NBA (DR) / ESPN (DR)

Having started the season with title ambitions, the Lakers finally had to lay down their arms in the first round of the playoffs.

And obviously, that doesn’t please veterans of the franchise like Magic Johnson… The former Californian leader also let go after the elimination, but his speech is enough to surprise more than one person.

It’s hard not to be frustrated by this 2023-24 season, on the Lakers side. The Purple and Gold had big ambitions after reaching the conference finals last year, but they didn’t even make it past the first round this time around…

Once again, it’s Nikola’s Nuggets Jokic who blocked their path, the latter even crucifying them several times in money time via Jamal Murray.

As a result, LeBron James and others are already on vacation and will have to follow the rest of the playoffs from afar. A heartbreak for the players, the fans but also the veterans of the franchise like Magic Johnson.

Already the author of a long complaint involving Victor Wembanyama , the former Angelino leader subsequently settled scores with the squad coached by Darvin Ham. The verdict is shattering.

Magic Johnson attacks… Lakers load management

The Lakers only have themselves to blame. They wouldn’t have had to play in the Play-In and they wouldn’t have finished in seventh place this season if they hadn’t lost so many matches due to load management.

Clearly, the five-time NBA champion has a lot on his plate when it comes to his former team.

But for now, there is reason to remain cautious regarding Magic’s accusations. Because this year, we can’t blame LeBron, AD & co. for having missed matches: the King played 71 regular season, while The Brow played 76.

That’s his biggest total since the 2017-18 campaign, no less! If the disappointment is logical, then fans have a harder time understanding this particular argument.

What are you talking about Magic, it’s not because of load management that they lost matches

For Magic Johnson, the Lakers would have had a series of defeats and would therefore have put themselves in a delicate situation because of their load management.

That could have been a valid excuse in recent seasons, but the problems were elsewhere in 2023-24 when the core of the roster only missed a few games.