Here’s what Magic Johnson said Friday on ESPN about Mike Brown’s future: “Mike Brown will not be coaching the Lakers if they lose this game (Game 7 tonight against the Denver Nuggets). There would be so much pressure on (Lakers executive vice president of player personnel) Jim Buss and the Lakers organization to get rid of him.”
UPDATE: The Lakers responded with a written statement Saturday afternoon.
“The opinion expressed yesterday by Magic Johnson regarding Mike Brown was his personal opinion and was made in his role as a TV analyst,” the email read. “His words were not made on behalf of the Los Angeles Lakers, and in no way do they reflect the feelings or position of team ownership or management. We are fully committed to and supportive of Mike Brown as coach of the Lakers.”
Last May, on the eve of the Lakers’ loss to the eventual champion Dallas Mavericks, Johnson called for team owner Jerry Buss to “blow up this team.” The Lakers’ moves since Johnson’s comment last May have been more subtle. However, they did attempt to trade Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom to get Chris Paul, a deal that never went through.