Los Angeles Lakers

Magic Johnson doesn't have a reputation as a "bully" in the Dodgers organization -- at least according to Justin Turner who tells TMZ Sports, "He's been great to me."

Johnson has been under fire over an ESPN report which dove into the dysfunction within the L.A. Lakers organization -- it painted Magic as a jerk who would often berate his staff.

One staffer told ESPN, "He used intimidation and bullying as a way of showing authority."

Since Magic is co-owner of the L.A. Dodgers -- we asked Turner if he's had any similar experiences with his boss.

"I love Magic," the Dodgers 3rd baseman said at Philippe's restaurant in L.A. ... "Been great to me."

Turner was doing a promotional event at Philippe's -- which is an L.A. institution because it was opened back in 1908 by Philippe Mathieu, the guy who claims he invented the French Dipped Sandwich!!!

9:32 AM PT -- We spoke with Odom on the way out of "The View" and asked him why he thinks Hof tried to kill him. Odom says he's still trying to find the answers.

9:03 AM PT -- Lamar Odom claims the late owner of the Nevada brothel where he OD'd in 2015 tried to kill him ... and Odom says his legal team already has proof to back up his claim.

Odom just appeared on "The View" where he said Dennis Hof -- who owned the Love Ranch -- "tried to kill me."

Long story short ... Odom is adamant he did not intentionally consume any drugs -- including cocaine -- on the day of his overdose and he believes Hof (or someone working for Hof) poisoned him.

"Dennis Hof, I don't know what he had against me but I didn't do drugs that night," Odom said.

"I don't know what he had against me ... he tried to kill me."

Odom says his attorney has already investigated the allegation and found workers at the brothel who back up his claim.

Hof died in October 2018 -- but in 2016, he told TMZ Sports he was a fan of Odom and invited him back to the Love Ranch for the VIP treatment.

We've reached out to Hof's reps regarding Odom's attempted murder claim -- but so far, no comment.

As we previously reported, police who investigated the 2015 overdose say prostitutes at the Love Ranch told them they had heard Odom snorting substances before the OD and had a "vague knowledge of him using illegal narcotics."

Investigators later confirmed the presence of cocaine in Odom's system -- but clearly, Odom says he did NOT knowingly take drugs that night.

Lamar Odom says he believes his wild life story is fit for the big screen -- and he's already had talks about turning his new autobiography into a movie.

Odom was arriving to "The View" in New York on Tuesday to promote his new book, "Darkness to Light" -- in which he talks about everything from drug addiction to sex addiction to his failed marriage with Khloe Kardashian.

Odom says he's already spoken with people about turning his story into a movie but didn't say who those talks were with.

He's not wrong ... Odom went from being an NBA superstar to a reality star before hitting rock bottom ... when he overdosed at a Nevada brothel in 2015.

Odom suffered several strokes and heart attacks and doctors didn't think he'd fully recover.

But, Odom beat the odds and now he's getting ready to play professional basketball again with the BIG3 league.

It's an amazing story ... and it seems like it's only a matter of time before it gets the full-length feature film treatment.

Reason #2361230 why it's great to be LeBron James?? Flexin' on your superstar friends with the hottest shoes on the market ... before they even hit the market.

Nike's billion-dollar man hosted some of his closest NBA-star friends, like Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and Tristan Thompson at his L.A. home for a Memorial Day Weekend bash ... and naturally, had to show off one time.

The bright green shoes on his feet in the pic above are the Nike Fear of God 1's in the Frosted Spruce colorway ... and they don't come out 'til this weekend -- but somehow, Bron got the hookup.

When they're available to the non-superstar public, they'll retail at $350, but good luck trying to get them for that price. They're expected to go for AT LEAST $1,000 on the secondary market.

FYI -- the original Nike FOG 1 colorway sold out within seconds when they went on sale late last year ... and these are expected to go just as fast.

