Maurice Lucas Now a Laker : West Says McAdoo Won’t Be Returning

Defensive specialist Maurice Lucas, who wanted no part of the rebuilding going on with the Phoenix Suns, became a Laker on Monday and wondered whether he had just become part of a finished product.

“They won a championship last year without me, so I don’t know if I’m the missing element or not,” Lucas said. “But I think I can add something, and I’d like to think I know how to play some defense.”

The Lakers finally completed a trade that had been rumored for weeks by sending two second-round draft choices to the Suns for Lucas, 33, an 11-year veteran in two professional leagues.

Phoenix, which will receive the Lakers’ second-round picks in the 1988 and 1989 drafts, decided to accept the Lakers’ deal after talking about Lucas with Boston and Houston.

With Lucas, the Lakers have no further interest in Bob McAdoo, whose salary the Lakers used to acquire Lucas and still remain within the limitations of the salary cap.

“Bob won’t be back with the team,” Laker General Manager Jerry West said. “That’s the tough part. As you get older, like Bob McAdoo, every job you have could conceivably be your last.”

McAdoo is not quite five months older than Lucas.

Boston reportedly offered Quinn Buckner first, then a first-round draft choice to the Suns, who made it clear from the beginning of the negotiations that Lucas would not be back in Phoenix next season.

Instead, he will be in the Forum, where the Lakers plan to use him as a backup center on defense and a power forward on offense. West said the 6-9 Lucas should toughen the Laker front court.

The Lakers took Lucas at his current contract, which calls for one more season at $650,000, but West said Lucas has already agreed to a new contract that would cover two years, the first of which is guaranteed.

Although contract terms were not revealed, the Lakers are believed to be ready to pay Lucas $500,000 in cash for each of the next two seasons. West would only say that the contract has some “interesting” clauses, including one which would pay Lucas a bonus for maintaining a certain weight.

Lucas, who will be playing for his seventh professional team since breaking into the American Basketball Assn. in 1974, believes he can play longer than two more years.

“If I’m still competitive, which I surely will be, and if I’m still productive, then I don’t see why I can’t stay around for three or four years and possibly win a few more championships,” he said.

Lucas insisted he was not concerned about whether he will have offensive plays called for him and said he’ll concentrate on defense and rebounding.

“It’s a meat grinder out there,” he said. “I’ve never been afraid of pressure. I’ll take a shot in the last seconds. I’ll go for the big rebound. I enjoy playing under the gun.”

By giving up Lucas, the Suns are now able to spend the money they saved with his contract on younger players as they rebuild.

“Phoenix just wanted to unload my salary,” Lucas said. “For me, I didn’t want to play with anybody but a contender. Year in and year out, there are only two of them--the Lakers and Boston. Playing for a good team like the Lakers, it’ll keep my interest up.

“The Laker management has demonstrated they’re serious about winning by paying the salaries that are required to win,” he said. “I couldn’t have written a better script for me.”

Lucas was an unsigned free agent at the beginning of last season and missed the Suns’ first five games. He also missed 13 others because of injury or illness.

Lucas has a history of tendinitis in his knees and Achilles’ tendon problems, but West said the Lakers gave Lucas a thorough physical a month ago, and they are convinced he is in good condition to play for a fast-break team.

Lucas began his NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1976. He averaged 20.2 points and 11.4 rebounds for the Trail Blazers in their championship season in 1976-77.

He also played with the New Jersey Nets and the New York Knicks before joining the Suns three seasons ago. Lucas averaged 13.4 points and 8.8 rebounds and scored his 10,000 NBA point last season for the Suns.