Magic Johnson's impromptu news conference before the Los Angeles Lakers' final game of the season Tuesday was another fitting event for an organization consumed with its own narrative. The broadest smile in basketball was stepping down from his position as team president because the job was no fun. Millions of fans would list "running my favorite team" as their dream gig, but Magic's general appraisal of the role is correct. Serving as the senior basketball executive for an NBA team is drudgery.
For every LeBron James recruitment, there are a dozen uninspiring tasks, from humdrum transactions to the building of systems in a front office.