As for the bro sesh ... it had everything you could ask for -- vibing to Nipsey Hussle, drinking adult beverages, smokin' cigars and watching "The Godfather" on repeat.

Ex-Lakers player Dwight Howard doesn't think the drama in LakerLand is a big deal -- in fact, he thinks it's all being blown out of proportion because "it's just business."

We got Dwight leaving Catch in West Hollywood over the weekend -- and had to ask him if saw any Lakers front office dysfunction during his 1 season stint with the team in 2012-13.

"It's part of basketball," Howard told us ... "It's just business. Not drama. It's just business."

In other words, Howard doesn't seem too shocked by the situation in L.A. -- almost like he's seen stuff like this with other organizations too and Dwight would know ... he's played for 6 teams.

We also asked Howard about the back injury that sidelined him for most of last season -- and he told us things are on the upswing.

"It's solid. I'll be good ... just continue to get right."

Howard only played 9 games this season before undergoing season-ending spinal surgery to relieve pain in his glutes.

The L.A. Lakers might as well start sellin' lip kits and flat tummy tea, 'cause Jay Williams says there's so much drama surrounding LeBron's team, he's dubbing them "the Kardashians of the NBA."

And, he ain't saying it as a compliment.

It's been a dumpster fire of an offseason for the Lakers ... with Magic Johnson going scorched earth on Rob Pelinka and accusing him of some old fashioned backstabbery. They fired Luke Walton and struggled to get a replacement coach.

And, of course, Lonzo Ball has Big Baller Brand drama.

Williams says things in LakerLand have gotten so bad, the team is starting to resemble the Kar-Jenners more than an NBA organization.

"I feel like we talk about everything but their on-court play ... that's kind of a signature of a lot of drama."

Williams says he still doesn't understand Magic's reasoning behind leaving the team ... and the very public breakup is gonna have players second-guessing whether they wanna be around that come free agency.

LeBron James clearly needs a little TLC after his Lakers continue to implode around him ... and seems he's gettin' it from an old buddy -- Tristan Thompson!!!

LBJ was out in L.A. on Tuesday night celebrating his John Elliott x LeBron James clothing launch ... and Tristan was there to back his friend -- in more ways than one.

LeBron's Lakers have been a disaster the past few weeks -- they botched their coaching search and Magic Johnson quit -- so TT stopped by and helped comfort The King.

The two shared a big embrace inside of the store ... and seems it helped cheer up LeBron -- who was caught dancing at the DJ booth moments later!!!

Of course, all the bro hugs in the world ain't exactly going to fix the Lakers' issues -- they still need a superstar to join up with Bron this summer and they've gotta make sure their new coaching staff works.

But hey, in the meantime, at least LBJ's new kicks (releasing to the public this week) are fire!!!!

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka is adamant he did NOT betray Magic Johnson and trash the NBA legend behind his back ... saying allegations are "simply not true."

Pelinka was asked about the situation moments ago while introducing new Lakers head coach Frank Vogel ... just hours after Magic put Pelinka on blast during an ESPN interview.

Johnson said he was upset at Pelinka because he found out Rob had been bashing him in and out of NBA circles ... saying Magic's work ethic sucked and he was barely in the Lakers office.

So, what's Rob's response? He took a cue from Shaggy ... IT WASN'T ME!

"Surprising to hear and disheartening," Pelinka said ... "Simply not true."

Pelinka says he stands with Magic as a colleague and a partner and wants to speak with Magic in person to clear everything up.

Pelinka says he was surprised to see Magic make the allegations on TV because they have spoken several times since Magic left the Lakers and Rob thought they were on good terms.

Magic Johnson is calling out Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka -- fingering Pelinka as the backstabber who trashed him inside and outside of NBA circles ... and Magic is pissed.

Magic went on "First Take" early Monday when he was asked about the drama inside the Lakers organization that pushed him to quit before the end of the 2018-19 season.

Johnson essentially says he started hearing bad rumors about himself which he was able to trace back to Rob.

