If Magic Johnson was playing in the NBA today..

[vinceWin]

no one can run the point guard position like a Magic Johnson

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4Dm0lZTqCc[/youtube]

Only a 6'9 point guard could make passes like those. Amazing.

[PetroNet]

People on this thread are talking past each other.

Everyone acknowledges that he would be the primary ball handler and run the offense, so in that sense, yes, he would play PG. But I think what prs and others are saying is that Magic wouldn't be the smallest guy on the court for his team. He would probably be the 3rd tallest guy and the team would play two "guards" with him of smaller stature. These "guards" would defend the opposing team's PG and SG with Magic defending the opposing team SF. Offensively, the "guards" would be off-the-ball players with the offense running through Magic. So in that sense, the team would look much like the Lebron-led Cavaliers with Magic playing the Lebron role.

i dont see why you would play 2 gaurds with magic. it really takes away the supreme advantage that magic would give you. and its why the lakers didnt play 2 gaurds with magic, and used him as a traditional point gaurd.

magic made it extremely difficult for opposing point gaurds... he had the later quickness to stay with them along with the length and size to bother their ability to get the ball to teammates or finsih at the rim if they got past him. he presented as many problems defensively to opposing points as he did offensively.

he played nothing like lebron, i really dont understand that comparison at all. and playing magic at forward would remove all of the advantages he would give you on the floor.

[lorak]

Of course he is gonna play PG, He had better lateral quickness, better footwork and better handle than Lebron.

Riley said LeBron is better ball handler. And it seems true - look for example how often Magic was dribbling back to the basket even above 3p line because he had to protect the ball. LeBron don't need to do that, he could play face up because he's so good ball handler and definitely quicker than Magic.

[PetroNet]

Of course he is gonna play PG, He had better lateral quickness, better footwork and better handle than Lebron.

Riley said LeBron is better ball handler. And it seems true - look for example how often Magic was dribbling back to the basket even above 3p line because he had to protect the ball. LeBron don't need to do that, he could play face up because he's so good ball handler and definitely quicker than Magic.

1) lebron can play face up, because defenders cant hand check him. when magic played, that rule wasnt in place

2) lebron is not quicker then a prime magic. not close.

[The Goonibomber]

^That video is disgusting. It's like he knew exactly how a defense would react to the most subtle movement, and the pass was already accounting for their soon-to-be bewilderment.

Did he ever have stretches where passes like that simply got picked off? The guy looks like he'd be a turnover machine...

[Zubby]

Magic would play the PG and would guard the PG...

Shaun Livingston is a tall PG too he wasn't out there defending forwards, PG guarded him he guarded them..

When Michael Carter-Williams comes into the league next year he will be a PG too he is also like 6'7" he will guard the PG's of the league.

If Livingston & Carter-Williams guard and play the PG why wouldn't one of the greats PG's?

[nate33]

i dont see why you would play 2 gaurds with magic. it really takes away the supreme advantage that magic would give you. and its why the lakers didnt play 2 gaurds with magic, and used him as a traditional point gaurd.

magic made it extremely difficult for opposing point gaurds... he had the later quickness to stay with them along with the length and size to bother their ability to get the ball to teammates or finsih at the rim if they got past him. he presented as many problems defensively to opposing points as he did offensively.

he played nothing like lebron, i really dont understand that comparison at all. and playing magic at forward would remove all of the advantages he would give you on the floor.

Did you watch Magic? He never guarded PG's, or at least not little, quick PG's. Byron Scott and Michael Cooper guarded them. Magic always guarded the worst player among the opposing team's 1, 2, or 3. These days, PG's are shorter and even quicker. Magic would have no chance at staying in front of guys like Rose, Westbrook, Parker, Wall, or even Conley.

The bottom line is that the game has changed since the 80's. Players are smaller, faster, and more skilled. Magic would still be awesome, but he'd have to play at a bigger position. This is not an insult to Magic. It's just an acknowledgement of how the game has evolved.

Oh, and to answer your question, the advantage of playing 2 guards with Magic is that you can generally find more skilled players if you don't have to reach for height. Why have Magic defend SG's alongside a guy like Marvin Williams at SF, when for the same money, you can have Magic defend SF's and have a guy like Aaron Afflalo at SG?

[Doctor MJ]

People on this thread are talking past each other.

Everyone acknowledges that he would be the primary ball handler and run the offense, so in that sense, yes, he would play PG. But I think what prs and others are saying is that Magic wouldn't be the smallest guy on the court for his team. He would probably be the 3rd tallest guy and the team would play two "guards" with him of smaller stature. These "guards" would defend the opposing team's PG and SG with Magic defending the opposing team SF. Offensively, the "guards" would be off-the-ball players with the offense running through Magic. So in that sense, the team would look much like the Lebron-led Cavaliers with Magic playing the Lebron role.

i dont see why you would play 2 gaurds with magic. it really takes away the supreme advantage that magic would give you. and its why the lakers didnt play 2 gaurds with magic, and used him as a traditional point gaurd.

magic made it extremely difficult for opposing point gaurds... he had the later quickness to stay with them along with the length and size to bother their ability to get the ball to teammates or finsih at the rim if they got past him. he presented as many problems defensively to opposing points as he did offensively.

he played nothing like lebron, i really dont understand that comparison at all. and playing magic at forward would remove all of the advantages he would give you on the floor.

Dude, the guy you're responding to just took the time to try to clarify the confusion, and it's like you ignored him and read one of the other people's overly simplistic posts.

Magic would still be the point man. He's be the guy dictating the offense, making the decisions, making the passes. All his advantages would still be there, but you're not going to try to build a super-tall team where Magic is charged with guarding a super-fast 5'11" guy. You're going to build a lineup based in part on what will allow optimal coverage of the opposing team's players. That will mean at least 2 guys much smaller than Magic, and those guys are not going to be guarding forwards.

