Tuesday May Be Magic Night

By SCOTT HOWARD-COOPER

Jan. 29, 1996 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Magic Johnson is expected to sign with the Lakers today, ending years of speculation about a comeback and finally returning to the NBA after retiring 4 1/2 seasons ago, it was learned Sunday.

Barring a last-minute change of mind, the three-time NBA most valuable player will play Tuesday night against Golden State at the Forum, according to those close to the situation. It will be his first time in uniform, other than exhibition games, since June 12, 1991.

Johnson had not signed the contract as of Sunday night, contrary to published and broadcast reports. That should happen today, completing the deal that will pay him $2.5 million for the rest of this season.

So, what will his role be and what will it mean to the Lakers?

1. For all internal conflicts and lack of leadership and failure to take responsibility that has surfaced in the first half of the season, they are 24-18. That’s only two games behind the 48-victory pace of 1994-95, when the Lakers went 22-19 the rest of the way amid all the injuries, made a run at fourth place in the West and settled for fifth.

And now they will get another key player without having to give up anything.

“He adds so much,” veteran guard Sedale Threatt said. “He can play five positions. I think teams will have to concentrate on him and, with the nucleus we already have, it will make us the best team in the West.”

Today, they are in a virtual tie with Sacramento for second place in the Pacific Division and fifth in the conference, and, with Nick Van Exel looking like his old confident self, the biggest problems may be in the past. Plus, after having won seven of the last eight and 11 of 16, nine of the Lakers’ next 14 games are against opponents at or below .500.

Coach Del Harris’ challenge to the players to climb into first place in the Pacific before this favorable home-loaded schedule ends in three weeks probably won’t be met because Seattle isn’t cooperating. The SuperSonics are 6 1/2 games ahead for best in the West, but even Harris won’t have a problem being second at this pace.

2. Johnson won’t be the starting point guard.

2A. He won’t be the starting power forward.

He won’t start anywhere, barring unforeseen circumstances. Harris envisions being able to plug Johnson into several different spots off the bench.

Where will depend on the situation, but, depending on how long he needs to get into NBA shape and how he does from there, Magic could make minutes disappear that once belonged to Threatt, George Lynch, Derek Strong and Corie Blount.

His activation could make Pig Miller, already the fourth-string power forward, disappear altogether, although Fred Roberts isn’t out of the woods, either.

At 250 pounds, about 25 more than his final season of 1990-91, he will be incapable of defending most point guards--sprinters such as Rod Strickland, Tim Hardaway and Robert Pack will constantly beat him off the dribble and get into the lane to exploit the Lakers’ poor interior defense.

“Nobody wants to chase those little guards any more,” Johnson said recently in a TNT interview. “I’m too old for that.”

But if the matchup is a bigger ballhandler--Nate McMillan, Brent Barry, Jalen Rose or converted swingman Doug West--he could be the answer.

The first big test may come Friday, what with the Bulls and their starting backcourt of Michael Jordan and Ron Harper having caused severe matchup problems for Van Exel and Threatt in a game last month.

Since most of the added muscle is in the upper body of his 6-foot-9 frame, he looks much more like a banger these days, which could provide the Lakers the unique wrinkle of having a power forward initiate the offense. Besides, is there anybody you would rather have passing out of the double team from the post?

The flip side: Since when has he perfected the art of post defense? Against someone from the Australian national team? The starting power forward in Grand Rapids or Yakima, the same guy cut by an NBA team in camp?

3. He will help attendance.

If they came to see him coach, they’ll come to see him play--average attendance the first 31 home games of 1993-94 was 12,815, then 14,865 the final 10 Forum appearances with Johnson on the sidelines and a lottery team on the court.

Maybe it’s just that Southern Californians don’t play the speculation market, or that they’ve heard this from Johnson before. As of Saturday night, about 4,000 tickets still remained for Tuesday’s game. Friday against Chicago sold out long ago, since some guy on the Bulls tried this comeback thing.

His return will certainly be an event. Media from around the nation will converge and Commissioner David Stern may try to get to town if his schedule allows.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The Class Of ’91

Magic Johnson hasn’t played in the NBA since 1990-91, when he became the NBA’s career assist leader, Pat Riley was at NBC and Mike Dunleavy was guiding Slowtime to a 16-game winning streak in midseason and eventually a 58-24 record and a Western Conference title. And only six current Lakers were even out of college.

Player: Corie Blount

Whereabouts: California’s JC co-player of the year as a sophomore at Rancho Santiago

Player: Elden Campbell

Whereabouts: Seldom-used Laker rookie

Player: Cedric Ceballos

Whereabouts: Rookie with Suns

Player: Vlade Divac

Whereabouts: Laker starting center

Player: Eddie Jones

Whereabouts: Freshman at Temple

Player: Frankie King

Whereabouts: Senior at Appling County High in Baxley, Ga.