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Magic Johnson sounds off on Lakers' trade moves

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Wright | Last updated Feb 6, 2025 2:44 PM ET

Magic Johnson is never shy about sharing his thoughts on the Lakers, and this time, he's making it clear that the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors have just put the Western Conference on notice.

The Lakers legend, a five-time NBA champion and one of the greatest point guards of all time, took to social media to weigh in on the deadline chaos, praising both teams for making the kind of moves that should make the rest of the league nervous.

“With the trades the Lakers and the Warriors just made, if I’m any team in the West I wouldn’t want to see either one of them!” Johnson wrote on X.

Johnson’s words carry real weight. As a player, he helped define the Lakers’ Showtime era, leading them to five titles in the 1980s. As an executive, he played a major role in bringing LeBron James to L.A. in 2018, laying the groundwork for the franchise’s 2020 championship. When Magic speaks on the Lakers — or any team for that matter — people listen.

The Lakers, already dominating trade-deadline headlines after shocking the world by acquiring Luka Doncic from the Mavericks, continued to reshape their roster by adding much-needed frontcourt depth. Late Wednesday night, they pulled off another deal, landing center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap. With Anthony Davis gone, the Lakers had a glaring hole at center, and Williams — a young, athletic rim protector — fills a crucial need as they push for a deep playoff run.

Meanwhile, the Warriors made their own statement move, swinging a blockbuster deal for Jimmy Butler in a four-team trade that sent Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, P.J. Tucker and a protected 2025 first-round pick to Miami. Shortly after the trade, Golden State locked Butler into a two-year, $121 million extension, keeping him in the Bay Area through the 2026-27 season.

The moves were aggressive, but necessary. The Lakers (29-19) are currently sitting fifth in the West, while the Warriors (25-25) are 11th, still trying to find their way into the play-in picture. Both teams have struggled with injuries and inconsistent play this season, but adding elite talent at the deadline sends a clear message — they still believe they can contend.

The timing couldn’t be better for a statement game. The Lakers and Warriors face off Thursday night in what’s suddenly one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. Los Angeles has already won the first two meetings, including a 118-108 victory during NBA Rivals Week that featured a dominant performance from Davis before he was traded. Tip-off is set for 10:00 p.m. ET on TNT, and with both teams making major moves, it could be the first glimpse of how the new-look rosters stack up.

Magic Johnson has seen plenty of great Lakers teams, and if he’s backing this group, the rest of the league might want to pay attention.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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