MAGIC SAYS HE’LL GO IF ELITE DON’T COME
CALIF.» Magic Johnson is EL SEGUNDO, betting his job on his free-agent recruiting skills for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Johnson declared Monday that he will step down as the Lakers’ president of basketball operations if he can’t persuade an elite free agent to sign with the 16-time NBA champions within the next two summers.
“Next summer, if nobody comes and I’m still sitting here like this, then it’s a failure,” Johnson said after a news conference to introduce draft picks Moe Wagner and Svi Mykhailiuk.
Johnson was put in charge of the Lakers’ front office by owner Jeanie Buss in February 2017, and the former superstar point guard immediately announced his plans to revive the struggling franchise by enticing the game’s best players to join as free agents.
With Paul George and potentially LeBron James headlining the market this summer, Johnson is leading the Lakers’ efforts to land both players this weekend. If they sign elsewhere, Johnson and the Lakers will pursue the large crop of 2019 free agents.
And if he strikes out with every big name, Johnson said he will quit.
“Like I told you when I took the job, it’s going to be a two-summer thing for the Lakers,” Johnson said. “This summer, and next summer, and that’s it. And if I can’t deliver, I’m going to step down myself. She won’t have to fire me. I’ll step away from it. Because then, I can’t do this job. But so far, so good.”
Wizards, Clippers agree to trade.
WASHINGTON» A person familiar with the deal said the Washington Wizards have agreed to trade center Marcin Gortat to the Los Angeles Clippers for guard Austin Rivers.
Both players are entering the final season of their contracts.
The 34-year-old Gortat is a durable, screen-setting big man who has played 12 years in the NBA, the past five with Washington.
Rivers, who turns 26 in August, averaged a career-best 15.1 points and four assists last season.
Lightning re-signs Miller.
The Tampa Bay Lightning resigned forward J.T. Miller to a fiveyear contract worth $26.25 million.
Miller will count $5.5 million against the salary cap through 202223. General manager Steve Yzerman announced the deal with the pending restricted free agent.
Acquired from the New York Rangers at the trade deadline, Miller put up 18 points in 19 regular-season games with Tampa Bay and then eight more in 17 playoff games. The 25-year-old Miller has 82 goals and 108 assist in 360 NHL games.
Penguins re-sign Rust.
The Penguins re-signed forward Bryan Rust to a four-year deal that runs through the 2021-22 campaign.
The deal carries an average annual value of $3.5 million.
The 26-year-old Rust set career highs in both assists (25) and points (38) while playing in 69 games for the Penguins this season and added three goals in 12 playoff games.
WBA gives Joshua ultimatum.
Anthony Joshua was ordered to sign a deal to fight Alexander Povetkin “within 24 hours” or face being stripped of the WBA portion of his world heavyweight boxing titles.
The WBA lost patience with the talks between Joshua (21-0, 20 knockouts) and WBC champion Deontay Wilder for a unification bout, and want Joshua to fight its mandatory challenger from Russia.
WBA president Gilberto Mendoza said in a statement: “The WBA have allowed over a month extension to negotiations with Povetkin and also ongoing discussions with Deontay Wilder.
“It appears the Wilder team have not returned the contract for the fight and therefore we are requesting a date for the Joshua versus Povetkin fight with immediate effect.”