Kupchak Retires, Will Be Lakers’ Assistant GM

Two days before the start of training camp, the Lakers made one roster move Tuesday and were working on others.

Forward Mitch Kupchak, a 10-year National Basketball Assn. veteran who survived a career-threatening knee injury in 1981, retired and will become the Lakers’ assistant general manager. Under terms of the league’s salary cap, the Lakers can use half of Kupchak’s $575,000 salary to replace him.

Kupchak, 32, will complete his work toward a master’s degree in business administration at UCLA before moving into the Laker office. Kupchak had hinted for two years that he might retire.

He suffered severely torn ligaments in his left knee and a broken bone in his left leg in a game at San Diego in December of 1981. It took him a year and a half to return. His most productive post-injury season was in 1984-85, when he helped the Lakers win the NBA title.

Last season, Kupchak averaged 6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 55 games.

Laker General Manager Jerry West also said that he has talked to the Chicago Bulls about acquiring 7-foot Jawann Oldham, a free agent. Oldham signed a guaranteed five-year, $1.7-million offer sheet with the New York Knicks last Friday, but the Bulls matched it Tuesday.

For the Bulls to trade Oldham to the Lakers, they would have to match the Knicks’ offer, then persuade Oldham to waive his no-trade clause. But Jerry Krause, the Bulls’ general manager, told Chicago writers that he intends to keep Oldham.

Meanwhile, Jerry Fine, the Lakers’ attorney, said that free-agent guard Michael Cooper should be signed within the next day or two.

“I am reading a letter Fred (Slaughter, Cooper’s agent) sent me and I intend to call him today and talk,” Fine said.

Slaughter acknowledged that he is making progress on Cooper’s contract talks, and also said that he has no knowledge of any trade with the Bulls involving Oldham.

Maurice Lucas, waived by the Lakers last Friday, was picked up by the Seattle SuperSonics, who also acquired guard John Long from the Detroit Pistons for two second-round picks. Lucas, 34, is an 11-year veteran.