Magic said LeBron is well aware of the Lakers history, and that he “didn’t run away from it,” which deserves praise. You can see that’s been echoed in the moves we’ve made.” We wanted to build a team that was versatile, that was deep, that was fast and tough. As we started to get a sense of what was in his head about our roster, talking to him about our guys, we had made a decision leading up to the chance to meet with him to make sure what we built around him was different from what he’s experienced the last three or four seasons. More from Pelinka on LeBron: “As Magic was talking about before, (LeBron) is a basketball savant. So LeBron, the greatest player in the world, choosing us, was the ultimate validation for all the work we’d put in to lead up to that moment.” Our fans are used to this, it’s part of winning as a Laker. We knew the first step in the process after we created the flexibility was to get a superstar in Staples Center. When Jeanie hired both of us, she talked about her dad a lot and the way he established the Lakers dynasties. Really all the different things we’ve done led to this moment. (Magic) cast the big vision and I moved the chess pieces around. “Methodical planning, with constant interaction and togetherness. Rob Pelinka on what LeBron’s decision means to the organization: “I think it means everything.” He detailed the lack of salary cap space and draft assets the Lakers had when he and Magic started in February of 2017, and the process by which they were able to build it back up through three separate trades.
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Just two guys that we could talk free to each other, and talk real basketball, and that’s what I love about LeBron.” We connected right when I walked in the door. Both love to win, and I think that both excel at the highest level. So, we had a great time of going back and forth about, here we are two guys, similar. Magic was asked if LeBron asked about length of contract in the meeting: “No, it was more just, I want to be comfortable with the man that’s in charge, and that’s me. And that he also strongly considered what was best for his family. Johnson think he’s at that point in his career. He thought LeBron’s decision was more of a three-year decision, not just a one-year decision.
Magic said the Lakers are about excellence and accountability, and LeBron is big on those things himself. Those are the types of things we talked about, but the thing that I was really impressed with was that he knew every single guy, their strengths and weaknesses on our team, and he was really excited about how the young guys performed last season.” He really wanted to know about Jeanie, because he can’t wait to just sit down and have a really strong relationship with her. Answered questions he had about the coaching staff, how Rob and I ran the organization. Then he had a list of stuff he wanted to go down and we went through that list. And you have the type of roster I think that I think I can do that. He said Earvin, you know, I just want to come and be able to just play basketball and be me. ‘Kuz likes to do this, so and so likes … oh I can’t wait, this guy is this.’ I was like, man, he knows the entire roster. He broke the roster down right in front of me. LeBron is just one of the smartest basketball players I’ve ever met, along with Kobe, and Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, those type of dudes who … it wasn’t to sell the Lakers … he didn’t (need) to hear that.
Then I just, was supposed to be there at 9:01 so I got there at 8:01, so I was going to sit out there for an hour until it was time to go up to his home. We’d been going through so many scenarios, also meeting with Jeanie, talking about what we thought would be important. What did we feel was important to LeBron. Magic on his 1-on-1 meeting with LeBron: “First of all, Rob and I have been preparing for this for four or five, six months in terms of what would we talk to him about. ‘Does this mean what I think it means?’ He called seconds later with the official news.” It was one of those moments in life you’ll never, ever forget.
Pelinka detailed how he found out the news: “I was up at our offices all day Sunday doing preparations and talking to (Magic) every five minutes … I was outside around 4 or 4:30 p.m., saying ‘I wonder when we’re going to find out the answer?’ because LeBron and his camp was meeting with another team that day … at about 5 p.m., I got a text from LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, and the text just said ‘Congrats.’ And it had balloons.
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