1995–96 Los Angeles Lakers season

The 1995–96 NBA season was the 48th season for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association, and their 36th season in Los Angeles, California. It was also the highlight of retired All-Star guard, and Lakers legend Magic Johnson making a comeback at the age of 36. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Corie Blount and Derek Strong.

The Lakers got off to a slow start by losing three of their first four games of the regular season, but soon recovered holding a 24–18 record before Johnson's arrival on January 30, 1996, in a 128–118 home victory over the Golden State Warriors; Magic had 19 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists and 2 steals in 27 minutes off the bench. The Lakers won ten of their twelve games in February, which included an 8-game winning streak, and held a 28–19 record at the All-Star break.

However, in March, after a game against the Seattle SuperSonics, scoring leader Cedric Ceballos missed the team's charter flight to Seattle without explanation, as the Lakers were scheduled to play the SuperSonics again; Ceballos went missing for a few days, but later on returned to the team, and was suspended without pay. Their troubles continued as Nick Van Exel shoved a referee during a road game against the Denver Nuggets on April 9, and was suspended for the final seven games of the regular season. Magic was also suspended for three games for bumping into a referee during a home game against the Phoenix Suns on April 14. The Lakers finished in second place in the Pacific Division with a 53–29 record, and earned the #4 seed in the Western Conference.

Ceballos averaged 21.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, while Van Exel provided the team with 14.9 points and 6.9 assists per game, and led them with 144 three-point field goals, and Johnson played a sixth man role moving into the power forward position, averaging 14.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game off the bench in 32 games, starting in just nine of them; he also reached a milestone by passing his 10,000 career assist in a 102–89 road win over the Sacramento Kings on March 7, 1996. In addition, Elden Campbell averaged 13.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, while Vlade Divac provided with 12.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, and second-year guard Eddie Jones contributed 12.8 points and 1.8 steals per game. Off the bench, Anthony Peeler contributed 9.7 points per game and 105 three-point field goals, and Sedale Threatt provided with 7.3 points and 3.3 assists per game.

Johnson also finished in fifth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting, and tied in twelfth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Campbell finished in seventh place in Most Improved Player voting.

However, in the Western Conference First Round of the 1996 NBA playoffs, the Lakers lost to the 5th-seeded, and 2-time defending champion Houston Rockets in four games; after the defeat, Magic decided to retire for the second time and for good.

Also following the season, Divac was traded to the Charlotte Hornets, while Peeler and George Lynch were both dealt to the Vancouver Grizzlies, Strong signed as a free agent with the Orlando Magic, and Threatt was released to free agency.