NBA greats spar over Raiders

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SAN ANTONIO — The Lakers-Spurs rivalry was rekindled Wednesday after Spurs legend George Gervin learned of Lakers great Magic Johnson's dismissive comments regarding the Oakland Raiders' interest in San Antonio as a possible relocation destination.

Johnson, who led the Lakers to five NBA titles in the 1980s, stressed a day earlier he would like the Raiders to return to Los Angeles should they fail to receive a new stadium deal in the Bay Area.

“I would love that,” Johnson, who owns a piece of the Dodgers and was part of a group that sought to purchase the Clippers, told ESPN while at Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, California.

“San Antonio? Come on. The Spurs? ... (Raiders owner) Mark (Davis) knows there's only one place he can go — that's L.A. San Antonio? Come on now. Come on.”

Reached at his San Antonio home, the “Iceman” fired back.

George Gervin, the Iceman, holds the Larry Brown trophy Sunday June 27, 1999 at the Alamodome. George Gervin, the Iceman, holds the Larry Brown trophy Sunday June 27, 1999 at the Alamodome. Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close NBA greats spar over Raiders 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

“I'd just say there ain't no place like San Antonio,” said Gervin, the four-time NBA scoring champ who twice lost to Johnson's Lakers in the Western Conference finals.

“I don't like Magic or nobody else talking about my city. My city is ready for anything. Magic, you know I love you, but it's like the old days: You talking about my momma, I'm going to hit you in your mouth. You talking about my city, I'm going to get mad at you.

“He said, 'San Antonio?' You mean, world champion San Antonio. Come on, Magic Man.”

Gervin said he trusts former Spurs owner B.J. “Red” McCombs' judgment when it comes to whether the city can support two major sports franchises.

“If Red feels it's big enough ... I kind of go with the flow on that,” Gervin said.

Citing multiple league and city sources, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday there has been no progress in talks between the Raiders and the city of Oakland in recent weeks.

According to the newspaper, the Raiders had hoped for a renewed effort on the city's part after Oakland signed a 10-year lease with the Oakland A's earlier this month. The Raiders' lease at O.co Coliseum expires after this season.

With talks at a stalemate, Davis has stepped up efforts to find another home. He told the Chronicle he hasn't asked for a one-year extension on the lease and has no plans to ask for one.

Citing league sources, the newspaper also reported Davis appears to have the NFL's blessings to study relocation.

Although Davis told the newspaper Tuesday he had a “serious conversation” with San Antonio leaders on his visit to the city last month, Johnson and others in California believe the Raiders want a roadmap back to Los Angeles.

“Bring them back!” a large contingent of rowdy Raiders fans chanted at the joint practices between the Cowboys and the Raiders this week.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has long been a proponent of putting a team in Los Angeles. After Tuesday's workout, he heaped lavish praise on the stadium model for the city designed by mogul Michael Ovitz, who also attended the practice.

Jones was close friends with Raiders owner Al Davis and is a mentor to the younger Davis. Jones also has dismissed the Raiders-to-San Antonio talk because the Alamo City has long been dominated by Cowboys fans.

torsborn@express-news.net