Magic Johnson: 'I hope the Lakers lose every game'

Passionate sports fans know that sometimes the best way to take a step forward is by taking one backwards. Magic Johnson is no different.

"I hope the Lakers lose every game," Johnson said at a New York event Tuesday, according to Neil Best from Newsday. "Because if you're going to lose, lose. I'm serious," he added.

The Lakers currently hold a dismal 5-16 record, which matches the Utah Jazz for the fifth and sixth-worst records in the league. However, the Lakers will send their first-round pick in June's NBA Draft to the Phoenix Suns if it falls outside the top-five (thanks to the 2012 Steve Nash trade), so they have even more incentive to lose this season than most tanking rebuilding teams.

"If you're going to lose, you have to lose, because you can't be in the middle of the pack. You either have to be great or you have to be bad, to get a good (draft) pick," Johnson said.

For what it's worth, the Lakers should get a late first round pick in June regardless, as the Houston Rockets owe them their lottery-protected pick from the summer's Jeremy Lin trade.

Johnson's also quite aware that as a perennial free-agent destination with cap space next summer, the Lakers could make a quick recovery with a top notch pick and signing.

"The Lakers are in a good space, too, next summer if they can sign or trade for a talented guy. I'd rather be all the way bad than be in the middle," the Hall of Famer said.

It's interesting that Johnson is thinking about the benefits of losing this season, though, and not sending any verbal jabs towards Lakers coach Byron Scott, given that he was one of former Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni's biggest critics.