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3 reasons Magic Johnson’s first deal with the Los Angeles Lakers was great

By John Buhler

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Magic Johnson Retired NBA Player attends Game Two of the Semifinals during the 2016 WNBA Playoffs against the Chicago Sky vs the Los Angeles Sparks at Staples Center on September 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Magic Johnson Retired NBA Player attends Game Two of the Semifinals during the 2016 WNBA Playoffs against the Chicago Sky vs the Los Angeles Sparks at Staples Center on September 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Magic Johnson has been the Los Angeles Lakers’ president of basketball operations for not even a day and is making moves. Here’s why his first one is great.

Tuesday, Feb. 21 saw a seismic shift in the Los Angeles Lakers front office. The greatest player in franchise history, Magic Johnson, was promoted to president of basketball operations. Long-time general manager Mitch Kupchak was let go and former executive vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss had been reassigned.

Instead of taking his first full day in charge of the Lakers front office for granted, Johnson realized the urgency of the rapidly approaching 2017 NBA trade deadline. Rather than standing pat, Johnson actually made a strong first move.

As first reported by The Vertical of Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers sent sixth man shooting guard Lou Williams to the Houston Rockets for wing Corey Brewer and a first round pick.

Williams to the Rockets gives Houston head coach Mike D’Antoni another strong shooter from the outside to run his Seven Seconds or Less offense. In the short-term, is a great move for the Rockets. As for the Lakers, this is a brilliant first move for Los Angeles, in the short-term and the long-term. Here are three reasons this first trade by Johnson was simply outstanding.

It pretty much guarantees the Lakers will keep their 2017 first-round pick

Los Angeles’ 2017 first-round pick is top-three protected. That means the Lakers would have to give their first-round pick to the Philadelphia 76ers if they don’t end up with the first, second or third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery.

Given that the Lakers have the third-worst record in the NBA at the All-Star Break at 19-39, that pick may have been in jeopardy. Only the Brooklyn Nets (9-47) and the Phoenix Suns (18-39) have worse records. The Orlando Magic have the fourth-worst record in the NBA at 21-37.

By trading away a serious Sixth Man of the Year candidate in Williams to the Rockets, it only helps the Lakers on their quest to finish with one of the worst records in basketball to hopefully keep their 2017 first-round pick.

Brewer is a decent player, but Williams can be electrifying off the bench as a scorer. Now he plays for the Rockets and the Lakers creep ever closer to keeping their coveted draft pick.

Los Angeles gets another first round pick for their rebuild

Let’s be real. The Lakers aren’t going to be any bit good any time soon. Frankly, it may take until the end of the decade by the Lakers are viable to reach the NBA Playoffs in a deep Western Conference.

Now that Kobe Bryant has called it a career, the Lakers can’t be too prideful in their rebuild. They need to be honest and do what is in the best interest of getting better in the long run, while simultaneously building their young corps.

Williams was an important veteran presence, but he is more valuable to the Rockets to ignite their offense coming off the bench in the 2017 NBA Playoffs. Los Angeles isn’t getting just Brewer in the deal, but a future first round pick.

That pick could be in 2017, which will likely be in the 20s as Houston is one of the eight best teams in basketball and would be picking in that range. If it is a pick in 2018 or beyond, then it is still valuable, as we don’t know what the future holds for the Rockets. Bad teams like the Lakers need all the first round picks they can get.

They’ll have Brewer under contract for a full 2017-18 NBA season

Brewer can provide the veteran leadership now vacated by Williams’ exodus to the Rockets. He is a reliable fifth starter on a contending-level team and would crack any rotation of a championship contender.

In short, Brewer has now become a viable trade asset for the Lakers heading into next season. The likelihood that he will play out the final year of his contract with Los Angeles is slim to none. Expect Johnson to package him in a deal sometime next season to help the Lakers in the long-run.

Expiring contracts are still valuable and a player of Brewer’s caliber can help a team pushing for playoff contention next winter. In the meantime, Brewer can help teach these young players how to be professionals. Johnson will ultimately do right by him in a trade to a contending team next season.

Next: Greatest NBA Trade Deadline Deals Ever

He straight up crushed his first move as Lakers president of basketball operations. It was honestly a better deal that what Sacramento Kings general manager Vlade Divac got for sending All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night.

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