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Today - Season 68

Source: NBC / Getty

Magic Johnson left his job in a way that most people that hate their employers only wish they could.

But the Los Angeles Lakers legend still wants credit for all the greatness he brought to the franchise.

”This team would not be in the position it’s in without me,” he told the LA Times.

Some may think that Johnson’s suggestions are unfounded, but if you look at the groundwork that he and Rob Pelinka put into place in order to make free agents season a breeze.

”This was my strategy, this is what I thought we’d be in three years,” he said in a recent interview. “I knew we were on the right track. Everybody wanted to do it their way, but I’m good with who I am. … I think people respect what I’ve done for the team.”

If you remember, the Lakers were terrible last season, finishing with a 37-45 record. That terrible record allowed them to secure which landed them the No. 4 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. They used that pick to draft De’Andre Hunter, who ultimately joined the Atlanta Hawks.

But with that leverage and a good young core of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart to boot, thanks to Johnson’s drafting knowledge, it was enough to get Anthony Davis in exchange. The trade worked out perfectly, as Zion Williamson got a decent group of fellow young ballers around him that can all grow together, and LeBron James got what he wanted– A.D..

Magic has been clear that while he no longer has an office in Staples Arena, he will be a member of the purple and gold forever.