Franchises trade players to shake up their rosters. It is usually a desperate attempt to build a team for the championship. But interestingly enough, not everyone can sense the urgency like Sam Presti did twice in the last few years. His deal for SGA in 2019 and J Dub in 2022 has produced results this season. However, people often throw the Los Angeles Lakers into what-if scenarios in a parallel world. And in that case, don’t you think someone else should take over the franchise? Maybe, Magic Johnson?
Look, selling teams seem to be the latest trend in the league. Michael Jordan started the movement when he sold the Charlotte Hornets in 2023, Mark Cuban followed, and then the Celtics. Now, imagine if Jeanie Buss decides to step down from her role and hand the team to someone?
“I’m interested in the Lakers, but I may be interested in somebody else, too, depending on who the owner is,” Magic Johnson told Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim on ESPN’s Get Up. Currently valued at $7.1 billion, the Lakers could fall under Johnson’s control if Jeanie Buss stepped down or the team were sold. It’s unlikely to happen anytime soon, but you know, hopes. However, the 65-year-old legend said he’d be first in line if James Dolan gave up the franchise.
Magic Johnson
Meanwhile, Stephen A. Smith observed: “So your future aspirations as an owner in the NBA are there. I see that, I like that. I didn’t think you were going to say that.” Now, Johnson shared, “I’ve been a Laker my whole life. I’ve turned down—Peter and them came to see me with the Golden State Warriors.” It seems like the Warriors approached Magic Johnson to hand him the ownership.
But Magic knows his priorities, and even after having dinner with Joe Lacob, he told him, “No, I’m a Laker. I can’t own the Golden State Warriors.” Johnson revealed that he had multiple opportunities to own NBA teams, with offers from friends and other owners. He has always remained loyal to the Lakers. However, he admitted he’d seriously pursue buying the Knicks, admiring New York and its passionate fan base.
While Magic Johnson‘s remarks sparked curiosity about potential ownership shifts in Los Angeles, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made waves of his own. In a rare move, Silver opened up about the league’s future direction, touching on expansion, team valuations, and the evolving ownership. His revelations may hold significant implications for Buss, Johnson, and the Lakers alike.
Adam Silver’s latest revelation could help Magic Johnson’s ownership dreams
Las Vegas might be gambling on more than just cards soon. NBA expansion talk is heating up, and Commissioner Adam Silver has kept the city in the conversation. Steve Hill, the President and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, revealed, “The Commissioner has obviously talked about a couple of expansion teams. He’s mentioned Las Vegas. We have at least three credible groups who want to bring a team here… If they expand, I think Las Vegas has the best foot to put forward of any city out there. I mean, for all kinds of different reasons.”
Beyond the talk, Las Vegas has already built a strong foundation. The NBA Summer League lights up the city every July. The Play In Tournament crowned its first champion here. NBA teams have hosted training camps at UNLV. Hill proudly added, “We’ve got a great relationship with the NBA, we’ve been a basketball city. I’ve been here 38 years, and it was a basketball city before I got here. And we got credible groups to be here… The experience around any game in Las Vegas is elevated because it’s here. So, you know, all of those things line up, I think, exceptionally well.”
[US, Mexico, & Canada customers only] Jan 23, 2025; Paris, FRANCE; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks before the Paris Games 2025 NBA basketball game between the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters via Imagn ImagesMeanwhile, the city’s sports portfolio keeps growing. The Aces, Golden Knights, and Raiders already call Vegas home. By 2028, even the Athletics are expected to join the list. Yet, Hill knows this moment rests in the NBA’s court. “It is a business decision” for the league and its owners. Still, he remains hopeful, saying, “Las Vegas has an excellent opportunity” to land a team. The clock may be ticking, but Vegas looks ready.
The NBA is on the brink of a power shift, and every corner of the league is buzzing. From Magic Johnson’s candid pitch to own the Knicks to Jeanie Buss potentially facing pressure in Los Angeles, the drama is building. Meanwhile, Las Vegas is not waiting in the wings—it is charging toward the spotlight. Change is not coming. It is already here.
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