Will touch of Magic give Dodgers a lift?

LOS ANGELES – The conference room of Magic Johnson's Beverly Hills office is long and narrow. The most prominent images hang from one of the long walls, three photographs taken at Dodger Stadium.

In one, Johnson smiles in the stands, all by himself. In another, Johnson smiles on the field, with his partners in ownership. The third offers a panoramic view of the ballpark.

It is as if Johnson never played for that struggling pro basketball team across town – until he starts talking. Johnson won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, the last one in 1988. The Dodgers won a championship in 1988, too.

The Lakers have won five more championships since then. The Dodgers have not returned to the World Series.

However, with the Dodgers about to start their first full season under the ownership of Johnson and his deep-pocketed partners, he wants to make the definition of success abundantly clear to fans and players.

"We want to go to the World Series. If we don't accomplish that, yes, it is not a good season for us," Johnson said. "Guys should be saying that. As the ownership group, that is what we are saying."

The Dodgers report to spring training Feb. 12 with expectations fueled by what is projected to be the largest player payroll in baseball history.

In an interview, Johnson talked about how the star-studded Dodgers can learn from the failings of similarly hyped Lakers teams, how he sees the Arizona Diamondbacks as just as much of a threat as the World Series champion Giants, and of his faith in Dodgers manager Don Mattingly.

After Johnson and his partners took over the Dodgers last year, they extended the contract of general manager Ned Colletti. They did not do the same for Mattingly, whose contract expires after this season, leading to speculation the Dodgers could fire him if the team starts the season slowly or finishes without reaching the World Series.

"Don has been in this game," Johnson said. "He understands how these things work. He knows, if he does his job, he will get rewarded."

Johnson said the owners would address Mattingly's contract situation sometime after spring training opens.

"Look, everybody likes Don a lot," Johnson said. "Nobody wants to put Don in a situation where he is going to be the fall guy. We're not that type of guys. What we're trying to do is give Don all the resources necessary to be a winner, be effective and be a champion."

The Lakers, with a similar influx of star players and sky-high expectations, fired coach Mike Brown after the team lost four of its first five games this season. Johnson indicated the Dodgers would not react the same way.

"We understand it's a long season," Johnson said. "If something happens and we don't get off to a good start, we're not going to panic."

Although Johnson's "Showtime" Lakers featured star-studded rosters, he and his teammates played together for years.

In 2003, the Lakers tossed Karl Malone and Gary Payton into a locker room already dominated by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal; that Lakers team was defeated in the NBA Finals. This season's Lakers, with Dwight Howard and Steve Nash joining Bryant and Pau Gasol, are not even a .500 team.

What the Dodgers can learn from those Lakers teams, Johnson said, is that chemistry and trust is essential, no matter how big the names on the roster. He said the players must trust each other, the coaching staff, the front office and ownership.

He also said Mattingly alone cannot build that chemistry and trust. Johnson rode herd for coach Pat Riley with the Lakers, and he said he has talked with Matt Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez about embracing a similar role on the Dodgers.

"If we're going to win our division – especially when we're up against two incredible teams, when you think about the World Series champion Giants, and we feel that the Diamondbacks are just as good – somebody is going to have to emerge as a leader, and say things to guys that sometimes they may not like, but tell them the truth," Johnson said.

"To me, that is the missing part. What separates us from the Giants, really? We have just as much talent now. We have upgraded our pitching staff. I felt their pitching staff last year was better than ours. But the other main ingredient that we don't have that we must get is that one of these guys has got to emerge as a real captain who can lead us, especially in August and September, when it gets to be tough, hot, and we've got to grind it out."

The Giants have an undisputed leader in Buster Posey, the National League MVP. Johnson said he is eager to see who becomes the Dodgers' clubhouse leader.

"Who is that guy on our team?" Johnson said. "All 25 guys (would) know that there is one – or two, if Adrian and Matt are going to do it. That's fine. We have got to get a true leader on the Dodgers team."

Johnson said he plans to address the Dodgers in spring training, to share his experiences in relaxing and embracing expectations rather than shying from them.

"It comes with the territory. You can't run from it. We're excited. I know there is a target on our back. We have to embrace it and say, 'OK, we're going to live up to it.' "

• Read more articles by Bill Shaikin

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