*Magic Johnson is praising this season’s Los Angeles Lakers, and many are reading his words as a jab at LeBron James.
The Lakers legend and Hall of Famer never mentioned James by name. Still, Heavy reports that his comparison of the two rosters struck many as a dig at the former Laker.
James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2026 after eight years in Los Angeles, where he won the 2020 championship. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer turns 42 next month and is the league’s oldest active player.
Johnson made the comments Tuesday while celebrating the team’s 10-2 start. “Last year, the Lakers were a slow team that got beat in transition,” he wrote on X, adding that this season is different. “This team is mentally and physically tougher, and that’s why they’re 10-2!” he continued.
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His praise extended to head coach JJ Redick after Monday’s 124-114 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
“The Lakers’ win over the Hawks yesterday showed that JJ Redick has become a great NBA coach,” Johnson wrote. He credited Redick for changing defenses during the game and the plays he designs after timeouts.
Johnson also praised star guard Luka Doncic, who scored 32 points. He singled out Collin Sexton’s 18 points and Sandro Mamukelashvili’s 23, along with Walker Kessler’s 21 points and 10 rebounds.
The numbers support the speed comparison. This season’s Lakers are tied for 10th in transition points at 24.3, according to NBA.com stats cited by Heavy. Last season’s team ranked 18th at 22.4.
Heavy links the change to a younger roster. Last season’s starting five averaged 31.2 years old. The current starters average 26.2 years, and no player on the roster is older than 30-year-old Kevon Looney.
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