Magic Johnson joined ESPN and ABC as a part-time N.B.A. studio analyst, a role like the one he had for seven years at TNT. ''I signed with ESPN to be part of the championship series,'' Johnson, the former Lakers Hall of Famer, said during a conference call. ''This is where I want to be.''

ESPN and ABC also gave a long-term contract extension to Jeff Van Gundy, who shares the lead game analyst job with Mark Jackson.