Magic Johnson Confesses His Biggest Lakers Regret-LeBron James Left in the Dark

**Magic Johnson revealed on Shannon Sharpe’s *Club Shay Shay* podcast his deepest regret as Lakers President of Basketball Operations: failing to call LeBron James before his abrupt April 2019 departure.** The move left the franchise’s star player in the dark about Johnson’s resignation, a decision that reshaped the Lakers’ front office and their championship trajectory.

Johnson’s regret centers on one missed conversation. *“I regret not calling LeBron, telling him I was stepping down,”* he said. *“I owed him that.”* His resignation came just months after recruiting James to Los Angeles in 2018-a move that defined his brief tenure. Instead of addressing tensions with head coach Luke Walton, Johnson chose to exit quietly, avoiding a confrontation with team owner Jeanie Buss.

Johnson’s departure in April 2019 was sudden. He later admitted he wanted to fire Walton but feared damaging his relationship with Buss. *“I didn’t want to fracture the great relationship I had with Jeanie,”* he explained. By leaving, he avoided a power struggle-but also left LeBron without advance warning. The fallout? Rob Pelinka took over, steering the Lakers to a 2020 title. Yet Pelinka’s later clashes with James over trades (like the failed Westbrook deal in 2021) may have pushed LeBron toward retirement in 2024.

Johnson’s exit marked the end of an era. His recruitment of LeBron remains one of the Lakers’ biggest free-agent coups, but his short-lived executive role left unanswered questions. Would a longer tenure have prevented Pelinka’s eventual rift with James? Or would the Lakers’ 2020 dynasty still have unfolded? The answer remains speculative-but Johnson’s regret underscores how one unspoken conversation could have altered NBA history.

Now retired from basketball operations, Johnson remains a Lakers legend. His 13 seasons as a player and brief executive stint bookend a career that redefined the franchise. While his regret over LeBron’s departure lingers, Johnson’s legacy as a builder-both on and off the court-stays intact. The Lakers’ future, however, may forever carry the weight of what might have been.