Report: Magic Johnson Hopes to Buy Los Angeles Dodgers

(NewsCore) - Lakers great Magic Johnson said Friday he is part of a group hoping to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"I love baseball," Johnson told the paper. "I've been a Dodgers fan and gone to the park many, many times."

The 52-year-old Johnson, who has launched a successful post-NBA business career, would reportedly join with former Nationals and Braves executive Stan Kasten and financier Mark Walter, CEO of Guggenheim Partners.

"Stan Kasten is my man," Johnson said. "He's a winner, he's built two incredible organizations and he's well respected. That is what was important to me. I had to get with a winner, a guy who understands baseball inside and out. ... Both guys are about building a winner and making a difference in the L.A. community."

The NBA Hall of Famer, who won five titles with the Lakers, is the latest high-profile potential buyer of the iconic franchise, which was driven into bankruptcy by owner Frank McCourt.

Earlier this week, former talk show host Larry King said he was interested in joining a potential ownership group with White Sox executive Dennis Gilbert.

"It would be a thrill of a lifetime to be a part owner, partial owner, of a team I grew up rooting for as a child in Brooklyn," said the 78-year-old King.

Former Dodgers Steve Garvey and Orel Hershiser have also expressed interest in forming an investment group to bid on the team.

Other potential bidders include Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle, according to the Times.

The Dodgers are being sold in a process overseen by the US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. The franchise also wants to sell its future television rights to maximize its value, but FOX is trying to block that effort, arguing it violates its current contract with the Dodgers.

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