Magic Johnson excited Phil Jackson could return

Sam Amick, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

LOS ANGELES - When the Lakers decided to fire coach Mike Brown on Friday, it's doubtful that anyone was happier than Magic Johnson.

It's nothing personal, the Lakers legend and ESPN analyst insists, but he never saw Brown as the right fit to replace Phil Jackson in 2011 and is now ecstatic over the fact that it might mean Jackson's return to the team. The Lakers met with Jackson on Saturday and are expected to reconvene with him in the coming days. While there are other candidates, it continues to look as if the Zen Master will be back on the Lakers bench.

Johnson sold his minority ownership stake in the Lakers and has no title with the organization because of his minority ownership with Major League Baseball's Dodgers. Still, because he became a basketball legend in L.A., the Lakers hold a special place for him. He spoke with USA TODAY Sports about the situation by phone on Sunday morning.

Johnson, who was recently listed as the fourth-richest African American in America (approximately $500 million as of May 2009), discussed the business aspect of re-hiring Jackson and continued his campaign for for the coach who won five of his 11 championships with the Lakers. Johnson was highly critical of Brown, and strongly denied that he undermined Brown by convincing Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss to fire him.

Q: You've made it pretty clear who you want to coach this team, Magic, but break it down for me. Why do you feel like Phil is the only choice?

A: When you get Dwight Howard and you get a Steve Nash, and you bring them to the Lakers, Phil would be a perfect coach of this team because of his recent success with Shaq (O'Neal), his recent success with (former Lakers center Andrew) Bynum and (Lakers forward Pau) Gasol. So he knows how to utilize both big men, put them in a position that they can be successful and that the team can be successful as well. So he already has this incredible history with Kobe, winning five championships with him. He would definitely, I think, from Day One, be able to take over this team. He'll have the respect of the guys, because he's won championships. He would have a knowledge of them, they would have a knowledge of him, they know how to run the triangle. The only two people who have to catch up are (Steve) Nash and Howard. With Dwight, that'd be easy, and I think that'd be easy for Steve Nash as well. If the Lakers want to win now, he's the perfect coach.

That's the reason why Mike is out, because the Lakers are about winning championships. They're not about waiting. Some people have complained, and said different things - no, he didn't get a fair shake. The Lakers don't give people fair shakes. It's not about fair shakes. It's about whether you can produce or not. Other organizations, they have time and patience because they're not about winning the championships. The Lakers are about winning championships. They've had championships already, when you think about 16 of them. This team was put together and they want to win this year.That's why Dr. Buss and (Lakers vice president) Jim (Buss) and (general manager) Mitch (Kupchak) made the call.

Q: It certainly seems like the deal (with Jackson) is going to get done, but are you pretty confident he'll be the guy soon?

A: I feel it's going to get done. They have some things,of course, to work out. I know that Phil wants to bring his staff in, which is good, because - again - most guys like (former Lakers assistants) Kurt Rambis and (Jim) Cleamons, they know the guys. Kurt has worked with Kobe almost since he came into the league. He knows him, they respect Kurt, Kurt respects them,and Kurt knows how to get the most out of these guys. He did a wonderful job with Bynum and the rest of the guys. They love Kurt, because he's won championships. Cleamons, same thing. Of course he wants his guys, and that's good because that's what makes Phil comfortable coaching, so I think they'll get it done.

Look, at the end of the day, Dr. Buss wants to win, not only for himself and the family legacy, the Buss legacy, and he wants to - of course - catch the Celtics, but also too he wants to win for the fans. Dr. Buss has always been about winning championships for himself, and the organization and for the fans of Los Angeles. And putting out the best product possible.He's done his part. They've brought in a great group, and it's just too bad for Mike. He just wasn't the guy for this job. It's nothing against him, but he wasn't the guy.

We have to go back to history with Mike. Mike didn't get it done in Cleveland. If he can't get the championship done in Cleveland, having the game's best player (LeBron James), how are you going to come to Los Angeles and win it? It's just too bad. I think he will get another job, but it just wasn't the right fit for him here in Los Angeles.

Q: What about the business front here? The Lakers land this TV deal with Time Warner that's potentially $5 billion (over 25 years with possible contract options), potentially $200 million a year. You're talking about stakes that are even higher than the Lakers have ever seen on the business side of things. Could you make the argument that you just have to have a coach whose profile matches that kind of environment?

A: Of course this is a monster deal. The biggest deal we've seen in the NBA, and the Lakers deserve it. Of course - everything is a selling point, and so you get a guy like Phil - not only with his 11 championships ... It's easy to sell to the players. It's easy to sell to the fans. Of course Time Warner, and the NBA too. ABC, ESPN, TNT, we all would benefit. You sell the Lakers first, and then the players, and then you sell Phil. So then you've got three different people that you can sell ... which is great for everybody in TV. Time Warner - again, that's a great deal - and of course. Phil is a celebrity in his own right, in the sports world, so it would be an incredible story for everybody.

Q: Not sure if you feel like addressing this, but it's been written that you played a part here (in the firing of Brown), that you told Dr. Buss to do it. Any response there?

A: It's so stupid. They're so misinformed. I have never talked to Dr. Buss about firing Mike Brown. I've seen Dr. Buss one time. I visited with Dr. Buss three months ago. I had a great visit with him. We were just reminiscing. That (claim about Brown) was coming from Mike Brown's camp, that they thought I played a role in this. But let me tell you something about Dr. Buss. First of all, I didn't do it. Second of all, if I had a role in it, I'd tell the world. I don't have no problem telling people (laughs). That's easy. If I went to tell (Dr. Buss) that , 'Hey Mike Brown should be out,' and they fired him, and then somebody said, 'Well Magic had a hand in it,' I'd say' Yeah, I had a hand in it.' (laughs).

Have I been telling him from Day One that this guy wasn't the right guy? Yes, I've said that. I said that on the air last year. I've always backed up what I say. But have I went to Dr. Buss ever and said 'fire this guy'? Never. Have I talked to Dr. Buss about Mike Brown ever? No. So, that's been a lie that they put out. But that's OK. I'm a big boy. I can handle it. Dr. Buss makes his own decisions. You're underestimating Dr. Buss. When you say that, it's a slap in the face of Dr. Buss. Dr. Buss is a very smart and astute businessman and a guy who knows basketball. And he made that decision based on the fact that the Lakers were not running, they were not getting better. Mike Brown has one big flaw in his coaching: he does not make adjustments in game. That's what killed him in Cleveland, and that's what killed him with the Lakers. If you go back to every series that the Cleveland Cavaliers lost, and every series that the Lakers lost, Mike Brown did not make adjustments within the game. That's it. Let's keep it real. If we're going to be real, then let's keep it real. That's his biggest flaw. It's not preparation. It's not his defense, before the game and getting a game plan together. It's within the game. That's why (Boston coach) Doc Rivers is so good. That's why (San Antonio coach Gregg ) Popovich is so good. (Johnson's former Lakers coach and current Miami team president) Pat Riley, when he coached, was so good. That's why Phil Jackson is the best, because he does that better than anybody.