Magic Johnson believes the trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook can still work.

The Lakers just need to find the right coach.

Johnson spoke to David Aldridge of The Athletic about last season's Lakers falling short of expectations and what he hopes to see in the team's ongoing coaching search.

"Everybody was saying the Lakers, with Russell (Westbrook), man, we’re talking about NBA Finals. We’re going to be one of the favorites. So, it’s definitely got to be driving them crazy — it should be driving all three of them crazy. Because we didn’t meet those expectations. We failed. Now it’s, what are we going to do to make sure it doesn’t happen next season? To your point, which is the biggest point, who’s going to lead that effort, coaching-wise? And then, so once a coach is in place, what are we going to do now about the roster? It’s really important that they get the right person, and then make, hopefully, the right roster moves. We know it can’t be a lot, but it can be something. I guess they’ve got to make those decisions."

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Darvin Ham, Kenny Atkinson and Terry Stotts are the current finalists for the Lakers job. They will be replacing Frank Vogel, who went 127-98 in three seasons as the franchise's head coach, winning the 2020 NBA championship but presiding over a two-year regression since.

Westbrook's arrival and the injuries to James and Davis were the largest issues plaguing the Lakers in 2021-22. The trio never seemed to mesh during the rare times they shared the court, with Westbrook and James proving to be an oil-water mix due to their propensity to handle the ball.

Westbrook said he and Vogel never connected. Vogel benched the 2017 NBA MVP on several occasions during rough stretches, which led to obvious tension as the Lakers season faltered. 

“I’m not sure what his issue was with me, or I’m not sure why. I can’t really give you an answer why we never really connected,” Westbrook told reporters. "That’s something that he has to answer… from the get-go, was feeling like I had to try and prove myself to him, and my capabilities and what I’ve been able to do for this game. It’s unfortunate, but it’s out of my hands.”

Johnson believes the Westbrook era can still be a success, so long as the Lakers find the right coach who can work with him. He said he advised the Lakers to consider retaining Westbrook, especially given the lack of talent they would likely get in return in a trade. 

"Well, it only can work, if you’ve got the coach—the right coach," Johnson said. "To me, it still comes down to, who’s the coach? And, then, also, he’s on a one-year, $47 million (contract). Even if you offer him (in a trade), what are you, realistically, going to get back? I told them this too—you’re going to get some contracts you probably don’t want, and they’re going to go (chronologically) past his contract. You’ve really got to think about that. Are those players you’re going to get back, are they going to really help you? I said, talk to him.

"Whatever happened (this season), how can you make it better with Russell? How can you make it more comfortable? So they’ve got to figure all these things out. Take him out, take him to dinner or sit him down. How can this thing be better? ‘Cause if he’s going to be there, it’s got to be better. I guess whoever they name, that’s the first thing they’re going to have to do. And you can’t sit down once. You’re going to have to sit down for a week or two to try to figure that thing out."

Johnson previously held the role of team president from 2017 to 2019 before resigning in famously public fashion. He's maintained a close relationship with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, who tends to keep the same close circle when making major basketball decisions.