Magic Johnson reveals how he convinced LeBron James to join Lakers - “You could be responsible for the greatest franchise in the world turning it around”

LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson made an interesting pitch to LeBron James when recruiting the latter for the Lakers in the 2018 free agency.

Johnson was the President of Basketball Operations for the franchise and played an integral role in James becoming a Laker.

The 17-time NBA champions struggled to get back on their feet post the Kobe Bryant era. They had been a lottery team for six consecutive seasons and needed to make drastic changes to improve. James' addition was a move they believed would help them get back up.

During a recent appearance on the "Club Shay Shay" podcast, Johnson outlined how he used the LA Lakers' struggles as a way to convince LeBron James. He said:

"I pitched him this way: 'You could be responsible for the greatest franchise in the world, turning it around, leading us back to a championship. And they gonna say, 'You, you did that!' And I said, 'Give me two years, we're gonna win the championship that third year.'"

James' first season in LA didn't go according to plan after he sustained a groin injury during Christmas that year. At the time of his injury, the Lakers were in the middle of a terrific run and were poised to return to the playoffs.

Their young players didn't have a leader on the floor in his absence, which ultimately saw them fall to a 37-45 record. This was only good for the 10th seed in the conference as they missed the postseason.

The LA Lakers' 2019 offseason changed their fortunes big time. They traded young pieces including Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball for Anthony Davis, a move that made them legitimate contenders.

The Lakers capitalized on the trade, finishing as the #1 seed in the West, and then went on to win their record 17th NBA title. LeBron James was the Finals MVP that year, proving that he was a successful bet for the franchise.

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LeBron James faces another challenge to turn things around for the LA Lakers

LeBron James' tenure with the LA Lakers has been marked by massive highs and equally extreme lows.

James and the Lakers are looking to turn things around for the second time since the four-time NBA MVP moved to Hollywood. Since their championship success in 2020, the Lakers have looked far from being the contenders everyone expected them to be.

During the 2020-21 NBA season, James and Anthony Davis sustained long-term injuries that saw the Lakers slip to seventh in the standings. They had to play in the play-in tournament it make it into the playoffs and lost in the first round against the Phoenix Suns.

The LA Lakers hoped to return to championship contention the following season. They broke up the core that helped them win the championship and acquired Russell Westbrook and several veterans.

However, it all fell flat once again. The Lakers finished the 2021-22 season with a 33-49 record and couldn't even qualify for the play-in tournament.

The move to sign Westbrook is now considered arguably the worst trade in franchise history. His struggle to fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis has hampered the Lakers' chances of winning at a high level.

Meanwhile, LA doesn't have enough flexibility to add impactful role players around Westbrook, James and Davis. This means their roster doesn't look good enough on paper to challenge most of the contenders this season.

LeBron James remains their best player and faces another uphill task to turn things around. However, the soon-to-be 38-year-old hasn't been able to bring wins with just his excellent individual displays like he did earlier.

The LA Lakers are 0-3 to start the season despite James averaging 27.3 points, 7.3 assists and 11.0 rebounds per game. With a tough schedule ahead, he will need more help from the supporting cast for the Lakers to open their win column.