| | PHOENIX -- With Jason Kidd out of the picture, Kevin
Johnson's back in.
Nearly two years after his last NBA game, Johnson re-signed with
the Phoenix Suns on Thursday hours after Kidd broke his ankle.
Johnson, 34, a three-time All-Star point guard, was
the Suns' floor leader until they acquired Kidd in December 1996.
Johnson will play for the team for the rest of the season.
|  | | Kevin Johnson is resuming his career after taking a full season off. |
Kidd broke a bone high in his left ankle just before halftime
Wednesday night against Sacramento and might not be back in time
for the playoffs. Doctors inserted three screws during a two-hour
operation Thursday.
The injury was just the latest blow to the Suns, who have the
fourth-best record in the Western Conference.
Forward Tom Gugliotta was lost for the season when he tore
ligaments in his left knee March 10, and guard Rex Chapman is out
following an appendicitis attack last week. Earlier in the season,
coach Danny Ainge resigned, Gugliotta had a near-fatal seizure, and
Penny Hardaway and Shawn Marion were injured.
"When you list the players who have gone down with illness and
injury, it's like taking a number of bullets and still be
standing," team owner Jerry Colangelo said.
"The job that the players and coaching staff under Scott Skiles -- what they've done and accomplished -- makes it a very special team."
The beaming Johnson joined the team shootaround Thursday. He
handled the ball, joked with teammates and spoke quietly with
assistant coach John MacLeod.
He skipped the trip to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Friday
night, remaining in Phoenix to practice. But he will suit up Sunday
in a home game against Golden State.
"He left at the top of his game and it wasn't that long ago,"
Colangelo said. "So you've got a young, athletic body, and all
we're talking about is timing."
Skiles said Randy Livingston would start at the point for the
time being, with shooting guard Hardaway sharing some of the
responsibility of breaking opponents' traps and getting the ball
into the frontcourt.
Johnson, who was plagued by injuries before he retired, hasn't
played since the 1997-98 season.
He said he stayed in good enough shape to enter 10-kilometer
races, but avoided playing basketball so he wouldn't be tempted to
resume his 11-year career.
However, he said he felt an obligation to help the Suns, who
acquired him from Cleveland on Feb. 25, 1988.
"The organization said, `We're in a bind, and you're the only
one that can help us,"' Johnson said.
"It's like your country calling you. You have to accept that
challenge."
Johnson ranks 10th in the NBA with 6,687 career assists. He is
the Suns' career assists leader (6,494) and third in scoring with
12,707 points, averaging 18 points a game.
Johnson's career assist average of 9.2 trails only John
Stockton, Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson, and he is only the
sixth player with 11,500 points, 6,000 assists, 2,000 rebounds and
1,000 steals.
He averaged at least 20 points and 10 assists from 1988-91. Only
four other players accomplished that feat -- Nate Archibald, Magic
Johnson, Robertson and Isiah Thomas.
"Seeing him here made me happy, and once they said he signed I
was really happy, because I know what he can bring to this team,"
Hardaway said. "Kevin put pressure on the defense his entire
career and made life hard on a lot of people. I'm sure he still can
do it." | |
ALSO SEE
Suns' Kidd out 4-8 weeks after ankle surgery
Suns beat Kings but lose Kidd for rest of regular season
Injured Gugliotta officially drops off U.S. Olympic team
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jason Kidd gets injured.
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 Kevin Johnson doesn't want to be a replacement for Jason Kidd.
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Jerry Colangelo hopes KJ can contribute.
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Randy Livingston gives credit to the coaching staff for getting the team through tough times.
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Penny Hardaway comments on Jason Kidd's injury.
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