L.A. could once again be Magic's kingdom

Sporting News, The, Feb 5, 1996 by Shaun Powell

Maybe the coast is clear this time. Maybe Magic Johnson can return to the game and not worry about what Karl Malone has to say. Maybe he can play to cheers instead of whispers. Maybe he can live his life the way he wants, instead of the way others think he should.

Maybe Magic Johnson can come back and play on his terms.

He is not a businessman. He fancies himself as one, but actually, Magic's business empire was built on his celebrity as a basketball player. He may have shook hands, made deals, worn three-piece suits and sat at courtside at the Forum.

But truthfully, he was restless. He is a basketball player, first and foremost. Probably the best to ever play his position. And the league and its this miss him. That's why there will be few roadblocks standing in Magic's way this time, not like his aborted comeback attempt three years ago.

Sure, some will be uncomfortable playing on the same court with a player who carries HIV. There will be questions and anti-magic sentiment. But the guess here is that most will be muted.

The major questions surrounding a Magic Johnson comeback will be basketball-related, not health-related. Two come to mind:

How good is he?

How good can he make the Lakers?

Let's take the first one. Johnson is 36 and hasn't played a full season since 1990-91. So don't expect a Hall of Famer. Michael Jordan returned after missing 17 months. And he didn't get into basketball shape until this season, after he gave up golf and devoted himself to basketball full time during the summer. Johnson played against NBA-caliber players during his retirement, but not in NBA game conditions.

Plus, Johnson will likely come back reincarnated as a power forward, which means he must adjust to a new role.

"Magic's game has changed, just like the composition of his body," says Reggie Theus, who played on Magic's touring team,and works out with him. "He's put on 25 pounds of muscle. You'd be shocked how strong the man is. I wouldn't say he's Magic at 25, but he still plays at a high level."

With the new handchecking rules, containing johnson in the low-post might be tricky. Whether Johnson can return to MVP level is wishful thinking. Whether he can be better than inconsistent Elden Campbell, the Likers' starting power forward, seems a sure thing.

"People talk about him being away, but he's never been away," Lakers Coach Del Harris says. "He kept playing. He had his own touring team. He rented out gyms. For too many players these days, two words they're looking for is, `day off.'"

Harris believes Magic can make the Lakers significantly better. At the moment, they are a team capable of beating and losing to anyone. They haven't progressed from last season, when they were one of the league's pleasant surprises.

More than anything, the Lakers could use Magic's veteran touch and unmatched leadership capabilities. Harris already has tired of cracking the whip on his young, mostly spoiled players. In one desperate move, he hired a motivational expert to address the town before a game this season.

"Some of my methods work, and some don't," Harris says.

The most obvious conflict will lie with Nick Van Exel. In a big game, score tied, seconds remaining, who gets the ball? Last season, Van Exel was the Lakers' designated ball-out expert, and he overturned plenty of potential defeats. Van Exel is saying all the right things about having Magic around. But Magic's return probably wouldn't be met with universal happiness in the locker room.

Even Cedric Ceballos says, "There may be some guys who will grow concerned about their roles, where Magic would play and their playing time."

Whether Magic would transform the Lakers into a title contender can be answered only over a period of time. But it looks like Johnson and the Lakers are willing to find out.

Kidd talk

Jason Kidd has done it again. Last season, Kidd played unremarkably through the first three months, then finished strong and forced a split with Grant Hill in the Rookie of the Year vote.

This season, Kidd played well, yet not spectacularly, before lifting his game in January. He had three triple-doubles in a six-game span, and in a two-week stretch average 23.3 points, 1.8 assists, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals.

He delivered just as the voters were deciding will should stand in the, All-Star Game. Kido was the run away fan choice.

A case, could be made on whether Kidd deceives to go at all. Rod Strickland is averaging 20 points and is second in assists. John Stockton leads the league in assists. And Gary Payton is having his best season.

"I see John Stockton and Gary Payton as a helluva lot better than him," says Sonics Coach George Karl, who will coach the Western Conference All-Stars.

Karl has a point No knock on Kidd, but November and December -- when Kidd was shooting 35 percent and the Mavericks were losing -- should weigh more heavily than three weeks in January. Kidd is in the running for player of the month, but as an All-Star starter, he should be behind a few more-deserving players.

Knicks knocks