NBA is Giving Magic Johnson a Lifetime Achievement Award and the Timing Couldn't Be Worse
By Michael Luciano
It seems weird that anyone associated with the Lakers front office over the last few years would actually receive any sort of award, but here we are.
At the NBA Awards show on June 24, both Magic Johnson, fresh off his resignation after a horrendous stint as president of basketball operations in Los Angeles, and Larry Bird, who was actually a surprisingly good executive, will receive lifetime achievement awards.
NBA news: Magic Johnson and Larry Bird will be co-recipients of a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 NBA Awards show on June 24 in Los Angeles.
— InsideHoops.com NBA (@InsideHoops) May 15, 2019
We're assuming that this is for Johnson's work as a player.
Look, Bird and Magic saved the league and ushered in one of the greatest eras in the history of the sport, so they deserve every single honor that's coming their way. However, the timing of this literally couldn't be worse.
Magic and Bird will join Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson as the only other immortals of the game to receive this award.
The NBA has announced Basketball Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Larry Bird will be co-recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 NBA Awards on June 24th.
— Clevis Murray (@ClevisMurray) May 15, 2019
Bill Russell (2017) and Oscar Robertson (2018) are the previous recipients.
No one will ever forget what Magic did for the Lakers and the game as a whole. However, the last two years have been a tsunami of criticism about his basketball decision-making. One can only hope this award overshadows the dumpster fire he left raging in LA.