Magic Talked Into Staying

The Lakers are exploring ways to make Magic Johnson, their co-owner and vice president, more valuable to the organization.

Johnson this week told Seattle SuperSonic owner Howard Schultz that he would remain with the Lakers, despite Schultz’s offer of a piece of the SuperSonics and various upper-management duties.

Schultz had hoped to ride Johnson’s name and know-how into a potentially rich class of free agents next summer, using Johnson in part as a recruiter.

On Tuesday night, after receiving telephone calls from Laker owner Jerry Buss and General Manager Mitch Kupchak, Johnson notified Schultz of his decision to remain in Los Angeles.

“I turned it down,” Johnson said. “I think now I just wait and see. This opportunity may come back. Other opportunities could come back as well. Or, I may just stay a Laker forever, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m very happy with where I am.”

Sources close to the organization said Johnson and Buss never came to the point of negotiating Johnson’s financial departure, a transaction that would have meant determining the worth of Johnson’s 5% stake in the Lakers.

Instead, Johnson’s attention was on his role with the SuperSonics and the financial implications there. The Lakers are turning a large profit, he said, while the SuperSonics are losing money.

Ultimately, however, Johnson did not join Schultz because he believed he could find career satisfaction with the Lakers, a theme brought to him by Buss and Kupchak.

“It was unbelievable,” Johnson said. “Those are conversations that may have to take place a little later, but they will take place. I’ll tell you, a lot of good maybe can come of this. I’m looking forward to sitting down with them.”

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Coach Phil Jackson said Wednesday that Soumaila Samake and Guy Rucker remain in competition for Shaquille O’Neal’s temporary place on the active roster, and that he let reporters believe Samake had made the team because newspapers eventually “line the bottoms of canary cages” anyway.

Four nights before, Jackson had gone along with suggestions that Samake had earned a place on the team, even suggesting that Samake might be his opening-night starter against the San Antonio Spurs.

“Poor Samake,” Jackson said with a laugh. “I hope he didn’t go to the bank on it.”

It is possible that Jackson simply felt badly for Rucker, who’s had a good, energetic camp but lacks the size and reach of Samake, and regretted having Rucker learn his fate from the newspapers.

Jackson denied that, however, adding, “anybody with basketball judgment” could see the battle between Rucker and Samake was too close to call with two exhibition games remaining.

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O’Neal hopes to be cleared to run during an examination today by Dr. Robert Mohr, his surgeon. .... Devean George did not practice Wednesday because of back spasms. Samaki Walker tried to practice, but could not because of a bruised hip. .... The Lakers play the Milwaukee Bucks tonight at Staples Center.