Magic Johnson says the New Orleans Pelicans did not negotiate in good faith on the Anthony Davis trade talks.
Johnson also does not regret the very public nature of his conversations with Pels GM Dell Demps.
Magic Johnson: Pelicans' Anthony Davis trade talks with Lakers weren't in good faithhttps://t.co/5UpBoyU73t pic.twitter.com/NiFxOILKag
— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) February 10, 2019
The Los Angeles Lakers’ president of basketball operations met with his players to check on them following the trade deadline.
Per The LA Times:
“Quit making this about thinking these guys are babies, because that’s what you’re treating them like,” Johnson said. “They’re professionals. All of them. This is how this league works. They know it, I know it. That’s how it goes. So we gotta move forward, and we are moving forward. They played outstanding against Boston, give them credit. We need to play well and move on.”
Johnson was asked if he thought New Orleans was negotiating in good faith.
“No,” Johnson said. “We knew that basically at the end of the day what happened, happened. And we knew that when we first started. In terms of what happened. But hey, it is what it is.”
Players had tepid reactions when asked about the meeting after Sunday’s 143-120 loss at Philadelphia.
“They get paid to do a job,” Johnson said. “We’re all professionals. I’ve been in this league 40 years. A lot of players got traded on Thursday. Guess what’s gonna happen next year? A lot of players will get traded. A lot of players will stay home. I talked to our guys; they’re in a good place.”
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