Magic Johnson: Lakers plan to involve Kobe in decisions

It appears Kobe Bryant is ready to help bring winning basketball back to the Lake Show.

The retired Los Angeles Lakers legend wants to continue contributing to the club, and it seems he'll be able to do so on his own terms.

"Kobe wants to be a part of it," team president Magic Johnson recently said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. "He wants to be involved, and I told him any kind of way he wants to be involved.

"We don't want him to come into work every day, no. We just want his expertise and pick his brain and also, show me or tell me what's missing. So then I can say, 'Okay, hey, maybe I missed that. I'm going to jump on that.' He got great ideas, so we going to implement a plan where we can have him involved."

Related - Kobe offers to help Lakers: 'I'm always a phone call away'

This is the partnership Johnson envisioned since taking over as Lakers president.

"First call I make if I'm in charge? Kobe Bryant," Johnson said in February. "Because Kobe understands winning. He understands, also, these players. I would call: 'What role you want? ... If you've got a day, just give me that day.'

"I'll take that. Whatever time he has, I want him to come and be a part of it."

New GM Rob Pelinka has also publicly backed the notion of giving The Black Mamba a role within the organization he built a legacy with over his illustrious 20-year NBA career.

The Lakers are set to make calls that could very well alter the fate of the franchise. They have the No. 2 pick in next month's draft, and are believed to be interested in signing Paul George in free agency next summer. After all, Johnson believes the team is only a superstar away from returning to championship contention in the post-Bryant era.