So your contention is Kareem wasn't the best player in 1980? Magic was? This is what you're hanging your hat on?
And I do think they win the 1980 championship if Kareem was left. He was the dominant force in that series as Magic, as he was all season, was riding shotgun and playing his role as Robin. They had 2 games to win 1 with a home game in LA in game 7 awaiting, so.... yea, I do. Magic stepped up in a fantastic and historic way but Kareem was still that straw that stirred that team.
Again, he was the overwhelming MVP that season and first team center. Magic received no votes for MVP. He wasn't on either all-NBA team. He wasn't even the best rookie in the league that year! This is a silly conversation, but go look at the numbers. Seems you're just trying to be contrarian. Go look at how the accolades. Go look at how their contemporaries felt about them at that particular time. No doubt Magic was destined for greatness, but he wasn't the best player on that team...... not yet.