Woolridge to Miss Exhibition Opener

After five days of practicing long hours in stuffy Otto Klum Gymnasium, the Lakers will open an eight-game exhibition schedule tonight at 10:30, PDT, against the Sacramento Kings at Blaisdell Center.

Coach Pat Riley said forward Orlando Woolridge, whose sore right knee was drained again Monday night, will not play tonight but probably will play in Thursday night’s game against the Kings here.

“If (Woolridge’s knee) swells up again Friday after Pat plays him on Thursday, then we will send him to see Dr. (Robert) Kerlan and probably (perform arthroscopic surgery) to find out if there is an underlying cause to the swelling,” Laker trainer Gary Vitti said.

The Lakers will return to Los Angeles early Friday morning before flying the same day to Knoxville, Tenn., to play the New Jersey Nets Saturday.

Riley said he plans to keep all 15 players throughout the exhibition season before determining his 12-player roster. At least during the first two exhibition games, Riley said he will remove his veteran players “at the first sign of fatigue.”

Steve Bucknall, a rookie free-agent guard from North Carolina, injured a finger on his left hand in practice Monday, but Bucknall had his hand taped and practiced Tuesday.