class="rtejustify"> NEW YORK—Inspired by Magic Johnson’s purchase of the LA Dodgers, Mets owner Fred Wilpon has reached out to ex-Knick John Starks in an attempt to convince the former star guard to purchase his financially ruinous franchise.

“This city loved John Starks the basketball player,” said Wilpon about the tenacious shooting guard who anchored the Knicks backcourt throughout their success in the ‘90s. “They’ll love John Starks the Mets owner too.”

Wilpon stated that Starks’ popularity and hard working reputation would rejuvenate a floundering Mets franchise, the same way Magic Johnson’s purchase of the Dodgers has given hope to that once-doomed team. More importantly, added Wilpon, he hoped Starks, like Magic, would assemble a team of wealthy investors to free Wilpon from his own failures while also netting him an exorbitant amount of money.

Wilpon tried for several hours to convince Starks to buy the Mets, but negotiations stalled after Starks insisted he had nowhere close to the $2.85 billion dollars that Wilpon was asking for.