NBA

Byron Scott is expecting BIG things from the Lakers now that his friend, Magic Johnson, is running things -- telling TMZ Sports the Lake Show will be right back on top of the league in less than 5 years.

Scott not only coached the Lakers from 2014 to 2016 ... but he also won multiple championships with Magic during his first 10 years playing for the Lakers.

Byron and Magic are still close -- in fact, Magic wrote the foreword for his new book, 'Slam-Dunk Success.'

Which is why we also asked if Magic offered him a job with the organization -- would he take it?

Rick Fox is fired up for the new Magic Johnson era with the Lakers -- and says the only thing that could be cooler is if Kobe Bryant signed on, too!!

Fox says he was on the set of the OWN Network show, "Greenleaf," when he heard the news about his former team and says Magic is the PERFECT guy for the job.

"Success is pretty much Magic's middle name!"

MASSIVE SHAKE-UP with the L.A. Lakers ... Jeanie Buss just FIRED General Manager Mitch Kupchak and booted her brother, Jim Buss, from his role as Exec. Vice President of Basketball Operations.

Magic Johnson is the new President of Basketball Operations.

YOU HEAR THAT? MAGIC JOHNSON IS CALLING THE SHOTS!!!!

Jeanie -- the Governor of the Lakers -- explains, "Today I took a series of actions I believe will return the Lakers to the heights Dr. Jerry Buss demanded and our fans rightly expect."

"Effective immediately, Earvin Johnson will be in charge of all basketball operations and will report directly to me. Our search for a new General Manager to work with Earvin and Coach Luke Walton is well underway and we hope to announce a new General Manager in short order."

DeMarcus Cousins fought back tears as he delivered an emotional goodbye message to Sacramento last night ... just 1 day after he was traded to New Orleans.

"My love for this city will never change," Cousins said at a going-away dinner in Sacramento on Monday.

"Even though I’m gone it’ll still be the same. I’m still looking out for these kids. Every family in this city matters to me."

"Every soul in this city matters to me. Everything’s the same. I’m just not in a Kings uniform anymore, which is OK because the love is still here."

Cousins played for the Sacramento Kings for 7 seasons before being traded to the Pelicans on Sunday.

Pop Quiz -- Guess who owns the rights to LonzoBall.com???

Answer -- It ain't Lonzo Ball.

Turns out, the site was snatched up by a huge basketball fan named Jeremy back in 2013 ... in the hopes the kid would blow up one day.

Now, Jeremy's prediction has come true -- and it puts him in a very precarious position.

Obviously, Ball -- who some say could be the #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft -- would want that domain to launch his official website.

Dwyane Wade wasn't an All-Star this season ... but that didn't stop him from livin' it up like one with his old teammate, Chris Bosh, and their wives on a boat trip in Miami!!

The Bulls star didn't make the team for the first time in 12 seasons, but it clearly doesn't look like he had a case of FOMO ... especially with his gorgeous wife, Gabrielle Union, showing off her killer bikini bod.

Bosh also got the All-Star treatment with a foot rub from an on-board masseuse.

Meanwhile, LeBron James -- the last member of the Big 3 -- had 23 points in 19 minutes in Sunday's game for the East.

If you think 6'11" Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is a problem in the NBA, you ain't seen nothing yet ... 'cause Giannis says his 15-year-old brother, Alex, is gonna be even better.

We got BOTH Antetokounmpo brothers in New Orleans for the All-Star game and asked the older version flat-out ... is young Alex -- who's currently a high school player -- gonna be better?

The Greek Freak didn't hesitate to say the kid (who's already 6'3") is gonna take his game to levels big bro hasn't reached yet.

BTW -- if that's not enough, there's a THIRD brother, Kostas, a 6'10" 18-YEAR-OLD ... who's currently playing ball at Dayton.

We only have one question ... WHAT ARE THEY FEEDING THESE KIDS???

Allen Iverson says it's his DREAM to ball on the same team as Kobe Bryant -- and says he HOPES the Mamba will consider coming out of retirement to join his 3-on-3 team.

The Answer was out in New Orleans enjoying NBA All-Star Weekend -- when we asked about his highly anticipated debut as a player/coach in Ice Cube's 3-on-3 league.

That's when he told us he'd LOVE to get a squad with his 2001 NBA Finals opponents Kobe and Shaq -- but knows the chances of that actually happening are slim to none.

Khloe Kardashian's got Tristan Thompson's back AND his front ... she's now rocking his favorite gear, and further proving she always pledges allegiance to her man.

The couple hit up a theme park while on vacay in Ocho Rios, Jamaica ... and as you can see, Khloe gives Nike prime real estate. She's also pimping the Swoosh with her kicks.

