Friday Insider

[Guest]

Magic's genius hasn't

been forgotten

by Terry Brown

Also Below: Writers Bloc: A tribute to legends | Peep Show

NBA position battles: Who's going to do the Magic's dirty work?

NBA Insider Chad Ford will return on Tuesday, Oct. 1

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Earvin Magic Johnson didn't invent the pass.

He grabbed the rebound, dribbled the ball as quickly and nimbly as a 6-foot-9, 200-plus pound man possibly could downcourt, drawing as many defenders, cameramen and screaming fans as he could until the last second when it seemed like the entire world was bracing for impact, then he'd look left, right, fake to the poor kid selling popcorn fifteen rows up and toss the ball gently into the hands of some fortunate Laker player standing all alone under the bucket who layed the ball into the basket and got his picture on the frontpage of the newspaper.

Magic Johnson didn't insist that you call him a point guard, but he chose the No. 32 just so you'd know, two decades later, that he was in control from the very beginning.

Triple-double.

After all, beyond the feet and inches and boxscores, stats and scribblings on a chalkboard, isn't that what a true point guard was supposed to do in the first place?

He made, changed, defined the position.

In his first year of college at Michigan State, Magic averaged 17 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game.

In his first year of pro ball with the Lakers, he averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists.

Fifteen seasons later as the newest member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he has averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 11.2 assists on 52 percent shooting over his career.

And it isn't so much the fact that he's won an Olympic Gold Medal, an NCAA Championship, three MVP titles, five NBA Championships, 10 All-NBA selections and 12 all-star appearances, but the way he got them.

As a bright-eyed rookie, he subbed in at center for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during the 1980 NBA Finals against the Sixers. In the most important game of the season, he put up 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals.

In 1981 and 1982, he led the entire league in steals and came within 49 rebounds and 57 assists of averaging a triple-double for the entire season at 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game that latter season.

In 1984, he averaged a career-high 13.6 assists per game.

In 1987, he won his fourth NBA title with a baby sky hook over the Celtics at the buzzer. A year later, he won the first back-to-back titles in 19 years, having to go the full seven games in three consecutive series to do it.

In 1988, he made 11 three-pointers on 19 percent shooting. In 1989, he made 59 three-pointers on 31 percent shooting and led the entire league in free-throw shooting at 91 percent. In 1990, he made 106 three-pointers on 38 percent shooting.

In 1991, Johnson led the Lakers to their ninth NBA Finals in his 12 years as the starting point guard.

He enters the Hall of Fame as the all-time leader in assists per game at 11.2 with a total of 10,141, the difference between him and others who will eventually tally more being that we can remember each and every one from his fingertips. The simple distinction between genius and talent and skill.

He believed. We believed. That was the true Magic.

The next (as we are so fond of saying) Earvin Johnson will likely not have ever seen him play live. Not a player in the Hall or now playing has such a legacy.

Magic didn't invent the point guard position. He just played it better and had more fun playing it than anyone in the history of the game.

Writers Bloc: A tribute to legends

One legend makes his way into the Hall as another laces them up one last time . . . we think.

"My concern is that when Jordan's gone this time, he's gone forever," writes Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post. "I have always thought Michael Jordan was on loan to us, like a museum piece. He lives in Chicago. He loves Chicago. He belongs in Chicago. I'll bet he's back there, running the Bulls, within two years. And that's okay. We can console ourselves by remembering he picked us to sing his last songs to. It's right out of 'Casablanca.' We'll always have Jordan. Here's looking at you, kid . . . Even years from now you'll hear, 'Number 23 for your Washington Wizards, Michael Jordan' ambling through your head like in a dream. And even though he always looked better in red and black, you'll smile at the time he passed through our town and took us with him dancing in the dark."

"The one, the only, the unforgettable and irreplaceable Magic Johnson is going into the Hall of Fame," writes mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Times. "Gee, no kidding . . . 'It's a wonderful honor for one of the handful of great players that ever played the game,' said Jerry West. 'And he's one of the handful. And you could probably take one of those fingers off and he'd be one of four, five guys that left an indelible mark on this league.' Once, the Dream Backcourt was West and Oscar Robertson; now it's Magic and Michael Jordan. With Shaquille O'Neal emerging as the game's best center, and Bird, there's your five fingers . . . Now that you're an all-time great, officially, here's a formal thank-you, for the laughs even more than the thrills."

For Washington, This Is a Fine Romance

Tony Kornheiser / Washington Post

A Lifetime Hall Pass

Mark Heisler / Los Angeles Times

Peep Show

Sonics: They've got Gary Payton pegged. As expected, the ornery veteran said that despite differences with management over his contract with the team he will be in camp ready and able as ever. "I'm going to be at camp," Payton said. "You will see me sometime. I've got to get my mind cleared first. I still have to sit down and talk. . . . Right now, this is what I'm here for: I'm here to work out and be ready for whatever happens." There is no indication when, exactly, he will arrive but he has been at Nike's corporate headquarters working out this week.

