Magic Will Buy Into the Lakers : Pro basketball: He is expected to acquire less than 10% of the team and get a front-office role.

Magic Johnson is on the verge of becoming a part-owner of the Lakers in a deal that could be closed as soon as this week, The Times has learned.

The exact amount of the acquisition is not known, but it is not believed to exceed 10%. Johnson, who led the Lakers to five NBA championships and spent the final 16 games of 1993-94 as interim coach, would apparently also have a front-office role.

Laker spokesman John Black declined to comment. Agent Lon Rosen declined to identify whom Johnson is negotiating with, but said:

“The only comment I can make is that he is getting very close to making an announcement about an association with a team. We’re very close. . . . He will be ready to make an announcement in the very near future.

“He’s not just going to be involved with the basketball operations. He’s going to be involved with all aspects of this team.”

Johnson has turned much of his attention toward ownership since retiring in the fall of 1992. He was part of the group that lost out in the bid for the expansion franchise in Toronto and reportedly was involved with several others in trying to buy the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Top Rank of Louisiana agreed to pay $152.5 million for the Timberwolves in hopes of moving the team to New Orleans, but that purchase was later overturned by the NBA.

Johnson’s talks with the Lakers have been serious for some time, so much so that Commissioner David Stern has known about the impending sale since early in the NBA finals. Johnson attended several of the games in New York and Houston and sat with Stern for Game 7 at the Summit.

The Lakers is are the only organization Johnson has been with as a pro since leaving Michigan State in 1979. The relationship with owner Jerry Buss is one Johnson describes as father-son.

Johnson has been providing opinions on players for years. And, for someone who didn’t want to coach partly because it would mean time away from family, he wouldn’t have to travel.

Laker Notes

The Lakers, still hoping to trade up from the 10th pick in Wednesday’s draft, offered Vlade Divac to Detroit for the No. 3 spot, but didn’t get far. It would take much more to entice them to give up the selection they want to use for Duke’s Grant Hill. If Hill goes second to Dallas, the Pistons then might be more willing to listen to trade offers rather than take Jason Kidd a year after using a first-round pick on another point guard, Lindsey Hunter.

Former Laker Byron Scott might turn what appeared to be a brief stint with the Indiana Pacers into a multiyear contract. The holdup on length seems to be whether it should be for two years or three.