Tristan's peeps at Nike gotta love seeing this ... since Khloe's got a much wider audience than her NBA bf -- she's got more than 60 million followers on Instagram to his 1.3 mil. You gotta wonder if Tristan's agent will try to squeeze some dough out of Nike.

We've seen it before ... Khloe rocked Adidas when she was with James Harden.

Lil Wayne can't lose when he's got LeBron James on his team -- even when he's squaring off with Birdman.

Wayne got a bunch of Cash Money artists --technically Birdman's artists -- to flock to his NBA All-Star weekend shindig Saturday in New Orleans to celebrate Cash Money Records' 20th anniversary ... leaving Birdman's party relatively empty.

Weezy even reunited with Juvenille, and Turk for a Hot Boys performance ... intro'd by LeBron.

Other celeb guests included DJ Khaled, Meek Mill, 2 Chainz, 21 Savage and (almost) Future -- who got bounced for bringing more than 30 people to the joint when it was already at full capacity.

As we reported ... Wayne and Birdman had planned separate parties in NOLA this weekend, with no plans to cross paths.

Looks like Wayne walked away with a W here. The war continues ...

NBA All-Star John Wall says NBA players -- especially Steph Curry -- will punish UCLA star Lonzo Ball for his father's smack talk, saying all the hype has definitely put a target on the kid's back.

We talked to Wall as he was in New Orleans getting ready for the All-Star game Sunday ... and asked about Lonzo's dad, LaVar, telling TMZ Sports his son was gonna be BETTER than Steph Curry.

The comments caught fire ... with a lot of people wondering if LaVar's fatherly pride was biting off more than his son's game can chew.

Wall told us he DEFINITELY thinks Lonzo is a legit baller ... but said there's no doubt about the fact that the entire league ... especially Steph ... will be lining up to take a chunk outta his ass next year.

"He's putting a lot of pressure on his kid ... he's adding fuel to the fire for when he plays Steph Curry, or any other point guards after he gets drafted."

We guarantee you this ... LaVar and his crew ain't scared at all.

Could an NBA team made up of the best former Kentucky players be able to beat the defending world champion Cleveland Cavaliers to win a ring?

"F*****' RIGHT!"

DeMarcus Cousins CLEARLY agrees with John Calipari ... who said this week that a team of Boogie, Karl-Anthony Towns, John Wall, Devin Booker and Anthony Davis would be able to win an NBA title.

Good news for Kobe ... he'll NEVER be shunned from Staples Center like Charles Oakley was from Madison Square Garden ... that's according to Ice Cube who says a Mamba ban is simply not possible.

2 Chainz and Allen Iverson have lavish taste buds ... ESPECIALLY when it comes to their booze.

We got a hold of the rapper and the NBA legend's rider for the bash they're hosting at Republic in New Orleans for NBA All-Star weekend, and the duo is damn clear about 1 thing -- ballers only chug, mix and spray the best liquor.

2 Chainz demands 4 bottles of Ace of Spades, 3 bottles of Dom Perignon and 3 bottles of Ciroc, different flavors. BTW, his Dom MUST have the glow-in-the-dark label. Big boy toys.

AI is less picky -- he wants 3 bottles of vodka, and only says nothing cheap ... "has to be top-shelf." He does, however, specify 6 bottles of Moet Rosé champagne, 3 bottles of Hennessy and Patron, 12 Coronas and a 12-pack of Fiji water. Oh yeah, 10 hand towels too.

Scratch that ... Allen's pretty damn picky.

Tickets for the event by Headliner Market Group will run you anywhere from $40 to $2,200 ... if you really wanna show out.

Russell Westbrook is a real crowd-pleaser ... 'cause the NBA star crashed a high school basketball tourney in New Orleans and had fans LOSING THEIR MINDS!!

Russ -- a Jordan Brand athlete -- popped up at the Jordan Invitational at St. Augustine H.S. in NOLA to check out 4 of the best H.S. hoops teams in the country face off ... but the Thunder hooper clearly stole the show.

Westbrook is in town for All-Star Weekend ... and fellow All-Star Kemba Walker and his teammate, Frank Kaminsky, also made appearances.

What do NBA players do instead of join in the All-Star Weekend festivities? TURN UP IN CABO!!

Here's Atlanta Hawks rookie Malcolm Delaney breaking down his sunny getaway during the NBA's short break ... and he's got 1 rule -- NO BASKETBALL.

Delaney's not the only baller heading to Mexico ... Grizzlies star Chandler Parsons is chillin' in Cancun.