March 11, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Lakers legend and Hall of Famer Magic Johnson is never shy about giving his take on social media, and that was the case on Sunday when he reacted to the Lakers’ blockbuster trade.
Johnson had nothing but great things to say about the Lakers’ acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets.
Johnson took to X to praise the Lakers for bolstering their roster.
“Laker Nation, I am so excited about the trade for Dorian Finney-Smith,” posted Johnson. “He’s an excellent defender and 3-point shooter – just what the Lakers needed!”
Johnson also praised general manager Rob Pelinka and acknowledged Milton in the trade.
“Really good move by Rob Pelinka. The Lakers also acquired Shake Milton!”
The Lakers traded away D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks to the Nets.
There is no question that this trade does raise the Lakers’ chance of better competing this season; however, they are not done yet. While this trade is great for the Lakers, they are a move away from possibly making another deep run in the postseason.
The Lakers are eager to capture their 18th title and tie the Boston Celtics once again, but they still have some way to go. The Lakers desperately needed to make a trade of the caliber of Finney-Smith, and they did so without giving up two of their first-round picks. Los Angeles and Pelinka still have that to play with, and the rumors of them being aggressive in this trade deadline appear to be true.
This now means that the Lakers will likely make another move, and the options are quite obvious. Los Angeles needs another big to back up Anthony Davis, or they could go with a more athletic guard. The Lakers have a little over a month to make another trade, and the expectation is that they will do just that, especially with their two first-round picks still in their back pocket.
Johnson may have other ventures, but he will always love the Lakers. He will always be honest when discussing them in any setting, but it is clear that he is a big fan of the trade.
Johnson is the former president of basketball operations for the Lakers from 2017-19. He was responsible for trading Russell to the Nets in the summer of 2017, one of his first significant changes at the helm.