The Los Angeles Lakers 2017-18 season ended last Wednesday with 115-100 win over the Clippers to close out a 35-47 campaign on a positive note. For the players, it meant more time for rest, relaxation, and Fortnite, but for the front office it meant the job was just beginning.
This summer, L.A. hopes to take the lead in free agency and their stature as one of a very few franchises with significant cap space, coupled with being the Lakers, gives them a chance to do so. If nothing else, they will be the most talked about team during free agency as they are expected to make a run at both LeBron James and Paul George this summer.
Whether they can land either or both of the league’s most coveted free agents remains to be seen, and there’s reason for optimism and pessimism about their chances, depending on who you ask. The Lakers, of course, fall into the former camp and are hoping they can leap not just into playoff contention, but title contention with one summer of signings.
Rob Pelinka and Magic Johnson will lead the charge for the Lakers in wooing those top free agents, and there’s no doubt who the closer is when it comes to their anticipated meetings this summer. Sports Illustrated‘s Lee Jenkins profiled Pelinka and Johnson in a recent feature as the Lakers’ brass gears up for their critical summer and Johnson explained how he’ll be approaching each meeting with a unique approach, but also has part of his pitch about joining the Lakers already prepared.
“You tailor your message to the individual,” Johnson starts. “You have to know what’s important to them and how we can help them achieve their goals, on and off the court, but especially on. You also have to tell them how special this is and what it means. Face of the Lakers, nothing competes with that. You’re great here, you win here, it’s forever. It’s magical. It brings you so many things you can’t even see or imagine. Here I am, almost 60, and I’m still the prince of the city.”
It’s a pretty great sales pitch and coming from Magic Johnson it’s going to probably be quite impactful. However, for both George and James it’s going to come down to more than just the immortality of being a Laker legend and whether they believe in the opportunity to win championships with the Lakers current group — and if Pelinka and Magic can sell them on their vision of how to build that championship roster.
