“We are too old for this right now” – Magic Johnson pleads with Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas to talk out their beef

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“We are too old for this right now” – Magic Johnson pleads with Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas to talk out their beef originally appeared on Basketball Network.

Many old rivalries don’t die with time, and one of the most enduring has been the long-standing tension between Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas. Both are legends, both Hall of Famers and both unshakable pillars in the history of the NBA. Their friction has been brewing for over three decades.

At this point, their feud feels like part of NBA tradition, a chapter that keeps reopening with each new generation of fans and each documentary revisit. And now, one of the few men who knows both sides personally is calling for peace.

Jordan vs. Isiah

Hall of Famer Magic Johnson is a friend of the two legends. And like many others, he wants this decades-old rift to end.

“I hope that both of them can bury this hatchet and move on, because we are too old for this right now,” Johnson said. “If they both sat down and just aired this thing out, both guys will be able to move on with their lives and they would say, ‘Hey, let us be friends, because life is too short.'”

The beef began, and then it was built slowly, over years of playoff collisions and cultural dominance.

In the late ’80s and early ’90s, no team was more symbolic of bruising, physical, win-at-all-costs basketball than Thomas’ Detroit Pistons. The Bad Boys redefined defense, and when it came to Jordan, they created a strategy just for him. The Jordan Rules were designed to batter him every time he touched the ball.

They worked — at least for a while. From 1988 to 1990, the Pistons ousted the Bulls from the playoffs for three straight years. Detroit’s defense, especially its relentless targeting of Jordan in the lane, became legendary. But 1991 marked a shift in power. The Bulls finally broke through, sweeping the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals.

As the final seconds ticked away, Thomas and several teammates walked off the court without shaking hands, a move that seared a permanent scar into NBA memory and, by many accounts, into Jordan’s. It symbolized a bitter respect, or perhaps a lack thereof, between two players who had battled on the court for years.

Call for peace

The cold war between Jordan and Thomas intensified in 1992 when the Dream Team was assembled for the Barcelona Olympics.

It was the greatest basketball roster ever created, but it lacked one glaring name: Thomas. Though the point guard was at the tail end of his prime, his accolades were undeniable — two NBA championships, 12 NBA All-Star appearances and an All-NBA First Team selection in 1986.

Rumors swirled that Jordan, who wielded immense influence at that point, had quietly made it clear he wouldn’t play if Thomas was selected. That sentiment lingers to this day. Whether it was the walk-off in ’91 or the Dream Team snub, Jordan and Thomas never publicly reconciled. Even their interviews decades later still sound like transcripts from a conflict frozen in time.

“I hope those two guys get together because they are Hall of Famers and they’re good people,” Johnson said.

Johnson stands uniquely between the two. He was close with both men during their careers, won championships and shared the same competitive blood. Both Jordan and Thomas are over 60. Their careers have long ended, but their stories still orbit the present day. In the spirit of reunions and bridges being rebuilt, Johnson’s call is a hopeful wish and a reminder that even the greatest need room to heal.

Statistically, both men sit on the upper crust of basketball history. Jordan averaged 30.1 points per game over his career — tied for the highest in league history — and won six NBA championships. Thomas, while never as statistically dominant, orchestrated the Pistons with surgical precision and brought the city two titles in 1989 and 1990.

They were leaders of contrasting styles, Jordan through sheer individual brilliance, Thomas through heart and grit. Perhaps that contrast added to the tension. But as the Los Angeles Lakers legend suggests, the scoreboard has long since stopped counting. The real victory now lies in the resolution.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.