Magic Johnson on 2014-15 Lakers: ‘I Hope the Lakers Lose Every Game’

It may come as a surprise that Magic Johnson says he does not want the Los Angeles Lakers to win another game this season, but he is at least looking at the big picture.

The Hall of Fame point guard recently gave his thoughts to Newsday (h/t ESPN.com) on what the current Los Angeles Lakers squad should do, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver probably won't like hearing what Johnson said:

I hope the Lakers lose every game, because if you're going to lose, lose. I'm serious.

If you're going to lose, you have to lose, because you can't be in the middle of the pack. You either have to be great or you have to be bad, to get a good [draft] pick. ...

The Lakers are in a good space, too, next summer if they can sign or trade for a talented guy. I'd rather be all the way bad than be in the middle.

Yes, one of the greatest Lakers ever wants the team to tank.

Johnson does make valid points about losing teams. It does a team like the Lakers no good to finish in the middle of the pack, especially with Kobe Bryant's career nearing an end. If the team is not going to make the playoffs, it would be better off losing—a lot.

At 5-16, the Lakers don't appear to be playoff bound. However, they don't look bad enough to be able to finish with the worst record in the NBA.

In Johnson's mind, the team needs to focus on losing this year in order to help the franchise for years to come. Good luck getting the Black Mamba on board with tanking.

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