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Magic Johnson says his relationship with Rob Pelinka was repaired, soon after he resigned from Lakers’ FO

Photo: John McCoy/Los Angeles Daily News (SCNG)

Magic Johnson never held a true grudge against the Los Angeles Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka. The Lakers’ legend claimed his relationship with Pelinka was repaired soon after he resigned as the president of basketball operations.

Johnson resigned as the Lakers’ president of basketball operations on the last night of the 2018-19 season because he felt Pelinka was “backstabbing and whispering” about him within the organization.

According to Brad Turner of L.A. Times, the two have mended their relationship and celebrated the Lakers’ title together. The Lakers, led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, won their first NBA Championship for the franchise since 2010.

“After I left, that stuff was in the past,” Johnson told The Times by phone. “But I was still a Laker and nothing changed there. And the love that Jeanie and I have for each other will always be there and always has been there. That didn’t change either.

“I’ve always wanted the best for the Lakers, and that’s why anything that I can do to help the Lakers back to winning an NBA championship, I was going to do. Rob and I were able to move past the situation, and now we’re good. We’re friends. We were talking about repeating last night.”

As the Lakers’ president, Johnson played a big part on LeBron James’ free agent signing, which was the first step for the organization to return to prominence.

Johnson was one of Pelinka’s first calls after Los Angeles clinched the title. Pelinka was instrumental at building the Lakers’ championship roster last summer, as he traded for Anthony Davis.

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