Editing Magic Johnson (section)

==== Return to the Lakers as coach and player (1994, 1996) ====
Johnson returned to the NBA as coach for the Lakers near the end of the [[1993–94 NBA season]], replacing [[Randy Pfund]], and [[Bill Bertka]], who served as an interim coach for two games.<ref name=pfund>{{Cite news |last=Araton |first=Harvey |date=March 23, 1994 |title=Pro Basketball; Los Angeles Lakers Hire Magic Johnson To Be Head Coach |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/23/sports/pro-basketball-los-angeles-lakers-hire-magic-johnson-to-be-head-coach.html|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-date=February 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203022540/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/23/sports/pro-basketball-los-angeles-lakers-hire-magic-johnson-to-be-head-coach.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=newcoach>{{Cite web |title=1993–94 Los Angeles Lakers Schedule and Results |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/1994_games.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en|archive-date=February 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203195936/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/1994_games.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson, who took the job at the urging of owner [[Jerry Buss]], admitted "I've always had the desire (to coach) in the back of my mind." He insisted that his health was not an issue, while downplaying questions about returning as a player, saying, "I'm retired. Let's leave it at that."<ref name=brief>{{Cite web |title=Magic coaching stint short term? |work=The Argus-Press |date=March 24, 1994 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QEAiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=A60FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1144,2167755|access-date=December 10, 2024 |page=13}}</ref> Amid speculation from general manager [[Jerry West]] that he may only coach until the end of the season,<ref name=brief /> Johnson took over a team that had a 28–38 record, and won his first game as head coach, a 110–101 victory over the [[Milwaukee Bucks]].<ref name=bucks>{{Cite web |title=Johnson gets win in first game as coach |work=The Fort Scott Tribune |date=March 28, 1994 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t_gfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BAMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4548,4127621|access-date=December 10, 2024 |page=8}}</ref> He was coaching a team that had five of his former teammates on the roster: [[Vlade Divac]], [[Elden Campbell]], [[Tony Smith (basketball)|Tony Smith]], [[Kurt Rambis]], [[James Worthy]], and [[Michael Cooper]], who was brought in as an assistant coach.<ref name=brief /><ref name=worthy>{{Cite web |title=1993–94 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/1994.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en|archive-date=December 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205144202/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/1994.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson, who still had a guaranteed player contract that would pay him $14.6 million during the [[1994–95 NBA season]], signed a separate contract to coach the team that had no compensation.<ref name=brief /> The Lakers played well initially, winning five of their first six games under Johnson, but after losing the next five games, Johnson announced that he was resigning as coach after the season. The Lakers finished the season on a ten-game losing streak, and Johnson's final record as a head coach was 5–11.<ref name=newcoach /> Stating that it was never his dream to coach, he chose instead to purchase a 5% share of the team in June 1994.<ref name="nbafullbio" />

