Did Magic’s abrupt exit from the Lakers have something to do with misconduct?
Via the Los Angeles Times:
As word spread through the Lakers’ organization and the NBA, several people wondered whether Johnson’s departure was related to a yet-to-be-published article by ESPN that is said to address allegations about Johnson’s conduct with employees.
“That story is wrong,” Johnson told the Los Angeles Times.
Magic was asked about that.
His response via The Athletic:
“An article would never make Magic Johnson do something he don’t want to do,” Johnson said, according to The Athletic Lakers beat writer, Bill Oram. “I know me. Ask people who deal with me – ask them. They’ve been around me for 40 years. … Same dude I was when I first got off the bus. Never disrespected nobody, never did anything bad. Now, am I tough? Hell yeah I am. You work for me, I’m demanding. That’s who I am.
“But at the same time, I’m fair. (Is) an article going to stop – make me do something? No. I’m good. They’ve been talking about that article for how many months? (Laughs) Everybody run up, ‘Oh they writing an article.’ OK. Great. I’m going (to) say ‘Why didn’t you interview everybody at ESPN? You know how many times ESPN hired me? Twice. If I was doing something wrong to employees, disrespecting, you think they would have hired me twice? No. I know that article is not an accurate article. I can tell you that now. …Now it’s some disgruntled, former Laker employees (talking to reporters). Yeah, they gonna say (what) they gonna say, ‘cause they wasn’t doing their jobs. So what is a person going to do? Point the finger bad about the person who fired them. I’m good. I’m a big boy.”
If Magic knew something was going to be revealed that painted him in a negative light, it would definitely behoove him to quit before he’s forced to resign.
Let’s see if ESPN ever decides to publish this rumored article.
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