It will in other words be exactly like what Magic actually did before, it's just that the labels we have for positions in basketball are woefully inadequate and at this point we're typically just labeling players based on their actual size.

[Doctor MJ]

People on this thread are talking past each other.

Everyone acknowledges that he would be the primary ball handler and run the offense, so in that sense, yes, he would play PG. But I think what prs and others are saying is that Magic wouldn't be the smallest guy on the court for his team. He would probably be the 3rd tallest guy and the team would play two "guards" with him of smaller stature. These "guards" would defend the opposing team's PG and SG with Magic defending the opposing team SF. Offensively, the "guards" would be off-the-ball players with the offense running through Magic. So in that sense, the team would look much like the Lebron-led Cavaliers with Magic playing the Lebron role.

i dont see why you would play 2 gaurds with magic. it really takes away the supreme advantage that magic would give you. and its why the lakers didnt play 2 gaurds with magic, and used him as a traditional point gaurd.

magic made it extremely difficult for opposing point gaurds... he had the later quickness to stay with them along with the length and size to bother their ability to get the ball to teammates or finsih at the rim if they got past him. he presented as many problems defensively to opposing points as he did offensively.

he played nothing like lebron, i really dont understand that comparison at all. and playing magic at forward would remove all of the advantages he would give you on the floor.

Dude, the guy you're responding to just took the time to try to clarify the confusion, and it's like you ignored him and read one of the other people's overly simplistic posts.

Magic would still be the point man. He's be the guy dictating the offense, making the decisions, making the passes. All his advantages would still be there, but you're not going to try to build a super-tall team where Magic is charged with guarding a super-fast 5'11" guy. You're going to build a lineup based in part on what will allow optimal coverage of the opposing team's players. That will mean at least 2 guys much smaller than Magic, and those guys are not going to be guarding forwards.

It will in other words be exactly like what Magic actually did before, it's just that the labels we have for positions in basketball are woefully inadequate and at this point we're typically just labeling players based on their actual size.

[Clyde Frazier]

Quick off topic thought: I'm all for stats, and what lebron's been doing the last few weeks is truly amazing, but it's killing me when some people start devaluing what guys like bird and magic could do because of him. How short are their memories? They were incredible talents, and I definitely see people questioning their greatness now due to LeBron. It's pretty sad.

[wenzi]

why in the world would he play anything but PG?

well he is quick enough to guard other PG's. Derrick Rose would eat him up

MAgic will eat Rose alive in the post tho

[dockingsched]

why in the world would he play anything but PG?

well he is quick enough to guard other PG's. Derrick Rose would eat him up

MAgic will eat Rose alive in the post tho

thats why pg's wouldn't guard him

[Ditchweed]

Considering he is 53, I don't think he would do good at all ... he's just too old.

[Tave]

Of course he is gonna play PG, He had better lateral quickness, better footwork and better handle than Lebron.

Riley said LeBron is better ball handler. And it seems true - look for example how often Magic was dribbling back to the basket even above 3p line because he had to protect the ball. LeBron don't need to do that, he could play face up because he's so good ball handler and definitely quicker than Magic.

1) lebron can play face up, because defenders cant hand check him. when magic played, that rule wasnt in place

2) lebron is not quicker then a prime magic. not close.

Magic would be the first to tell you he was nowhere near as quick or fast as Lebron. Not rookie Magic, not peak Magic, not prime Magic, not old Magic. He just wasn't.

He did have better footwork, hesitation instincts, and ball-fake skills, which allowed him beat his quicker defenders and get to the spots he wanted.

But quicker than Lebron?

[sprint2thecup]

in this day and age, he would almost certainly be considered a forward due to his height.

[lorak]

Of course he is gonna play PG, He had better lateral quickness, better footwork and better handle than Lebron.

Riley said LeBron is better ball handler. And it seems true - look for example how often Magic was dribbling back to the basket even above 3p line because he had to protect the ball. LeBron don't need to do that, he could play face up because he's so good ball handler and definitely quicker than Magic.

1) lebron can play face up, because defenders cant hand check him. when magic played, that rule wasnt in place

They hand check LeBron all the time.
Besides it's not about handchecking, but how easily defender could strip the ball from you.

2) lebron is not quicker then a prime magic. not close.

You have no clue what are you talking about.

[jc23]

he would be playing pg imo, and he would have a better body.

[eagereyez]

^That video is disgusting. It's like he knew exactly how a defense would react to the most subtle movement, and the pass was already accounting for their soon-to-be bewilderment.

Did he ever have stretches where passes like that simply got picked off? The guy looks like he'd be a turnover machine...

His assists to turnovers ratio are comparable to other high risk/ high reward PG's, like Nash.

[thamadkant]

He'd play PG/SF...

Magic is the Greatest Laker next to Kareem and the greatest PG ever...
And I hate the lakers...

Even though he didn't get to play 15 seasons as some stars... But during his era he was breath taking... Nash/Paul/Kidd/Lebron combined... In terms of play making, vision etc..

Again feel sorry for youngins who missed out...

[bestever]

Of course he is gonna play PG, He had better lateral quickness, better footwork and better handle than Lebron.

Riley said LeBron is better ball handler. And it seems true - look for example how often Magic was dribbling back to the basket even above 3p line because he had to protect the ball. LeBron don't need to do that, he could play face up because he's so good ball handler and definitely quicker than Magic.

1) lebron can play face up, because defenders cant hand check him. when magic played, that rule wasnt in place

2) lebron is not quicker then a prime magic. not close.

Your delusional if you think magic is quicker than Lebron! not close? you must be blind..