Magic Johnson on Lakers young core: 'We don't have a player to build around'

Magic Johnson, the President of Basketball Operations for the Los Angeles Lakers, believes the team still hasn't discovered the player that it can build its future around. Since 2014, the Lakers have selected three players in the lottery: Julius Randle (No. 7 pick), D'Angelo Russell (No. 2 pick) and Brandon Ingram (No. 2 pick).

While the aforementioned trio has shown flashes of All-Star potential, there's no guarantee that either of the three would turn into the next Lakers franchise player. Lakers co-owner Jeanie Buss told The Open Run Podcast that Johnson wants to build the team around coach Luke Walton.“I asked him (Magic) who he would build the team around. He thought about it for a second and he said, ‘I don’t know if you have the player yet... I would build the team around Luke (Walton).'"

There's a strong belief around the league that Indiana Pacers superstar Paul George would be sporting the purple & gold at the start of the 2017-18 NBA season. To acquire George, Johnson and the Lakers would have to part with valuable assets that could include two out of Russell, Randle and Ingram. Otherwise, the Lakers would have to hope and pray that they can hold onto their Top-3 protected draft pick during next month's NBA Draft Lottery. Incidentally, Johnson would be representing the Lakers on May 16.

Paul George to Lakers could happen this summer

After the Cleveland Cavaliers swept the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, George admitted that repeated playoff defeats to LeBron James have given him reason to ponder over his immediate future. “It’s real frustrating to continue losing to the same team, or the same person. It’s what I work hard for in the summer, to try to help lead a team of my own and it’s ultimately who I’m always going to see and face. But again, came up short. Didn’t do enough. If we want to win, that’s the team that we have to work towards stacking up against. If we want to be serious, that’s the team we’ve got to look at and figure out how we can match up against them," the two-way wing was quoted as saying by The Vertical.

George would avoid running into LeBron James (at least in the playoffs) with a move to hometown franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers. On Monday, Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News reported that PG-13 has always wanted to wear Purple & Gold. "A SoCal (Southern California) native, he’s been talking about playing for his hometown team, the Lakers, for a long time. He’s never made his long-term intentions a secret within the Pacers’ locker room, according to former teammates. He wants to wear the purple and gold."

The Lakers have an interesting young core that comprises of D'Angelo Russell, Brando Ingram, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Ivica Zubac. However, Magic Johnson could trade a few young pieces to possibly acquire a veteran All-Star this offseason. The Lakers have missed the playoffs for four consecutive seasons, a first in the illustrious history of the franchise. Los Angeles Lakers will have approximately US$35 million (AU$39 million) to spend in NBA Free Agency 2018.