At the age of 36, Johnson attempted another comeback as a player when he rejoined the Lakers during the [[1995–96 NBA season]]. During his retirement, Johnson began intense workouts to help his fight against HIV, raising his [[bench press]] from 135 to 300 pounds, and increasing his weight to 255 pounds.<ref name=gary /> He officially returned to the team on January 29, 1996,<ref name=deseret>{{Cite web |date=May 14, 1996 |title=Magic Johnson Retires Again |url=https://www.deseret.com/1996/5/14/19242861/online-document-magic-johnson-retires-again|access-date=January 3, 2023 |work=Deseret News |agency=Associated Press |language=en|archive-date=April 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404205205/https://www.deseret.com/1996/5/14/19242861/online-document-magic-johnson-retires-again|url-status=live}}</ref> and played his first game the following day against the [[1995–96 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]]. Coming off the bench, Johnson had 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists to help the Lakers to a 128–118 victory.<ref name="first">{{Cite web |title=Magic Johnson 1995–96 Game Log |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnsma02/gamelog/1996/|access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en|archive-date=December 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209154140/https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnsma02/gamelog/1996|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 14, Johnson recorded the final triple-double of his career, when he scored 15 points, along with 10 rebounds and 13 assists in a victory against the [[1995–96 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]].<ref name=first /> Playing [[power forward]], he averaged 14.6&nbsp;points, 6.9&nbsp;assists, and 5.7&nbsp;rebounds per game in 32&nbsp;games, and finished tied for 12th place with [[Charles Barkley]] in voting for the MVP Award.<ref name="stats" /><ref name=mvpvote>{{Cite web |title=1995–96 NBA Awards Voting |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1996.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en|archive-date=October 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002015846/https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1996.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Lakers had a record of 22–10 in the games Johnson played, and he considered his final comeback "a success."<ref name=deseret /> While Johnson played well in 1996, there were struggles both on and off the court. [[Cedric Ceballos]], upset over a reduction in his playing time after Johnson's arrival, left the team for several days.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Taylor |first=Phil |title=On Spring Break |date=April 1, 1996 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1996/04/01/211548/on-spring-break-cedric-ceballoss-unauthorized-vacation-threatened-to-destroy-the-chemistry-that-had-made-the-lakers-a-contender-since-magic-johnsons-return|access-date=December 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181633/http://www.si.com/vault/1996/04/01/211548/on-spring-break-cedric-ceballoss-unauthorized-vacation-threatened-to-destroy-the-chemistry-that-had-made-the-lakers-a-contender-since-magic-johnsons-return|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Brown |first=Clifton |title=Pro Basketball; Leaving on His Terms, Johnson Retires Again |date=May 15, 1996 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/15/sports/pro-basketball-leaving-on-his-terms-johnson-retires-again.html|access-date=July 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417005042/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/15/sports/pro-basketball-leaving-on-his-terms-johnson-retires-again.html|archive-date=April 17, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> He missed two games and was stripped of his title as team captain.<ref>{{cite news |last=Howard-Cooper |first=Scott |title=Ceballos Is Back, but Not All the Way |date=March 27, 1996 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-03-27-sp-51859-story.html|access-date=May 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020030044/http://articles.latimes.com/1996-03-27/sports/sp-51859_1_cedric-ceballos|archive-date=October 20, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Nick Van Exel]] received a seven-game suspension for bumping referee [[Ron Garretson]] during a game on April 9. Johnson was publicly critical of Van Exel, saying his actions were "inexcusable."<ref name=nick>{{Cite web |agency=Associated Press |date=April 11, 1996 |title=Hitting Referee Costs Van Exel $187,000 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-11-sp-57305-story.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US|archive-date=January 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116185207/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-11-sp-57305-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson was himself suspended five days later, when he bumped referee [[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], missing three games. He also missed several games due to a calf injury.<ref name=deseret /> Despite these difficulties, the Lakers finished with a record of 53–29 and fourth seed in the [[1996 NBA Playoffs|NBA Playoffs]]. Although they were facing the defending NBA champion [[1995–96 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]], the Lakers had home court advantage in the five-game series. The Lakers played poorly in a Game 1 loss, prompting Johnson to express frustration with his role in coach [[Del Harris]]' offense.<ref name=del>{{Cite web |last=Howard-Cooper |first=Scott |date=April 27, 1996 |title=Magic Raises Questions About Laker Confusion |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-27-sp-63301-story.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411085428/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-27-sp-63301-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson led the way to a Game 2 victory with 26 points, but averaged only 7.5 points per game for the remainder of the series, which the Rockets won three games to one.<ref name="first" />

After the Lakers lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs,<ref>{{cite web |title=1996 Playoff Results |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |url=http://www.nba.com/history/playoffs/19951996.html|access-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609062651/http://www.nba.com/history/playoffs/19951996.html|archive-date=June 9, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Johnson initially expressed a desire to return to the team for the [[1996–97 NBA season]], but he also talked about joining another team as a free agent, hoping to see more playing time at point guard instead of power forward.<ref name=deseret /> A few days later, Johnson changed his mind and retired permanently, saying, "I am going out on my terms, something I couldn't say when I aborted a comeback in 1992."<ref name="espnshowtime" /><ref name=deseret />