Magic Johnson says he turned down three jobs, including the Knicks, before joining the Lakers | Zagsblog
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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Thursday / March 28.
  • Magic Johnson says he turned down three jobs, including the Knicks, before joining the Lakers

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    Magic Johnson says he turned down jobs with three NBA organizations before Lakers President Jeanie Buss offered him the chance at dinner to run the Lakers.

    Johnson said on ESPN’s ‘First Take’ that the Warriors, Pistons and Knicks all reached out to him with job opportunities.

    The Lakers in February announced Johnson had joined the franchise as an advisor to Buss. A month later, Johnson was named the Lakers’ president of basketball operations.

    As for the Knicks, Phil Jackson, Buss’ former fiance and the former Lakers coach, was fired by owner Jim Dolan in June.

    It remains unclear when Steve Mills, then the Knicks GM and now the team president, reached out to Johnson, but Magic said he did.

    “Steve Mills called me,” Johnson said.

    Since Jackson’s firing, Mills has hired a new GM in Scott Perry.

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    Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.

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