The Los Angeles Lakers were looking for successors of the “Showtime” era, which was then a thing of the past in the 1995-96 season. They appeared to have gotten that from Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones.
Of the two, it was the Cincinnati product that showed a lot of promise. Nick was fast and an excellent offensive player. However, the 37th pick of the 1993 Draft also had a short fuse. This came into light in 1996, costing him a seven-game suspension and a $187,000 fine.
A query gone wrong
The Lakers were playing the Denver Nuggets, and during a timeout, the 6-foot-1 guard was arguing a call with game official Ron Garretson. The referee whistled “Nick the Quick” for a technical, his second for the game.
According to Magic Johnson, Van Exel allegedly asked why he received the technical foul as things heated up. Regardless, the Michigan State product admits he was surprised by Nick’s actions and the altercation.
“He asked about three times but I didn’t hear Ron’s response. It surprised me. I never in my wildest dreams thought he would push him,” Johnson stated via UPI.
Disappointed Magic
Being the veteran he is, Earvin knew better. While he understood that Van Exel was frustrated at the call and his queries, Johnson felt the Wisconsin native should have considered the repercussions before that unsportsmanlike act.
“No matter how mad or frustrated you get, you don’t do it. He will hurt himself and hurt the team,” he explained.
Making matters worse for the Lakers, they lost that game 98-91. Regardless, the Purple and Gold still made the playoffs but were eliminated in the first round by the Houston Rockets.
That left Johnson frustrated since he placed a high premium on winning. That stint would turn out to be Magic’s last, although he considered returning for the 1996-97 season.
Deciding to end his NBA run after the 1995-96 appeared to be perfect. Aside from the desire, Magic wanted to show his son, EJ, what he did for a living. But when that ended, Johnson felt it was the perfect time to walk away, closing his pro basketball career on his terms.