Magic Johnson: 'I hope LeBron James will be a Laker for a long time'

LeBron James received a lot of heat for the Lakers’ struggles this season, but Magic Johnson tells TMZ Sports he still wants to see LBJ in a Lakers uniform for the foreseeable future. We spoke with Magic — who won 5 titles with the Lakers during his career — out in L.A. this week, and asked him if the Lake Show should trade its 37-year-old superstar after the team missed the playoffs this season. Magic told us absolutely not … saying he wants LeBron in the purple and gold “for a long time.”
Source: TMZ Staff @ TMZ.com

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
Last shot? Kobe, MJ or Bron? Which Bull would be the first eaten on a deserted island and who would survive? DeMar DeRozan has thoughts, and let it rip in The Interrogation Room …
Read it:
chicago.suntimes.com/sports-saturda… – 7:57 AM The Ringer @ringernba
Ja Morant joins Kobe Bryant and LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to score 45 or more points twice in the playoffs before turning 23. #TheVoidNBA pic.twitter.com/9jZhPStfTQ – 5:12 PM Sam Amick @sam_amick
ICYMI, my latest look at the Kings and Lakers coaching searches, the Phil Jackson factor in Laker Land, intel on how the org sees LeBron’s contract quandary, the Westbrook component and more, at @TheAthletic
theathletic.com/3295039/2022/0… – 2:11 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Friday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! Westbrook may be a Laker again next season? LeBron prefers year-to-year deals rather than an extension? Some folks close to the Lakers would prefer Phil Jackson stay away? #FirstListen @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rus… – 10:26 AM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
🎂 Happy 37th birthday to Chris Paul!
📊 1155 GP, 18.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 9.5 APG
🎯 47.3 FG%, 36.9 3P%, 87.1 FT%
12x (2008-2016, 2020-2022)
🏆 2006 ROY
Paul and LeBron James are the only players in NBA history to reach career totals of 20,000 points and 10,000 assists. pic.twitter.com/Sc4MtJRAzt – 8:01 AM Chris Palmer @ChrisPalmerNBA
Top 10 Game Dunkers of All-Time: 1. Vince 2. Blake Griffin 3. Shawn Kemp 4. MJ 5. Dominique 6. LeBron 7. T-Mac 8. D-wade 9. Kobe 10. Russ – 11:48 PM Matt Steinmetz @SteinmetzNBA
LeBron James is going to be all-time NBA scoring leader. But I always think of him as “pass-first” guy. I actually do think, at his core, he’s more passer than scorer. – 9:25 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
ICYMI, Thursday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! We discuss a new Lakers coaching candidate (Adrian Griffin!), Stephen A. Smith calling for a LeBron trade, NBA awards voting, and more. @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
Subscribe. Rate. Enjoy. Thx!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-… – 7:49 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Lakers owner Jeanie Buss won’t trade LeBron James just because he declines contract extension nba.nbcsports.com/2022/05/05/rep… – 5:01 PM Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Thursday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! We discuss the newest @betonline_ag lines for Lakers coach, Stephen A. Smith saying the Lakers should trade LeBron and NBA awards voting. #FirstListen @LockedOnNetwork @LockedOnNBAPods
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-… – 1:06 PM David Thorpe @coachthorpe
Here’s where we are today in the NBA- what teams would trade a good player and pick for LeBron or Harden?
Now ask, who would trade a good player and pick for Durant or Paul? The league is in a pivot from the previous generation. Not yet a full one. – 12:38 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I think the general consensus is that the smear campaign the Lakers front office has engaged in against Frank Vogel has made their coaching job less desirable.
I’ve wondered if their anti-LeBron/Klutch leaks will, in time, make them less desirable to stars as well. – 12:28 PM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 1969, the @Los Angeles Lakers Jerry West had 42 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists, becoming the first player in NBA Finals history to record a 40-point triple-double.
