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Magic Johnson: I Don't Believe In Jim Buss


LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) - Laker great Magic Johnson spoke his mind Wednesday on ESPN on the hiring of Mike D'Antoni after staying quiet for two days.

Magic believes the Lakers should have listened to fans and hired the 11-time NBA champion Phil Jackson.

"The reason I haven't tweeted in 2 days is because I've been mourning Phil Jackson not being hired as the Lakers head coach," Johnson tweeted Wednesday. "My mother always taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

He claims the Lakers have made 'two critical mistakes' that Jim Buss is responsible for.

"First, hiring Mike Brown. He wasn't the right coach. He's a great coach but not the right coach for the Lakers," Magic said on NBA Countdown.

"And I don't feel Mike D'Antoni is the right coach for the Lakers now, especially when you have Phil Jackson sitting out there who wanted to be the Laker coach."

"I love Dr. (Jerry) Buss. I don't believe in Jim Buss," Magic added.

Either way, Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak went with D'Antoni's high-paced and pick-and-roll style over Jackson's complex triangle.

D'Antoni arrived in Los Angeles Wednesday to have a meeting with Kupchak at an undisclosed hotel.

He will be introduced to the media at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Lakers practice facility in El Segundo.

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