Magic Johnson leaving the Lakers?

Magic Johnson "wants a large piece in a franchise or at the very least the chance to run a front office," NBA.com reports, and that isn't going to be happening for him with the Los Angeles Lakers anytime soon.

So both Johnson and owner Jerry Buss tell the site that it's inevitable that Johnson will split from Laker Land.

"I'll still be a Laker forever," Johnson told the site. "If there's a chance for me to go run a team, if I felt that's what I wanted to do, would I take it? Yeah, if the right situation came. I know one day that's gonna probably happen. I love being with Dr. Buss and the Buss family and working with them, but I know one day something is going to happen. I can definitely see me not being with the Lakers, yeah."

The site notes that Johnson "is believed to have about five percent of the Lakers" and does work with the personnel and marketing departments. Last week, the site reports that he expressed interest in being a part owner and front-office worker for the Detroit Pistons, which would mark a return to his home state.

"I think he would always have a temptation to run the show," Jerry Buss told the site. "He's a pretty aggressive guy. On the other hand, he loves the Lakers. It's such a hard decision for him. I don't know which way that's going to go."


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