Since then, only two more players have joined him: LeBron James (2015) and Jimmy Butler (2020). pic.twitter.com/OjXguVY05g – 12:01 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Hey, I don’t know what’s going on with the Heat, so let’s hypothetically say LeBron got traded there for all of their young pieces in the middle of a playoff run
I didn’t think it could get worse lol – 10:18 AM Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Chris Paul last night:
28 PTS
6 REB
8 AST
11-16 FG
Paul is the third player in NBA history to average at least 25p/5r/5a with 70% shooting from the field over a three-game playoff span.
He joins Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, both of whom did so in 2020. pic.twitter.com/OkxPTTGnPY – 9:01 AM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
We spent so much this time season marveling at what LeBron James was doing at 37.
Chris Paul turns 37 on Friday.
More NBA from me: marcstein.Substack.com – 12:24 AM LeBron James @KingJames
CP3!!!!! – 12:14 AM StatMuse @statmuse
Jimmy Butler tonight:
22 PTS
6 REB
12 AST
His 4th 20/5/10 playoff game with the Heat. Only LeBron and Wade have more. pic.twitter.com/JKn6ssYVla – 10:01 PM LeBron James @KingJames
Haven’t done a Q &A on here with y’all in awhile. Coming 🔜. 👑 – 9:56 PM LeBron James @KingJames
Tyrese so damn good already man!! – 9:51 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Most playoff games with 10+ AST by a Heat player:
13 – Dwyane Wade
7 – LeBron James
5 – Jimmy Butler pic.twitter.com/RkgLfsuzNc – 9:11 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
LeBron James says Ja Morant shouldn’t have won Most Improved Player, blames voting ‘dweebs’ nba.nbcsports.com/2022/05/04/leb… – 7:00 PM Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Lowe Post podcast–bonus mid-week episode: Brandon Clarke on MEM-GSW (Brooks +Draymond flagrants, Ja’s 4Q in G2, adjustments); the team’s rise; going at LeBron; Ja mania; loving the 7 Seconds or Less Suns; more:
Apple: apple.co/3LMJFdO
Spotify: spoti.fi/3yehe4t – 6:03 PM Eric Pincus @EricPincus
Seeing that @Stephen A. Smith suggested the Lakers trade @LeBron James – I dug into that topic back in late February, specifically if LeBron chooses not to extend this summer. Wasn’t suggesting they should, just analyzing the potential issues @BleacherReport bleacherreport.com/articles/29538… – 4:31 PM Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Most points scored in the postseason before turning 23 years old:
1. Kobe Bryant: 1,264 points
2. Jayson Tatum: 925 points
3. LeBron James: 901 points
(incredibly, Kobe played in 66 !! playoff games before his 23rd birthday. He only started 46 of those contests.) – 1:55 PM Katy Winge @katywinge
Coach Malone on how Nikola Jokić can improve – it’s not on the court, but to continue to grow as a vocal leader.
“This is your team. Speak up. Hold people accountable.”
Malone mentioned the way LeBron grew as a leader when he was in Cleveland. Said can’t care what people think. – 1:51 PM Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
With one ‘good eye,’ Ja took down the Warriors, evened the series and did something only LeBron and Kobe have done before turning 23 espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 11:21 AM

More on this storyline

By the way, we also ran into ex-NBA star Al Harrington at LAX this week … and he shared Magic’s opinion, telling us the Lakers should definitely hold on to LeBron. -via TMZ.com / May 7, 2022 If LeBron James ultimately decides against signing an extension with the Lakers in August, sources say Buss wouldn’t see his desire to play out the final season of his contract as a reason to consider trading him. Without an extension, James’ current deal will expire after next season (in which he’s owed $47.1 million). It’s a natural question to ask in these sorts of situations, as the notion of James leaving the Lakers empty-handed by signing elsewhere in the summer of 2023 would be less than ideal. Still, all signs point to the year-by-year approach being considered acceptable by the Lakers — so long as the relationship with James is still in a good place. -via The Athletic / May 6, 2022 Talking NBA: “Lakers should strongly consider trading LeBron James” — Stephen A. Smith (First Take) -via Twitter @_Talkin_NBA / May 4, 2022