Magic to Play in Exhibition Tonight Against Trail Blazers

Magic Johnson puts on a Laker uniform for the first time in a year as the exhibition season opens against the Portland Trail Blazers tonight at 10:30 PDT.

Johnson will sit out Saturday’s rematch. He is scheduled to play in only four of the eight exhibitions.

The Lakers don’t expect a repeat of the 1990 shootout, when first-year coach Mike Dunleavy and the Trail Blazers’ Rick Adelman each waited for the other to pull his starters and wound up playing them all 30 to 40 minutes.

“Oh man, we were killing each other,” Johnson said. “I don’t think that’s going to happen this time.

“They’ve got 19 players. We’ve got 14 guaranteed contracts. Everybody needs to see a lot of players.”

Randy Pfund, the Lakers’ new coach, says he will be happy to substitute first.

“Oh, good,” Johnson said. “Thanks. I hope I’m involved in it, too.”

Laker Notes

Sam Perkins has missed the last two days of practice after having a toenail removed but is expected to play. . . . James Edwards’ sore right Achilles’ tendon remains a problem. Edwards hasn’t practiced since the first day of camp and trainer Gary Vitti says Edwards might still be a week or two away. . . . Clyde Drexler underwent arthroscopic knee surgery a month ago and won’t play. Former Bruin Tracy Murray, one of the Blazers’ two No. 1 picks, is running fourth among the small forwards, behind Jerome Kersey, Cliff Robinson and fellow rookie Dave Johnson. . . . Laura Kammerer, the mother of new Laker assistant Chet Kammerer, died last week at 77 in an auto crash. Kammerer returned to Milford, Ind., for today’s funeral.