regret yelling at Walton.
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) November 5, 2018
Walton continues to have LeBron James‘ support.
The Lakers fell 121-107 Sunday night to the visiting and short-handed Toronto Raptors.
Per the LA Times:
Johnson, president of basketball operations, shouted and cursed at Walton, according to multiple sources who weren’t authorized to speak publicly. He asked Walton what he was doing with the team, wanting to see an offensive system in place that had yet to be implemented. At one point he chided Walton for interrupting him.
According to multiple people familiar with the situation, Walton’s job is not in jeopardy. Although Johnson is prone to such emotion, he is not prone to making rash business decisions. Walton has also long had the support of Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, and hasn’t lost it as the Lakers go through a rough stretch in the early part of the season.
James has regular communication with Johnson, a person he idolized growing up. But according to people familiar with their interactions, James had nothing to do with Johnson’s meeting with Walton.
“I feel like I have a great relationship with management, yes,” Walton said Friday morning when asked if he thinks he will be given the latitude to be patient. He was then asked if he feels he has job security. “I feel like I’m coming down here to do my job and coach and I don’t feel like I’m going anywhere, no.”
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