Mitch Kupchak out, Magic Johnson in as Lakers’ top exec

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FILE - In a Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016 file photo, former Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for a stadium which will be home to the Los Angeles Football Club in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Lakers fired general manager Mitch Kupchak on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, and put Magic Johnson in charge of basketball operations in a major shake-up of the struggling franchise’s front office. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File) ORG XMIT: LA107

With the Los Angeles Lakers mired in the worst years in franchise history, owner Jeanie Buss has turned to Magic Johnson to lead them back to championship contention.

And she removed her own brother from his job to do it.

Jeanie Buss fired general manager Mitch Kupchak on Tuesday and put Johnson in charge of basketball operations. Jim Buss also was dismissed as the Lakers’ executive vice president of basketball operations in a major shake-up of the struggling team’s front office.

Jim Buss retains his ownership stake in the team, but Jeanie Buss has final say under the structure set up by their late father, Jerry Buss. She used it to chart a new course for the 16-time NBA champion franchise, which has the NBA’s third-worst record at 19-39.

The Lakers are almost certain to miss the playoffs for a team-record fourth straight season, and they posted the worst record in team history during each of the previous three years.

“It was such a hard to decision to make, that I probably waited too long,” Jeanie Buss said in an interview on Spectrum SportsNet, the Lakers’ television network. “For that, I apologize to Laker fans. Now, with clarity and direction, and after talking with Earvin, a change was needed.”

Just 19 days after Johnson returned to the Lakers in an executive role, Jeanie Buss decided the Hall of Fame point guard will be the Lakers’ decision-maker in basketball operations despite no experience as a personnel executive. Johnson is the Lakers’ new president of basketball operations, reporting directly to Jeanie Buss, although the team also plans to hire a new general manager.

“The status quo wasn’t acceptable,” Jeanie Buss said. “It wasn’t Lakers basketball. It wasn’t what this organization stands for.”

Johnson said he will put aside his numerous business obligations and his role with the Los Angeles Dodgers, in which he holds an ownership stake, to concentrate on his work with the Lakers. The charismatic former superstar spent the morning fielding calls from general managers and preparing for the trade deadline in two days.

“I’m coming back to an organization that I love,” Johnson said. “The timing is right. It was time to put aside my businesses and focus on the Lakers’ business.”

Although the Lakers will hire a GM before the season ends, Johnson will make their moves this week. The Lakers are expected to be sellers at the deadline, and Johnson acknowledged teams are very interested in high-scoring guard Lou Williams, who could fetch at least a first-round draft pick — something the Lakers might not have this year, thanks to years of win-now trades by Kupchak and Jim Buss during the Kobe Bryant era.

Johnson also acknowledged the Lakers were involved in trade discussions for All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, who went from Sacramento to New Orleans. Los Angeles has plummeted out of contention after an encouraging 10-10 start under Luke Walton, but the rookie coach got a strong vote of confidence from Jeanie Buss and Johnson, who said he “loves” Walton as a coach and an example of the Lakers’ championship culture.

Kupchak is a former Lakers center who had been employed by the franchise in some capacity since August 1981. He had been the Lakers’ GM since 2000, studying under Jerry West and eventually succeeding him.

Kupchak had been in the Lakers’ front office for 30 years, including the last 17 as general manager — the longest current stretch running a front office in the NBA.

Jim Buss had been in the Lakers’ front office for 19 years, including 12 in charge of basketball operations alongside Kupchak. The former horse trainer was widely seen as a dilettante when he moved into a job in the family business, but he worked to deserve the responsibility of making basketball decisions in recent years.

Yet the Lakers have steadily declined from the heights of back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2013, and they’ve won only 84 of their past 386 games since then.

After an extraordinary trade for Pau Gasol propelled the Lakers to three straight NBA Finals appearances, Kupchak and Jim Buss made a series of high-profile personnel moves that didn’t pan out.

In 2012, they made a pricey trade for Dwight Howard, who fled the franchise after one year, and another deal for Steve Nash, who barely played thanks to back woes. The Lakers are still feeling the effects of that deal, which will cost them their first-round pick this summer if it isn’t in the top three.

The Lakers finished 17-65 last season, a franchise low in the last year of Bryant’s two-decade run with the franchise.

Johnson’s return earlier this month made Jim Buss’ departure seem quite likely, particularly given Jim Buss’ vow several years ago to leave the franchise if they weren’t in contention for a Western Conference title by this year or next.

But Jeanie Buss still picked a dramatic way to break up the family business structure.

Johnson has been a successful businessman and investor since his playing career ended, owning pieces of the Lakers, the Dodgers, the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks and MLS expansion franchise LAFC. He dropped his ceremonial title as a Lakers vice president last June after his frequent public criticisms of Jim Buss and former coaches. He also sold his ownership stake in 2010.

The Lakers’ recent ineptitude didn’t hurt their place as Los Angeles’ most beloved sports franchise and a worldwide brand, and they finally have a talented young core with D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram and Jordan Clarkson. But they haven’t been able to translate that potential into wins despite playing an exciting style under Walton.

The Lakers also parted ways with longtime top public relations executive John Black.

The Lakers return from the All-Star break on Friday at Oklahoma City. They face San Antonio at Staples Center on Sunday.

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