NBA Trade Rumors: Magic Johnson sends Lou Williams to Houston Rockets as his first executive decision

By Menahem Zen / Feb 22, 2017 01:11 PM EST
(Photo : Getty Images/Harry How) Louis Williams #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers waits for a free throw during the second half of a 107-101 Utah Jazz win at Staples Center on Dec. 5, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.

Los Angeles Lakers has finalized trade deal of Lou Williams with Houston Rockets. Lakers will get Corey Brewer and the first round draft picks in exchange for Williams. This is the first move made by Magic Johnson after he was appointed the president of basketball operations at the Lakers.

The trade was reported by Los Angeles Times, as the first important decision taken by Johnson who took over the president of basketball operation from Mitch Kupchak on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Lakers owner and president Jeanie Buss fired his brother Jerry Buss as the president of basketball operation and appointed Johnson to lead the operation.

Furthermore, Buss also fired general manager Mitch Kupchak and appointed Kobe Bryant’s agent Rob Pelinka to replace former Lakers player who have been with the team for 35 years. The duo, Johnson and Pelinka are now in charge of the Lakers, to bring the team to the elite level again.

Johnson and Pelinka are two people who are very familiar with the Lakers operation. Johnson was the leader of the 1980’s Lakers team that won five NBA champhionship. While Pelinka is the CEO of the Landmark Sports Agency that resides in Santa Monica, California that managed Kobe Bryant in his 20 years of career with the Lakers.

Their first decision was to get the first deal in revamping the roster, as reported by NBA. That is to finalize the trade of Williams and selecting the best trading partner for the 30-year-old shooting guard. They selected Houston Rockets that can offer another shooting guard and the first round picks in 2017 NBA Draft.

Brewer is not a fast pace shooting guard like Williams, he is not even statistically better than Williams. However, Lakers aims for the draft picks in the trade in order to rebuild the new dynasty of the great team just like the Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant’s era.

Watch the interview with Williams on his philosophy and trade rumors below: