Magic Johnson joining Sixers owner Josh Harris’ group in bid to buy the NFL’s Denver Broncos
Johnson's addition could make the group more attractive once the bidding intensifies in the coming weeks.
MIAMI — Can Magic Johnson dish out an assist in 76ers managing partner Josh Harris’s attempt to purchase an NFL franchise?
Johnson, a five-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and a Hall of Famer, has joined Harris’ group in its bid for the Denver Broncos, a league source confirmed.
Walmart heir Rob Walton is the favorite to purchase the team. The world’s 19th-richest person, Walton has an estimated net worth of $70.4 billion.
Harris reportedly has an estimated net worth of approximately $7.56 billion and he has experience with professional sports franchises. Johnson brings diversity to the group as a high-profile, well-respected Black investor. His addition could make the group more attractive once the bidding intensities in the coming weeks.
Johnson was part of a group that bought the Los Angeles Dodgers for $2 billion, of which Johnson invested $50 million. Todd Boehly, who was part of that group, is bidding for the Broncos in a separate group.
It’s estimated that the Broncos could sell for upwards of $4 billion. There’s speculation that Johnson has a net worth of $600 million.
Johnson is also part of the investing groups for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks and Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club.
In March, Harris and Sixers co-managing partner David Blitzer were part of a group that submitted a bid for Premier League soccer team Chelsea F.C., which was sold last week to a group that included Boehly. Harris and Blitzer run Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, a sports entertainment company which owns and operates the Sixers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, among other assets.
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Niang injury
Georges Niang won’t use his left knee as an excuse.
The Sixers reserve power forward shot just 22.2% on three-pointers through the first four games of the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Miami Heat. This comes after Niang shot 66.7% from behind the arc in the opening-round series vs. the Toronto Raptors.
He missed the final two games of the regular season because of left knee patella tendinopathy. And it’s obvious that the knee appears to bother him, at times, while moving around the court.
But ...
“It’s something we have been addressing since the end of the year and pushing through,” Niang said. “I mean, it’s the playoffs. Joel [Embiid] is playing with a broken face and thumb. If I’m going to complain about a knee, I don’t have any place to be on the court.”
Spo racks up postseason victories
Miami’s Erik Spoelstra has the NBA’s most playoff wins and playoff series wins of any coach since the 2008-09 season.
He had 91 playoff victories heading into Tuesday night’s Game 5 against the Sixers. The Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr was second on that list with 84 wins. Sixers coach Doc Rivers was third (78) followed by the San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich (69) while Los Angeles Clippers’ Ty Lue (51) rounds out the top five.
Meanwhile, Spoelstra and Kerr are tied for a league-best 19 series victories since the 2008-09 season. Popovich (13) is third, followed by Lue (12) and Rivers (11).