Magic Johnson is emerging as a major player in a group that wants to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I'm a big baseball fan," Johnson said, "and you think about what the Dodgers have meant to baseball and to Los Angeles, and that part's a no-brainer. ... I've been to that place [Dodger Stadium] hundreds and hundreds of times." Johnson was approached about a month ago by Stan Kasten, the former president of the Braves and Nationals -- someone Johnson has known for about 30 years, and who once offered him a job to coach the Atlanta Hawks. As Johnson described it, their ownership of the Dodgers -- if it happens -- would work this way: Walter would write the big checks; Kasten would oversee the baseball operations; and Johnson, who recently sold his ownership share of the Lakers, would work as a president or vice president on both the business side and in recruiting players, when needed. "I want to win," he said. "We want to win. Not only do we have the guy who can write the check to buy the team, but we have to have somebody who can acquire quality people and talent, and Stan knows how to do that better than anybody. ... We've got a great plan."