Magic Gets Something for Pain: New Shoe, Contract

The next time Magic Johnson plays for the Lakers, he’ll have a new shoe and most likely a new contract.

Johnson sat out the Lakers’ 114-107 victory over the Phoenix Suns in their exhibition opener Monday night because of chronic tendinitis in his left Achilles’ tendon. He didn’t play Tuesday, either, when the Lakers played the New Monday’s Game

York Knicks, as he is awaiting the arrival of a specially fitted shoe designed to cushion the strain on the Achilles.

Today, however, one of Johnson’s representatives is scheduled to meet with Laker owner Jerry Buss in hopes of finalizing a new contract that will replace the existing 10-year, $25 million deal he signed with the team in 1981.

At present, Johnson is being paid $1 million a year in straight salary until 1993-94 season, with deferred payments of $1.5 million beginning in 1994.

The new deal would give him more money up front, perhaps as much as $2.5 million. That is the level Johnson is listed under the current National Basketball Assn. salary cap. Under cap rules, there may be a provision that would allow Buss to give Johnson a modest raise above that figure as well.

Buss said he and Johnson have had lunch several times in recent months, at which time Johnson made a number of requests regarding his contract, the owner said.