What If Magic Johnson Played for the Chicago Bulls?

From 1966 to 1984, the NBA used to flip a coin to determine the first overall pick in the draft, a far cry from the lottery system now.

The 1979 NBA Draft coin flip that sent Magic Johnson to the Los Angeles Lakers is widely regarded as one of the most pivotal moments in basketball history. But what if the coin had landed differently, sending Magic to the Chicago Bulls instead?

During an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Magic shared his thoughts on the possibility. "You know, it was a coin flip to see if I would play for the Bulls or the Lakers," he said. "I'm happy it turned out the way it did. You know why, Jennifer? Because then it would be no Michael [Jordan] in Chicago and no Magic in LA. So, it worked out."

If Magic had indeed joined the Bulls, it's highly unlikely that Michael Jordan would have ended up in Chicago. With the success that Magic would've brought to the franchise, they wouldn't have had the third pick in the 1984 Draft to select Jordan.

A lot of credit for Magic's success in LA is given to the team that played around him, especially Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. However, one can't deny the fact that Magic was a formidable force from the moment he joined the league. He won an NBA title, Finals MVP, and made an All-Star appearance within a year of joining.

Of course, it is also true that he would not have won a title with the Bulls in his rookie year. At the time, the Bulls had a weaker roster compared to the Lakers. With the likes of Artis Gilmore, Mark Landsberger, Scott May, Ollie Johnson, and Reggie Theus, they were in dire need of a point guard.

Magic, one the greatest point guards in the history of the game, would have completed the Bulls puzzle perfectly. He would have had a phenomenal first season, the title notwithstanding.

And if he was then able to turn things around within the next couple of years, the Bulls would have moved on from building a good team to finding star players from other teams to forge a championship-winning side.

But would the Bulls have found someone like Kareem to be by Magic's side chasing championships?

For sure, yes. Magic did most of the heavy lifting in his prime. And, any great two-way player would've provided the support he needed on the court.

Another point to ponder in this Magical (pun intended) Bulls-verse is Johnson's rivalry with Larry Bird. Now that tussle is legendary, and pretty much part of NBA folklore. What would've happened to the classic rivalry had Magic gone to Chicago?

A lot of things in Magic's career would've changed if he had gone to Chicago instead of LA. But the rivalry between him and the great Bird would have still played out.

However, instead of meeting each other in the Finals for the greatest show ever on the grandest of occasions, they would have battled each other in the Eastern Conference. Will that bring down its relevance and reverence in history? Possibly yes, for things are celebrated in retrospect when the occasion is grand, and the stakes high.

The Magic-Bird rivalry started much before they joined the league. The 1979 NCAA Championship game is considered to be a classic game in basketball history. The competition the world witnessed went on to change the game forever.

Michigan State, led by Magic defeated Indiana State, led by Bird. The final scoreline read 75-64. At the time, it was the most-watched college basketball game ever. Magic grabbed the Most Outstanding Player title too.

When they entered the NBA, the rivalry only grew. So, if Magic had gone to Chicago instead of LA, the narrative would have remained. Just the setting would have changed. Imagine: a Boston-Chicago rivalry in the 1980s.

The late Dr. Jerry Buss played a massive role in Magic's journey — right from his rookie year to multiple championships and to his role now as a billionaire and owner of several teams. The former owner of the Lakers was very fond of his superstar.

During a 2019 interview with Uninterrupted, Magic said, “I owe a lot of it to Dr. [Jerry] Buss,” talking about his business success.

He revealed that Dr. Buss used to hand him books to read and teach him how the business of sport works even when he was a young player at the franchise.

Back to fantasy: what would have happened to this layer of Magic's legacy if he went to Chicago? There isn’t a clear-cut answer to this. It is likely that he would have gotten similar support from Jerry Reinsdorf, the owner of the Bulls.

Last but not the least comes the coach part. There is no doubt the great Pat Riley had a role in how Magic and the Lakers achieved so much in the 1980s. That wouldn't have happened if he had gone to Chicago because, at the time