Lakers News: Meetings between Magic Johnson, Mitch Kupchak, Jim Buss have huge implications

Magic Johnson said last week on his media tour that he looked forward to meeting with Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak on Monday and Tuesday of this week. He wants answers from the two who have guided the organization to four of the worst years in Los Angeles Lakers history.

According to Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding, the result of the meetings held over the next couple days will go a long way in shaping the Lakers’ front office as we know it.

The question begs asking, though: Will explanations for the current state of the Lakers be falling on deaf ears when Buss and Magic sit down? Johnson has been publicly campaigning for Buss’ job. Will he really be open to what Buss says when he knows him advising Jeanie Buss to fire her brother would probably directly improve his standing with the organization?

Here’s how Ding frames the meetings between Magic and the current front office:

As team president Jeanie Buss' new adviser, Johnson is meeting with Buss and general manager Kupchak on Monday to review their job performance. It is likely a significant step toward replacing both men in charge of basketball operations come April.

The word ‘likely’ stands out here. Dissecting something by each word is usually a fools errand, but this framing makes it at the very least sound as if Jim will be fighting an uphill battle in his attempt to convince Magic to stay his execution.

Again, there’s no way of knowing what might come out of the meetings, but there’s a ton at stake, and with each bit of new information, the situation looks all the more dire for Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak.