The Associated Press

INGLEWOOD, Calif. € Cedric Ceballos finally returned to the Los Angeles Lakers, but Magic Johnson and the rest of the team still want to know why their co-captain ran away.

Ceballos blamed unspecified family matters for his four-day unexcused absence, which resulted in a suspension and the loss of $54,756 in salary for missing two games.

''I had some very personal and family problems to deal with. I apologize for myself and the actions of not letting my employers at the Lakers organization know this,'' he said. ''It just got to a point where it was just a little too much for me. I just needed time.''

Ceballos showed up about 31/2 hours before Sunday night's game against Charlotte, but remained suspended for the 103-94 loss. He will come off the suspended list today and join the Lakers for a six-game road trip beginning Tuesday at Orlando.

Ceballos did not elaborate on the family matter, nor did he explain why he failed to telephone the team or why he went water skiing while dealing with his problems during a four-day trip to Arizona. Ceballos, who is single, was accompanied by family members.

''There was no reason for that at all,'' Ceballos said. ''I should have let the organization know what was going on and how I was.''

The players did not get the answers they sought since Ceballos left the Forum without talking to his teammates.

''What is he going to do? Is he going to commit himself or not? That's the big question,'' Johnson said after scoring 28 points in starting his second-straight game in place of Ceballos. ''I want to welcome him back, but let him understand we need a commitment from him.''

Johnson said Ceballos should have asked for time off instead of disappearing.

''Everybody has problems,'' he said. ''Maybe the best thing to do was say, 'I'm going through some things, and I need a day to step back.' Everybody would've said, 'Cool.'''

''He will learn you simply don't do things like this. It's simply unacceptable,'' Lakers vice president Jerry West said. ''It's nice to hear from him that this was not a basketball matter.''

Ceballos denied his AWOL jaunt had anything to do with his reduced playing time since Johnson came out of retirement on Jan. 29.

''I've always been happy with my role,'' Ceballos said. ''You bring a Hall of Fame player back, everybody's going to adjust.''