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Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron signs with Lakers; Winners and Losers

By Jamaal Artis

EL SEGUNDO, CA - JUNE 26: President of basketball operations Magic Johnson answers question from the media during a press conference to introduce the team's 2018 NBA draft picks at the UCLA Health Training Center on June 26, 2018 in El Segundo, California. Moritz Wagner was chosen with the 25th overall pick and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk with the 47th pick. TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
EL SEGUNDO, CA - JUNE 26: President of basketball operations Magic Johnson answers question from the media during a press conference to introduce the team's 2018 NBA draft picks at the UCLA Health Training Center on June 26, 2018 in El Segundo, California. Moritz Wagner was chosen with the 25th overall pick and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk with the 47th pick. TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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In one fell swoop the landscape of the NBA changed when LeBron James, the best player on the planet, decided to join with the NBA’s greatest franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron James is going to sign a purported four-year, $153 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, indicating that he’s in this for the long haul and was willing to be apart of the Lakers youth movement.

Signing LeBron elevates the Lakers back to their rightful place as one of the elite franchises in the NBA. This will be a welcome sight for Lakers fans who have had to endure the worst stretch in the franchises history.

So now that LeBron is signed who are the winners and losers as a result of his deal.

Winners:

Magic Johnson

"“I’m Magic Johnson. I’m still the same dude. I’m not gonna change. There’s no pressure on me. I’m gonna do my job. I’m excited. It’s fun. I’m looking forward to it.”"

He tried to tell you guys. With one transaction Magic did what he was hired to do: be the closer. It’s being reported that in one three-hour meeting with LeBron, Magic was able to convince King James that the Los Angeles Lakers were the best choice for him.

In 18 short months Magic and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka have turned around the moribund franchise that had fallen in despair under Jim Buss and  Mitch Kupchak.

They got rid of the horrendous Timofey Mozgov contract, got a draft haul of Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, and Josh Hart, and hey cleared cap space by trading Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to be able to get LeBron.

All the moves Magic and Pelinka have done lead to signing LeBron and Magic the closer has his team going back up.

Jeanie Buss

There is no Magic Johnson Lakers President of Basketball Operations without owner Jeanie Buss. By ridding the team of Jim Buss and Kupchak, Jeanie made a course correction in the franchises fortunes.

Now like her father, Jerry Buss, she has a signature player that has put the spotlight back on the team and it’s a testament to her making the difficult decisions to put the Lakers ahead of family.

If the LeBron deal leads to a championship down the road she should be the first person to hoist the trophy.

The Eastern Conference

Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, and Philadelphia 76ers fans should be really happy, it would have been nice to have LeBron come to their team but it’s even better knowing he can’t ruin their playoffs.

Over the last eights years, LeBron with both the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers ran roughshod over the Eastern Conference on the way to eight straight NBA Finals.

Now those teams can give themselves a better chance to at least come out of the east hopefully for them they don’t end up laying LeBron in the NBA Finals.

Losers:

Cleveland Cavaliers

It’s hard to feel bad for the fans and city of Cleveland, they got LeBron for 11 years and spent the last four June’s in the NBA Finals winning the cities first sports championship in 52 years along the way.

But now those poor folks might be spending the next 40 years wandering in the wilderness with owner Dan Gilbert at the helm. The last time LeBron left they went 97-215, it might be worst than that this time around. They have a lot of sunk costs in players that weren’t very good with LeBron, so I shudder to think what Cavs fans will be watching without LeBron.

Jim Buss

Sorry I had to, Jeanie’s a better owner.

Paul George

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George is not a loser person, but his decision making process over the last year is surely a head scratcher. He had a chance to sign a super max contract to stay in Indiana, so what does he do? He forces the Pacers to trade him saying he wanted to go to the Los Angeles Lakers.

When he gets sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder there didn’t seem to be a change and it looked more likely he was leaving after the team was destroyed in a five-game series by the Utah Jazz. He then refuses to meet with the Lakers and signs with the Thunder for way less money than he would have gotten with the Pacers.

If George is happy with his decision then great for him but it seems strange to reject more money and then tell everyone you’re going to LA only to re-up with a team now hemmed in by cap constraints and doubtful to go beyond the 1st round.

Second Tier West Teams

If your the Portland Trailblazers, Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets et. al having LeBron come to the West is going to be very problematic for you. The third-best record in the West last year was 49 wins, 47 wins got you in the playoffs.

Next: Lakers top 30 players all-time

The Lakers won 35 games, LeBron James alone is good enough for 13-16 wins to a team. That means someone is going to drop in the pecking order in the West. That also means some players will become frustrated with losing to LeBron and might look for greener pastures elsewhere. The Los Angeles Lakers going up means others are coming down.

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