The Lakers legend quit his front office role suddenly on Tuesday night, just hours before the team took to the court to face the Portland Trail Blazers in their final game of the season.
Minutes after Walton gave his pre-game press conference, Johnson gathered reporters and announced his decision.
He did so without telling Jeanie Buss, Lakers owner and someone Johnson refers to as “a sister”.
It was widely rumoured that Walton was set to be fired in the hours following the Lakers’ final game, after a disappointing season.
However, those alleged plans have all been thrown into doubt after Johnson’s announcement.
He denied that his resignation was to do with Walton, but stated that the two did differ on various opinions.
“No [it’s not over Walton],” he said.
“I was happier when I wasn’t the president.
“We’ve got to make trades you’re not happy with.
“Luke is a good man, I like Luke a lot.
“We have different opinions on different things, that’s okay. That happens in life.”
Johnson did, however, suggest that he didn’t want to be the one to have to fire Walton.
Without naming him, he spoke about having to impact somebody’s life tomorrow, saying that isn’t the man he is.
“I had more fun on the other side,” he continued.
“Tomorrow, I’d have to affect somebody’s livelihood and life.
I thought about that and said ‘that’s not fun for me. That’s not who I am.”