Magic Tells Jim Hill On Kobe: If He's Not Ready, Sit Whole Year Out
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) - Lakers legend and Hall of Famer Magic Johnson knows a thing or two about winning NBA Titles.
He won five of them during the team's showtime era along with Big Game James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
On Friday, Magic sat down with CBS2/KCAL9 sports director Jim Hill to talk the current crisis that Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Lakers are going through after losing all three point guards and losing their future Hall of Famer to a fractured knee.
"I just want him to take his time, but to get back healthy" Magic tells Hill. "Don't rush back because we have two more years of Kobe Bryant. He needs to understand that along with Jim [Buss], Jeanie and Mitch [Kupchak]. I would say to him: 'Don't rush it. If you're not ready, sit the whole year out."
He also reminds Hill how the Spurs capitalized on keeping David Robinson out for the 1997 season after he injured back during the preseason, then breaking his foot six games after his return in December, leading to a low record of 20-62 for the season.
As a result, the Spurs got 'lucky' and drafted Tim Duncan.
"I want the Lakers to get lucky and get somebody in the draft," Magic added. "We have enough money to sign another free agent and the Lakers could be strong next year."
