Magic Johnson's Total 180 on D'Angelo Russell is the Stuff of Parody

Magic Johnson isn't really the best at mending fences.

Despite being handed a talented 20-year-old point guard with the potential to be able to score from anywhere at the NBA level, Magic oversaw the trade that sent D'Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets for Brook Lopez and the pick that became Kyle Kuzma back when he was a Lakers exec. With the Nets now gearing up for a run at Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, and even Kevin Durant in free agency, D-Lo very well be playing elsewhere in 2019-- with a Lakers reunion not out of the cards. And that just makes Magic sound as silly as ever in his latest statement.

We're still bringing up that Nick Young video? People are still siding with a dude who calls himself "Swaggy P" and using it to defame Russell's character? Magic, just sit this one out.

In Kenny Atkinson's fast-paced, shoot-it-if-you-got-it offense, Russell blossomed into an All-Star this season, averaging 21.1 points and 7 assists on a Nets team that won 42 games and earned the No. 6 seed in the East. That sudden breakout has the Nets stuck between a rock and a hard place, as Russell has earned himself max contract this offseason in restricted free agency.

While Russell would undoubtedly be a tremendous signing for the Lakers, it's easy to see the irony in Magic dumping the kid for cap space only to advocate for his team re-signing him two years later.

While the Russell-Magic feud seems to still be alive and well, D-Lo doesn't seem to harbor any hate for the Lakers franchise itself, and could link up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in Los Angeles provided the Nets can lock up a big-name free agent or two this offseason to take his place. What a world.