"I started hearing, 'Magic, you're not working hard enough. Magic's not in the office' ... So, people around the Lakers office was telling me Rob was saying things."

Magic added, "And, I didn't like those things being said behind my back."

Johnson said he also started getting calls "from my friends outside of basketball saying those things now were said to them outside of basketball."

Johnson resigned on April 9 -- telling the media before looping in Lakers owner Jeanie Buss ... shocking the basketball world.

The Lakers finally have a coaching staff ... and rookie center Moritz Wagner says the locker room is totally pumped to welcome Frank Vogel and Jason Kidd to the team!

"We're excited," the 6'11" rookie from Germany told our guy with a smile.

22-year-old Wagner -- the 25th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft -- insists things are still great in Laker Land and says he still feels like a "blessed man."

Of course, the Lakers coaching drama doesn't exactly LOOK like it was heaven-sent ... Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka had tried to land Ty Lue, but that fizzled. Vogel was the backup plan.

But, kudos to Wagner for staying positive about the situation ... the guy's got tons of potential and could make a real impact on the team in 2019 now that he's healthy.

Remember, he was a stud at Michigan (he was the BIG Ten tournament MVP in 2018).

There's more ... Wagner also weighs in on Kawhi Leonard's crazy series-winning shot over the Sixers -- and tries to explain why it was NOT the greatest shot of all time.

LeBron James made a surprise visit to his I Promise School in Akron on Thursday ... and he came bearing a REALLY big gift -- a $1 MILLION check!!

The NBA superstar presented a grant from the DICK's Sporting Goods Foundation ... which will go towards building a brand new gym for his already-freakin'-awesome school.

The gym will be used for phys. ed classes, after-school activities and act as a safe space for local kids after hours.

“To my kids, this is more than a gym,” Bron says of the gift. “The DICK’s Sports Matter program is helping us provide even more opportunities. An opportunity to play and learn in a safe place that many don’t have access to."

"I can’t imagine where my friends and I would be if it weren’t for the coaches and teachers who cared about us and the opportunities we had.”

As we previously reported, Bron's school is doing REALLY well ... with their statewide test scores soaring after just one year.

Now, the kids will be able to work on their jump shot to, oh, who knows ... maybe become the next LeBron James.

Los Angeles is a Clippers town.

Los Angeles is a Clippers town.

Los Angeles is a Clippers town.

Breathe that in. Digest it. Because that's the world we live in right now ... according to the Mayor of Los Angeles.

We spoke with Eric Garcetti -- who's a DIE-HARD Lakers fan -- but even EG knows things ain't going so well in Lakerville right now.

It's downright bad ... the Lakers have no coach. The team sucked this past season. Magic Johnson quit. They haven't made the playoffs in 6 years.

Meanwhile, the Clippers are doing GREAT -- they shocked the world by getting into the playoffs this year and they're set up to be able to sign two MAX-CONTRACT free agents to the squad next season.

There's talk they could even land Kawhi Leonard -- which would be a game changer in Clipperland.

So, in 2019 ... with LeBron James wearing Purple and Gold -- the Mayor of Los Angeles says we're living in a Clippers town.

Lamar Odom is still a Laker at heart -- telling TMZ Sports he REALLY wants to see his old team return to greatness ... and feels Kyrie Irving could be the guy to make it happen.

Odom clearly feels Irving is still a force in the NBA -- despite a poor showing with the Celtics in the playoffs.

On the way out of the Fashion Nova event in Hollywood, LO told us a reunion with LeBron James could be the spark that gets Kyrie going again.

Odom also thinks the Lakers should make a run at Anthony Davis -- but that seems unlikely based on the attempted trade drama that went down during the regular season.

As for Kyrie, the guy is immensely talented -- but seemed off during the Celtics playoff series vs. the Milwaukee Bucks ... he just didn't look like himself.

So, could Odom be right? It's a long offseason and Kyrie is clearly unhappy in Boston.

