Magic Johnson Says He Had Offer To Run New York Knicks

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Less than two weeks after the Lakers announced the hiring of Magic Johnson as an adviser to team ownership, the legendary Laker said Monday he has fielded similar offers from other NBA teams.

The New York Knicks were among those interested in enlisting his services, Magic told CBS This Morning.

"I've had four offers to run teams or to be owners of teams," he said. "I had the opportunity to run the Knicks."

But Johnson said returning to any team other than the Lakers just wouldn't feel right.

"I turned everybody down," he said. "The only team and franchise I will ever go to is the Lakers."

So what exactly does Magic's new role with the Lakers entail?

He said he'll be involved primarily on the business side, including personnel decisions. But he won't be coaching basketball in any official capacity.

"I tried coaching," he said of his brief stint on the sidelines in 1994. "I never wanted to be a coach."

The job is apparently full time. Johnson said he's handing over day-to-day operations of his businesses to executives at Magic Johnson Enterprises.

He said Lakers fans will need to be patient, however, as any return to glory will likely take several years.

"It's going to take three to five years to get them back and rolling again," he said. "You have to develop your own players. You have to make sure you hit a home run when you draft."