Johnson's first pep talk strikes a chord with struggling squad

EL SEGUNDO, California - The young, struggling Los Angeles Lakers were mesmerized by some Magic on Wednesday, still reeling from a front-office upheaval and the trade of leading scorer Lou Williams.

Laker legend and Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, hired on Tuesday as president of basketball operations, addressed the team before practice, and his words of wisdom struck a chord.

"He's going to come in here and try to make us better, get us back to winning ... he was great," Jordan Clarkson said.

Rookie coach Luke Wilson agreed: "Everything happened so fast. The initial thought is why do it right before the trade deadline, but Magic came in and we got to work right away."

Walton was processing his own conflicted emotions, having been close to former GM Mitch Kupchak and vice-president of operations Jim Buss, who were fired on Tuesday.

He spoke to both men on the phone after their ousters, listening as they offered encouraging words about his bright future with the franchise and ability to work with the young roster.

"It was definitely a little sad," Walton said. "It's important to really remember all the great things they did while they were here, too. On the other hand, you have Magic coming in. He's in there and making phone calls.

"It was a strange feeling all day, honestly."

Walton said Johnson talked to him and other employees about focusing on their individual jobs.

"If I'm sitting in a room with Magic and he's selling me on something, most times I'm buying it," Walton said.

Julius Randle experienced "the awe factor" when Johnson addressed the team.

"He is going to be around," the power forward said. "He has an open-door policy to talk to him whenever we need to," said Randle.

Perhaps more important to the players than the front office shake-up was the absence of Williams, who is headed to the Houston Rockets for Corey Brewer and a future draft pick.

Rookie Brandon Ingram called Williams' departure "a real heartbreaker".

The 30-year-old guard led the Lakers off the bench with 18.6 points per game. Williams was a fourth-quarter spark and steadying presence in the locker room.

"He was my vet," Ingram said.

"He told me a lot of things about life on and off the court."

Brewer's agent, Wallace Prather, confirmed the terms of the trade, which was first reported by Yahoo! Sports.

Williams announced he was leaving Los Angeles on Twitter, saying "Thanx for the love LA, I've really enjoyed my stay."

The Lakers have yet to announce Kupchak's replacement, although Walton referenced speculation that player agent Rob Pelinka would be hired as GM.

The 16-time NBA champion Lakers come out of the All-Star break with a record of 19-39, third-worst in the league.

They are at Oklahoma City to face the Thunder on Friday and host the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

Focused on what he calls "the big job" he has to do, Walton tried to sound an upbeat note amid the mixed emotions still swirling around the team.

"It's tricky because I am sad that Mitch and Jimmy aren't here anymore, but at the same time, I'm excited to be working with Magic and Rob when it finally happens," he said.

"I believe in the group that we have, and in our future."

Minnesota in no hurry to make a move

Minnesota Timberwolves president and coach Tom Thibodeau said the team will continue to talk to rivals about possible trades ahead of Thursday's deadline, but he didn't see a deal that makes sense for them "at this point".

The Timberwolves returned to work on Wednesday evening after the All-Star break in the hope of mounting a push for the playoffs. Minnesota is 13th in the Western Conference, 3 1/2 games behind Denver for the eighth seed.

The Wolves have been mentioned frequently in trade rumors this week, with much of the conversation centering around point guard Ricky Rubio. But Thibodeau brushed aside questions about those reports, saying he would not comment on speculation.

"Every team is talking to every other team this time of year," he said. "If there's something that makes sense, that can make you better, then you take a look. If not, I'm happy with the team we have. I like the guys we have. I like the approach we have."

Thibodeau has been working with GM Scott Layden to look at the possibilities out there for them, but Zach LaVine's knee injury has thrown a wrench into the team's immediate plans.

Associated Press

Syracuse fans swarm the court after their team’s 7875 lastsecond victory over Duke in an NCAA college basketball game in Syracuse, New York, on Wednesday.? Nick Lisi / Ap