Report: Magic ignored coaching staff's pleas to keep Lopez, Randle
Magic Johnson appears to have gone against the wishes of the Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff - and he might be regretting it.
Following the blockbuster acquisition of LeBron James in July, the Lakers' staff requested the team president bring back big men Brook Lopez and Julius Randle, reports The Athletic's Bill Oram.
Johnson, however, ignored those suggestions, choosing to let the duo walk while complementing James' addition with one-year deals for JaVale McGee, Michael Beasley, Lance Stephenson and Rajon Rondo.
The Lakers renounced Randle, the seventh overall pick in 2014, one week before they signed James. The decision was perceived as a move to free up salary.
The 24-year-old quickly landed a two-year, $18-million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. He's currently scoring a career-high 20.7 points per game to go with 8.7 rebounds in 62 appearances this season.
Lopez went on to cement a starting role with the Milwaukee Bucks and is now averaging 12.3 points and 4.5 rebounds. Though his average output is only a marginal increase from his lone campaign in Los Angeles (13 points, four rebounds), the 30-year-old has improved his 3-point shooting to 36.7 percent this season, a personal best.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, has shot just 33.3 percent from long range this season, the second-worst mark in the league.
Beasley missed the majority of the Lakers' season spending time with his mother, who died in December after battling cancer. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in February but was promptly waived. He later signed with the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association.
While McGee has fared relatively well in Los Angeles, Stephenson has struggled to replicate his production from his time with the Indiana Pacers. The 28-year-old is averaging just 7.2 points with the Lakers this season and has missed four of the team's last five games with a toe injury.
Rondo has arguably been the best of the quartet, averaging 8.8 points and 7.7 assists per game, but has only played in 32 games due to injury.
Los Angeles currently sits 7.5 games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 16 games to play.