Magic Johnson puts onus on Jim Buss to put Kobe Bryant’s mind at ease

For Lakers great Magic Johnson, that’s the best bit of advice he can offer to help things simmer down in Los Angeles, where the Lakers have been dealing with some infighting. Star guard Kobe Bryant started things off by criticizing team management after a slew of Pau Gasol trade rumors, insisting that the front office either trade Gasol or come out and say he is off the market. General manager Mitch Kupchak followed by releasing a statement saying he would not take the team out of trade talks.

Johnson, speaking Wednesday on a conference call ahead of this weekend’s NBA All-Star game in Orlando, said this is the sort of matter that can be talked out—if Bryant, Kupchak and team president Jim Buss would simply get together.

“I think what Kobe probably wants is to just be informed,” Johnson said. “As a leader, as a future Hall of Famer and the guy who has brought five championships to the Lakers and the fans of Los Angeles, he wants to probably have more communication like he did when Phil Jackson was there, and he worked well with Mitch.

“I don’t think that Kobe feels like he has got that type of relationship or the communication that has been there with Jim. I think that what probably has to happen is, hey, sit Kobe down and say—(owner) Dr. (Jerry) Buss was a master at taking you to lunch or taking you to dinner and really going over what he was thinking or what he wanted to do for the team. And (former GM) Jerry West was great at that as well. I think that Kobe, Mitch and Jim just have got to get on the same page, and things will be OK.”

Johnson indicated that the onus for setting up such a meeting should fall on Jim Buss, who has made some missteps in his role as president. Last May, for example, Buss admitted that he should have consulted Bryant before the Lakers hired Mike Brown to replace the retiring Jackson.

“We have to remember now, it’s not Mitch’s situation anymore,” Johnson said. “He is not running the team. Jim Buss is running the team. Mitch has to follow the direction of Jim Buss and what he wants. So I wouldn’t say Mitch is the problem or anything. He is going to do his job. I think with Kobe, it is great. You can see that Kobe is supporting his teammates, that’s a great thing.”

This year’s trade deadline is March 15, and Johnson said that the next three weeks will go a long way toward determining whether the Lakers have another run left in them.

“The Lakers have been inconsistent,” he said. “I think that’s been their biggest problem. Until they get better, it could be an up-and-down season. If they can make a trade here or there, they would be right there competing for the Western Conference championship. But if they don’t, I don’t think they will compete.

“I think Oklahoma City is better, I think San Antonio and those teams, they are playing better than the Lakers. I think that we are still lacking the point guard, like we have been saying the last year or two. So we have to get better there. So, we’ll see what happens.”