Magic Johnson - Photo LeeLee from Atlanta, Cropped by Noble Story

The Los Angeles Lakers with Magic Johnson won five titles - Maxi Basket photo

NBA BEAT - MAGIC JOHNSON DOWNS LeBRON JAMES

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

The reality is that Johnson as great as he was had problems playing with players that would take the spotlight off of him. As a rookie Kareem Abdul Jabbar had to put him in his place as to who was the Lakers top dog - NBA salary cap for 2010-11 season

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS

Wednesday July 28, 2010

Recently former Laker great Magic Johnson dissed LeBron James for leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to join Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat thus forming a formidable big three much like the Boston Celtics did when they acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen two yeas ago to compliment Paul Pierce.

Johnson claims that in his day he would never do what James did by joining forces with Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. Johnson says he always wanted to beat them not ever entertaining the thought of playing on the same team.

The Lakers always had proven stars and in his rookie season the then 20-year-old Johnson after two years of college growth was in the position of having to fit in not be the man and lead the team. During his rookie season the then 19-year-old James just out of high school was in the position of having to lead a team that in the previous season had the worst record in the league.

Johnson always had strong teammates who were fixtures in the league, James did not. As their careers progressed Johnson continued to have veteran players who were once the stars of their teams during their prime surround him as he matured, developed and gained confidence and control of his squad, James did not.

The reality is that Johnson as great as he was had problems playing with players that would take the spotlight off of him. As a rookie Kareem Abdul Jabbar had to put him in his place as to who was the Lakers top dog. After winning two NBA titles together Johnson had a problem with guard Norm Nixon who was a Laker prior to Johnson's signing in 1979.

Johnson let his displeasure of not being in control of the team be known to management. The problem was who was going to run the team from the point guard position. The result was Nixon was traded to the then San Diego Clippers. That Lakers scenario repeated itself again in the Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal conflict with O'Neal being traded to the Miami Heat.

Both Jordan and Bird were their own men who were the leaders of their own teams. Johnson joined the Lakers as a rookie with superstar Jabbar already in place. James was not in the same situation, he was the only star and out of high school at that who joined a Cavaliers team that was tied with Denver for the leagues worst record 17-65 the previous season 1992-93.

The Cavs had no superstars but did have a young Carlos Boozer who had yet to prove himself. Their top scorer was Ricky Davis. James had to start from the bottom with virtually no help while Johnson had superstars and a team that the previous season finished third in the Pacific Division with a 47-35 record and were in the playoffs.

Bird was the star of a team what had other strong players Dave Cowens (1 year) Kevin McHale and Robert Parish who are recognized as being three of the best ever players in the NBA. James was not so fortunate.

Aside from Jabbar, Johnson had strong players on the Lakers during his rookie season that could do the job in Nixon, Keith Wilkes. Others made strong contributions including Jim Chones, Spencer Haywood, and an emerging Michael Cooper. That team won the NBA title over the Philadelphia 76ers. Johnson emerged as a super star in the final game six when Jabbar was hurt and couldn't play and Johnson played the center position. That game is one of the greatest of all time and Johnson was spectacular. Nobody thought the Lakers could win without Jabbar and Johnson proved that he could be a leader but Keith Wilkes also had s strong performance in that contest.

In their second Johnson era title the Lakers acquired Bob McAdoo, Mitch Kupchak and a hustling Kurt Rambis in their 1982 title winning success. Johnson always had a strong team around him giving them many offensive options. During the final stage of the Johnson era Lakers titles he was supported by James Worthy, Byron Scott who was acquired in the Nixon trade and A.C. Green. Worthy is now considered one of the NBA's all-time best players.

Johnson's my way or the highway ego also is a factor why he could never play on a daily basis with Bird or Jordan basically because they didn't need him nor particularly wanted him. They did play together on the 1992 Olympic Dream team but that was after Johnson gave his swan song to the NBA when he retired after contracting the HIV virus.

There is no doubt that Johnson is perhaps the greatest point guard ever in the league largely due to his height and ability to see and pass over his defender in addition to his game smarts. The teams that bought into his leadership thrived in winning five NBA titles in a decade. He knew how to run his team. Only Jabbar and Cooper were a part of all five titles with Johnson. Johnson ran those teams flawlessly as smooth as silk but there is no doubt that his massive ego grew with each title winning success. Having strong players on the Lakers worked for him but it didn't work out that way for James who lacked a strong supporting cast.

Johnson loves the spotlight just as he loved the Lakers being called Showtime. After his retirement he tried coaching the Lakers and failed. He later tried his hand at hosting a television show and failed. He is currently a successful businessman who continues to seek the limelight thus his off point remark about James.

It's a different time in a different NBA era as players today are friends off the court regardless if they play for different teams as in Johnson's day. Johnson had his day so why not let James have his without negative comments from former NBA players. As Sly & The Family Stone sang… Different Strokes for Different Folks.

NBA salary cap for 2010-11 season set at $58.044 million

The National Basketball Association announced that the Salary Cap for the 2010-11 season will be $58.044 million. The tax level for the 2010-11 season has been set at $70.307 million. Any team whose team salary exceeds that figure will pay a $1 tax for each $1 by which it exceeds $70.307 million.

The 2009-10 Salary Cap was $57.70 million and the tax level was $69.92 million.

The new Salary Cap and tax level went into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Thursday, July 8, when the league's "moratorium period" ended and teams could begin signing free agents and making trades.

The mid-level exception is $5.765 million for the 2010-11 season and the minimum team salary, which is set at 75% of the Salary Cap, is $43.533 million.

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