Remember, Kyrie and LeBron weren't always like peas and carrots either -- they won a title together in Cleveland before Irving made it clear he wanted out.

Irving and LeBron later squashed the beef and seem to be cool now.

LaVar Ball is NOT folding the Big Baller Brand -- in fact, it's the opposite -- he's expanding BBB with plans to make it bigger than ever, TMZ Sports has learned.

LaVar has had some big problems with BBB recently -- claiming cofounder Alan Foster stole a FORTUNE from the company and his son, Lonzo Ball.

Lonzo was so pissed he sued Foster for more than $2 mil and later covered up the BBB tattoo on his arm ... which many people considered a death blow to the brand. In the wake of the chaos, the BBB website was also taken down.

But now, we've learned LaVar is in the process of building a new BBB team with plans to get back into the sportswear game and expand into other markets as well. He's already made some key hires.

Our sources tell us LaVar and his team are currently working on a battle plan and hope to get everything up and running again very soon.

LaVar launched Big Baller Brand back in 2017 -- selling ZO2 sneakers for a whopping $495 per pair. A bunch of influential celebs snatched up the shoes including Jay-Z who bought 3 pair.

The deal isn't officially done ... but seems Ty Lue ain't worried about jinxing his shot at the Lakers head coaching job -- at least judging by his Lakers-themed birthday cake.

Lue -- the reported frontrunner to replace Luke Walton -- celebrated his 42nd birthday at a fancy Las Vegas restaurant over the weekend.

We're told Lue rented out the entire restaurant and celebrated with his closest friends and family -- less than 10 people at the party.

But, the biggest moment of the night was the cake -- which sported a giant Lakers logo and a basketball hoop ... along with the message, "Happy Birthday Coach."

Ty laughed when the cake was brought out -- but we're told he never really said anything to dispute the insinuation he's gonna be the next coach of the Lakers.

So, either his pals were just trying to get a laugh ... or they all know something that hasn't "officially" been reported yet.

We'd ask what he wished for when he blew out the candles ... but it seems his wish may have already come true.

Lue last coached for the Cleveland Cavaliers -- but he was fired back in Oct. 2018 after an 0-6 start.

But, the buzz is that LeBron James is pushing the Lakers to hire Lue -- because they get along really well.

Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss, listen up ... Lamar Odom says you've already interviewed the PERFECT candidate to replace Luke Walton -- JUWAN HOWARD!!!

Of course, Pelinka and Buss have been searching for a replacement for Walton since they canned him at the end of the season ... and they've already interviewed a few people for the gig.

Guys like Tyronn Lue and Jason Kidd are reportedly the favorites ... but L.O. thinks the Lakers should scrap 'em both in favor of Howard, and he told us why.

"Somebody that has some presence. Somebody that can handle having LeBron on your team."

Howard's name has definitely been floated around as a name for the Lakers top job ... he was a teammate of LeBron and coached him while he was with the Miami Heat.

So, let's be real for a second, the Lakers are almost certainly gonna hire Ty Lue ... BUT don't discount what Odom is saying, there might be an 11th-hour surprise.

If the whole "basketball God" thing never happened for LeBron James, he could've earned his way as a real-deal professional boxer ... and if you don't believe it, just ask Canelo Alvarez!!!

TMZ Sports spoke with the boxing superstar about partnering with King James for a docuseries leading up to his big fight with Daniel Jacobs ... and he says it's an incredible honor to work together.

So, how would Bron have fared if he took his talents to the ring instead of the court?

"He has the height, the body, the physique. But, an athlete of this level -- like ourselves -- I think we can do other sports fairly well."

Just for fun, here's the tale of the tape pitting LeBron James against heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder ...

We also had to flip the question on Canelo to ask what sport he'd like to dominate if he didn't become a boxer ... and you'll want to hear what he says!!!

As for the fight with Jacobs on DAZN this weekend, Canelo says he's feeling good leading up to the huge event on Saturday.