Earvin Johnson: Twenty Years Without "Magic"

Most NBA observers agree former Los Angeles Lakers Hall-of-Famer Magic Johnson is unquestionably the greatest point guard of all time and one of the Top 10 players in NBA history.

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Johnson retired over 20 years ago, but the organization has yet to find stability at that position.

The Lakers became so desperate to find a long-term solution at point, they passed on dominant big man Jahlil Okafor in favor of D’Angelo Russell with the second pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

The franchise experienced success and failure following Johnson’s retirement, but the team’s point guard position has been nothing short of a revolving door. The importance of an elite point guard has increased immensely over the years, and it’s highly unlikely any of today’s elite teams would be serious contenders without stellar play at that position.

Sedale Threatt became the team’s starting point guard upon Johnson’s shocking and premature retirement during the 1991-92 season. Although a long-forgotten footnote in Lakers history, Threatt played well that year and led the team with 7.2 assists per game. He also lead the team in total points. The Lakers finished eighth in the Western Conference despite a 43-39 record.

The Lakers drafted Nick Van Exel the following season. The second round pick was flashy and brash but exceeded all expectations his first year. Van Exel averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 assists and was awarded All-Rookie Second Team honors.

Jan 10, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks president Phil Jackson addresses media before the start of the game against Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Van Exel started at guard for the next five seasons even with Johnson’s comeback in the 1995-96 season. Van Exel’s statistics were good. The team won a lot of games. but they didn’t make any deep playoff runs. Eventually, the front office tired of Van Exel’s personality and traded him the season prior to the Phil Jackson era.

Jackson, a Hall-of-Fame head coach, won five NBA Championships in 10 seasons with the Lakers despite the consistent turnover at the point guard position. After a one-year coaching hiatus, Jackson started his Lakers career in 1999 with former Chicago Bulls standout Ron Harper. After back-to-back championships with the Lakers, Harper retired following a 16-year career and five titles.

In the 2001-02 season, Jackson split time between three point guards. Lindsey Hunter, Brian Shaw, and Derek Fisher all saw time en route to the team’s three-peat. Shaw and Fisher would take over the point guard duties the next year, but the team would falter in the playoffs.

The Lakers made one last big push in 2003 and signed two future Hall-of-Famers in Gary Payton and Karl Malone. The organization tried to put together a dream team for Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Payton was the starting point but did not mesh well with the rest of the squad. The team came up just short in their quest to win four championships in five years. Part of the problem was health related, but the biggest problem was a lack of team chemistry.

Jan 29, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Derek Fisher (6) looks on from the bench during the second half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The next few seasons were dismal for the Lakers. Payton and Fisher had departed, but nothing could prepare Lakers fans for what they were about to endure. Chucky Atkins started at point in 2004, and Smush Parker took the reigns for the next two years. Three of Bryant’s prime years were thrown away as he tried to single-handily carry the team throughout the season and into the playoffs.

Fisher re-joined the squad in 2007, and a semblance of stability returned. Jackson had returned two years prior and the addition of Pau Gasol propelled the Lakers to glory once again. They would go on to win two championships using Jackson’s intricate triangle offense.

The team wasn’t as dominant in Jackson’s second stint, but the club still appeared in three straight NBA Finals. Fisher was solid and provided clutch shooting when the Lakers needed it most.

The organization let Fisher go during the 2011-12 season. The idea of the prototypical NBA point guard was evolving, and Fisher could no longer stay in front of opposing team’s featured guards. The Lakers replaced Fisher with Ramon Sessions at mid-season. Sessions started strong but faded badly by season’s end. He was a non-factor in the playoffs and gone after 23 games.

None of the aforementioned point guards were as disappointing as Steve Nash given the expectations for a two-time MVP. The Nash-era lasted three forgettable seasons, and he was frequently unable to play due to a litany of injuries.

Nash got hurt early on in his first year, missed a long stretch, and played only sporadically the rest of the season upon his return. The next year was much of the same. Last season, Nash finally accepted the reality of the situation and retired after sustaining yet another injury.

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; D’Angelo Russell (Ohio State) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number two overall pick to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

A long list of players attempted to take Nash’s place during his three-year tenure. Steve Blake, Chris Duhon, and Darius Morris were called upon in Nash’s first season. Jordan Farmar and Kendall Marshall filled in the second year. Jeremy Lin and Ronnie Price received the nod last year until the messiah that is Jordan Clarkson came out of nowhere.

In contrast, Tony Parker has been the starting point guard for the San Antonio Spurs since his debut in 2001. Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, John Wall, Kyrie Irving, Mike Conley, and Damian Lillard are all providing long-term stability at point for their respective teams.

Two other prominent point guards, Rajon Rondo and Ty Lawson, recently changed teams but only after lengthy, successful tenures with the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets respectively.

The Lakers are poised to hand the baton to Russell, hoping he can provide stability but, more importantly, quality at a position that has been largely unstable for over 20 years.

Should he succeed, it will be a major step forward as the organization strives to return to respectability. However, if Russell underachieves, it will be back to the drawing board, and there will be more dark days ahead for this franchise.

Next: Lakers Depth Chart: Who Makes the Cut?

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Earvin Johnson: Twenty Years Without ‘Magic’

By Hannah Kulik | Sep 13, 2015

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