Magic Won’t Rule Out NBA Return : Retirement: But he says playing intensely would take years off of his life.

In retirement, Magic Johnson has yet to kick back.

He would like to buy an NBA team and wouldn’t mind picking up the Rams. He serves on the President’s AIDS commission, plans to play in the Olympics, might turn up in the NBA All-Star game . . . and in the playoffs as a Laker?

Of course, he said he might buy the Lakers, too.

“I don’t know,” Johnson said during a news conference before Sunday’s Laker-Sacramento game, refusing to rule out a return as an active player.

“I haven’t even thought about it. We’ll have to see at that time. Right now, it (his decision) is no. If I decide (to play), you guys will be the first to know, the very first.”

Johnson also said he’s continuing his quest to purchase an NBA team with Bruce McNall as one of his partners; that if Jerry Buss changes his mind and sells the Lakers, Johnson will be right there to buy; and if Georgia Frontiere, who has never said anything about selling the Rams, wants to unload them, Johnson would buy them, too.

“If she’d said today she’d sell tomorrow, I would make her an offer she couldn’t refuse,” Johnson said. “I’d be like the Godfather.”

Johnson was quoted by Newsday last week, suggesting he might consider a return as a player.

Johnson said he hadn’t meant that through his agent, Lon Rosen. The question re-emerged during Sunday’s news conference.

“The reason I’m not playing now is because I want to play like Magic Johnson,” Johnson said, “and that would take years off my life. Now, I would rather live longer as an owner.

“If I played 40 minutes a game, with my will to win, the whole thing, it’s going to affect me. That’s why I’m not playing right now. I’d rather be on this earth for a long time.

“I will be (at the Olympics). I might not play in some of the early games but I will be there, just like a regular member.

“My doctor (David Ho) knows me. He’s a basketball fan as well, so he knows that if I go back to play the way I’m used to playing, over the long haul it’s going to hurt.

“What I’m going to do is just focus on the Olympics. The Olympics are a short period of time, not as many games. You know we’re going to blow some teams out. You don’t have to worry about playing 40 minutes, because it’s an all-star team. Plus, it’s a dream of mine.”

Johnson on reports in the tabloid press that he was ill after he didn’t attend a news conference at a Donald Trump casino: “People shouldn’t lie like that. The Trump situation, those people shouldn’t have done that.

“I’ve been out front this whole time, and I will be. If I’m sick, you’ll know I’m sick because I have nothing to hide. I mean, if I was going to hide, I’d have hid a long time ago, believe me. . . . I’m not like that. I’m not a person to hide behind anything.”

On his life: “I still live. I still have fun. I’m still crazy. I’m still me. Nothing would ever change me. I mean, My father, unfortunately, he’s strong and he bred a strong son.

“Hey, I’m here, I’m living and I’m going to live a long time. There’s really no sense in changing. Once I do, I’m gone. I can’t beat it. I can’t defeat it. But if I stay me, if I stay out here, messing with you guys, just having a good time, I’m going to win. I only know one way. I don’t know any other way.”