Johnson’s ‘Fantasy’ of Being Traded to the Knicks Is Merely That, He Says

Magic Johnson said here Tuesday that he was just expressing a fantasy when he told the New York Times he’d like to end his career with the Knicks.

“We both know it probably isn’t going to happen,” Johnson said before the Lakers’ game with the Suns.

“It would be a nice fantasy to see what would happen. Maybe I’ll ask (the Lakers) to trade me there at the end of my career. But it’s not like I’m unhappy here.”

Johnson denied the New York paper’s assertion that he had spoken to Laker management about such a trade. “I’ve never talked to Jerry Buss or Laker management about that,” he said.

“It’s not like I want to be traded. I was just talking about how (New York fans) love the Lakers and love me.”

In the New York Times account, Johnson was quoted as saying of playing for the Knicks: “Can you imagine it? Me and Patrick (Ewing) and all those fans rocking and rolling until the roof caves in.”

That sort of thing is not a regular occurrence at the Forum.

“It is during the playoffs,” Johnson said. “I have to say they’re rocking and rolling then. The team understands it’s not going to be like that, so we just have to do it in the game, do something to get them crazy.

“I love our fans. They’ve come a long way since I first came here. For every big situation, every big game, they’re fired up and ready. That didn’t happen when I first came, but it’s picked up.”