Clippers: Elton Brand has fallen and he can't get up. At least not until the end of training camp after going through arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Not only will the all-star power forward be sitting, but doing so without an extension on his contract. "We have agreed to terminate the negotiations," Superagent David Falk said. "It was senseless to prolong it into October when it was clear we didn't have the makings of a deal." Brand is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Wizards: Charles Barkley may have opted out of the party, but Charles Oakley isn't. The 17-year veteran worked out for the Wizards Thursday and will decide in the next few days if he will sign with them, most likely for a year. Oakley, a hard-nosed rebounder, played with Jordan early in his career in Chicago and later with Patrick Ewing (now an assistant in Washington) in New York.

Kings: Chris Webber and family have waived their right to a speedy trial, meaning that he will at least start the season for the Kings with the next expected court date to happen in December or January. The possibility of a plea bargain also remains strong in which Webber would plead guilty to a lesser charge and receive the maximum sentence for it.

Jazz: Raul Lopez is finally an official member of the Jazz. Just don't expect him to be jumping for joy anytime soon. The point guard is due for surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament on Saturday and should miss the entire season. "We don't believe he will play this year," said Kevin O'Connor, the vice president of basketball operations for the Jazz. "He faces a seven or eight-month rehabilitation, but the ACL injury is not career-ending these days." The Jazz also announced the re-signing of Scott Padgett and interest in Mark Jackson (see below).

Nuggets: Mark Jackson doesn't want to return to Denver (again) and the feeling is mutual. Denver plans on buying out the veteran's $4.2 million contract as early as today and Jackson, who came over in the Marcus Camby-Antonio McDyess deal, will go through waivers then be free to sign with any team he desires. "I understand Mark's perspective," Nugget GM Kiki Vandeweghe said. "It will allow us a little more flexibility. Mark is a very good friend of mine, I have a lot of respect for him and I would have enjoyed him being around him this year. But I definitely understand." Kenny Satterfield moves up the depth chart as the starting point guard for the Nuggets.

Raptors: Even if Hakeem Olajuwon doesn't retire with $12 million and two years remining on his contract, the Raptors are wondering aloud how much the center has left in the tank if he does return. "When you've been a great player like him, I'm sure it's a dilemma," head coach Lenny Wilkens said. Olajuwon played sparingly last season as a backup and has yet to heal completely from a back injury and other conditions resulting from his long and illustrious career.

Veteran Oakley Works Out With Team, Might Sign Contract

Steve Wyche / Washington Post

Webbers waive right to speedy trial

David Shepardson / Detroit News

Nuggets aim to buy out Jackson

Marc J. Spears / Denver Post

Pumped Payton: I'll be there

Danny O'Neil / Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Surgery on Knee Will Sideline Brand

J.A. Adande / Los Angeles Times

Lopez Signs 2 Days Before Surgery

Staff / Salt Lake Tribune

Wilkens is waiting on the Dream

Doug Smith / Toronto Star

[Traceman]

Why in the Hell won't they resign Brand? He's definitely worth the max. How many 20-10 seasons does he have to average to get his just due? Sterling is the stupidest owner in sports. I am predicting right now that the Clippers will implode before the season is over and they won't make the playoffs again but even if they do, they won't be worth a damn next year. If I'm Brand, I wouldn't play this season if I had the sniffles, let alone if my knee gave me ANY indication that it might possibly be a problem. The franchise doesn't give a damn about him, why should he hurt his future earning potential by injuring his knee further? The same goes for Olowokandi. If I were the Candy man, I would play hard early to ensure that everyone saw my skills but I wouldn't play with any pain for the entire season.

In addition, I wouldn't give a damn if the Clips did offer me the most money next year, there is no way in hell I would resign with them because I know they won't do what it takes to keep the other good players when their contracts come up for renewal. I could see Brand stuck in LA with the sorry a** Clips for 7 seasons with nobody else worth a damn playing beside him. No thanks. I'd take less to play elsewhere.

Next year, they will probably be starting Ely and Wilcox up front so they had better get them some experience this year. And poor Gentry, he'll get fired because the players won't play hard but it won't be his fault, it will be Sterling's.

[Guest]

I agree I think Gentry is a decent coach but

will have blimish on his record very soon.I'd

swap them some ending contracts for Brand

if they want to be that big of cheapasses

or even trade them Big Dog for him.

[cyman3]

Clippers dont have the commitment to be a GOOD TEAM. After all is said and done, a good player (who could have been appreciated and praised in other teams- ex: BRAND) would never get appreciation from the clippers... they dont have ANY LONG TERM COMMITMENT PLANS for any players.

They just want to be a team that is decent...

talk about management... they simply dont care

thats how i see it

PS- i like their JERSEYS, but if i was a player... i would take LESS to play for some other team.