Bryant Says No Offense Intended

Kobe Bryant stepped into the semicircle of TV cameras and hand-held digital voice recorders and said he was sorry for whatever storm had been created by his words.

Wearing a yellow practice jersey and gray sweat pants after Wednesday morning’s shoot-around, Bryant said he had no idea Karl Malone would be offended enough to never return to the Lakers.

Malone, the second-leading scorer in NBA history, interpreted Bryant’s remarks made on a Monday afternoon radio show as if he were being labeled a distraction while deciding whether to retire or return for a 20th pro season.

Bryant appeared to be surprised by Malone’s strong reaction and apologized five times in a seven-minute session with reporters.

“I’m shocked by it, really,” Bryant said. “If I offended him, I apologize for that. I’m sorry for that, really. I meant nothing by it. I didn’t think it was anything directed toward him or anything like that. I would love to have him here. I’m sure we would too, everybody would. If he still wants to come back and play, the door’s always open here.”

Bryant said he tried to call Malone and “square it all out,” but had no success.

“If I felt like he was a distraction, I would have said it,” Bryant said. “I didn’t say anything like, ‘I don’t want him to come back’ or ‘He’s a distraction.’ I didn’t say anything like that. It was in no way intended as an attack toward Karl or anything like that. I just wanted to make sure that my players know that I believe in them and I believe in what we have. If Karl comes back, it’s going to be a tremendous addition to our ballclub, but if he doesn’t, I’m fine with rolling with the guys that we have here because I have confidence in them too.”

In the radio interview, Bryant said teammates wondered if their playing time would disappear if Malone returned.

“It’s not really fair to hold [Malone’s situation] over the guys’ heads that are here,” he said Monday. “They are here giving me 110%

Malone told The Times on Tuesday he had fostered strong feelings for the organization during his only season with the Lakers, but “when your star player doesn’t want you there, I take hints easily.”

Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Coach Rudy Tomjanovich said there would be a place for Malone if he decided to return. The San Antonio Spurs are the front-runners for Malone’s services, if he chooses to play.

Kupchak said he and Laker owner Jerry Buss planned to meet with Malone and his agent, Dwight Manley, within the next couple of weeks, when “things calm down and settle down a little bit.”

This week, Buss has been at meetings in New York and Malone has been on his ranch in Arkansas.

Manley declined to comment Wednesday other than to say, “I think enough has been said for now.”

Malone, 41, has recovered from off-season surgery on his right knee and will decide next month if he will play again. Malone would provide numerous elements if he joined the Lakers, Kupchak said.

“I haven’t seen him play in almost seven months, but it doesn’t matter,” he said. “I know what he can bring to the table. He could add a certain level of toughness, competitiveness, interior defense, a locker-room presence. All those things can only help us.”

Before Wednesday’s game against Phoenix, forward Lamar Odom, one of 10 new players on the Lakers this season, talked about Malone’s apparent departure as he sat next to the unoccupied locker that belonged to the 14-time All-Star.

“Best power forward of all time, we could have had him on this team,” Odom said. “He wouldn’t have done nothing but help this team. But if he decides not to come back, then I wish him all the best.

“I don’t think [Bryant] meant anything personal. Greatest-scoring power forward ever statistically, I don’t think he meant to do anything to offend him. He was just probably sticking up for some of his guys and somebody took it the wrong way, I guess.”

Beyond Bryant’s radio comments, Malone was irritated by remarks Bryant said privately to him, Manley said. Manley declined to elaborate on what had been said between the two.

Said Bryant, when asked about his relationship with Malone: “You’ve always got little things that you don’t see eye to eye on, but it’s not big enough for me to sit up here and say, ‘You can’t come back and play here for the Lakers because blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.’ I wouldn’t do that.”

In the end, after apologizing for a final time, Bryant said he would understand Malone’s decision, whatever it may be.

“If he wants to go play someplace else, I can’t hold that against him,” he said.

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Rookie guard Sasha Vujacic was taken off the injured list Wednesday.... Guard Tony Bobbitt, who signed Tuesday, was put on the injured list because of a strained back.