Magic Johnson, who made news earlier this week by selling his minority interest in the Lakers, ended any speculation of him joining the ownership group of another NBA team today. Johnson was the keynote speaker at the High Desert Opportunity Conference in Victorville, California Thursday afternoon, and told patrons of the event that he planned to remain with the Lakers for a long time.
↵Johnson had been linked this week, and all summer, about becoming a part of the ownership group of his hometown Detroit Pistons or perhaps the Golden State Warriors, with the chance of taking on a more vocal role in the front office than he currently has with the Lakers. However, Johnson explained that he sold his shares this week to Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, a longtime season ticket holder, simply because he was offered a great business deal.
↵"I made a heck of a lot of money off the Lakers," Johnson said at the conference, "Detroit doesn't make any money." Johnson also noted that he is still a vice president of the Lakers, a position he agreed to keep at the request of majority owner Dr. Jerry Buss. "I'm a Laker until the end," Johnson said.
↵Johnson also said he wasn't buying the Dodgers (another hot, yet false rumor this week) but wouldn't necessarily rule it out. Johnson said that if, down the road, he was approached to buy the Dodgers, he would consider it, but only if the numbers made sense. Johnson seemed to express more interest bringing an NFL team to Los Angeles, although there is nothing currently in the works in that regard.
↵For more Lakers news and information, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Silver Screen and Roll.