MAGIC JOHNSON retired because he never found his place among a new generation of basket ball players, according to fellow NBA stars.

Johnson retired for the third time on Tuesday after a four month return, his first regular season comeback since retiring in 1991 off learning he was HIV positive.

"He came back to a whole new generation," Chicago's Michael Jordan said yesterday. "I don't think he could make up the gap and he decided to leave."

The Lakers had passed on to anew era from the "Showtime" legend that Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar directed to five NBA crowns from 1980-1988. Johnson 36) found it difficult to fit in with new stars such as Nick Van Exel. The combination never quite jelled and the Lakers were ousted by Houston in the first round of the NBA play offs.

"It was fun for him for about a month," Utah's Karl Malone said. "But the guys were different and they weren't doing what he wanted them to do. Maybe he decided to leave on his own terms. Can you fault a guy for that?"

Lakers' coach Del Harris had a sense it would be tough for Johnson to return. "Obviously we knew it was a possibility," Harris said. "It's hard to see one of the greatest player, in basketball leave the game.

Laker vice president Jerry West agreed "From the time he came to this team almost 17 years ago, Earvin Johnson has been a special part of our lives. While this is a sad day, it's one we always knew would come, and I would rather look at it remembering all the great moments he brought to this team and our fans.