Beyond his infectious smile and bringing back reminders of the Lakers’ glorious past, Magic Johnson has also developed a reputation for something else.
Criticizing Jim Buss.
Over the airwaves, on television and in person, Johnson has often questioned the Lakers’ vice president of player personnel. Johnson has criticized Buss for playing a role in hiring former coaches Mike Brown and Mike D’antoni, both of whom became largely unpopular with the Lakers’ fanbase and lasted no more than two seasons. Johnson has criticized how Buss has assembled the team’s talent amid two consecutive missed playoff appearances. Johnson has argued Buss does not defer enough to the Lakers; basketball operations as did his father, the late Lakers owner Jerry Buss.