Magic Johnson, the legendary former Lakers executive and point guard, is less than thrilled that the Boston Celtics now hold the record for the most championship banners in NBA history. Johnson took to Twitter to voice his frustration, stating, “I hate that the Celtics officially have more championships than us now,” punctuated with an eye-roll emoji.
While the Celtics have consistently made deep playoff runs under coaches Joe Mazzulla and Ime Udoka, the Lakers have struggled since their 2020 Bubble championship. The Lakers’ approach to hiring and firing coaches has been widely criticized. After firing Darvin Ham, who led the Lakers to an improbable playoff run in the 2022-2023 season, the franchise has faced ridicule for its instability.
Instability within the Lakers
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has suggested that Lakers star LeBron James may bear some responsibility for undermining Ham’s position within the organization. Regardless of James’ involvement, the Lakers have been in disarray, as evidenced by Los Angeles native Demar DeRozan’s decision not to sign with the team during his free agency. According to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, DeRozan felt that the Lakers lacked vision and direction.
Magic Johnson was involved in the discussions to bring DeRozan to the Lakers, along with Owner Jeannie Buss, GM Rob Pelinka, and other key figures. The Lakers’ impatience with head coaches is evident, with Frank Vogel being fired just two years after winning the 2020 championship and Ham lasting only two years.
Ham’s dismissal
Reports suggest that Ham was unpopular with players in the Lakers locker room. A report detailing Ham’s return as the lead assistant to the Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers revealed that players in Milwaukee appreciated his honest communication style. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Anthony Davis (AD) may have played a significant role in Ham’s firing, as it was evident that AD was no longer on board with Ham.
Following the Celtics’ 122-84 victory in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, Boston now proudly displays 18 championship banners in their arena, surpassing the Lakers and adding to Magic Johnson’s frustration.
