Trade Was Worth It to Threatt : Lakers: Former SuperSonic takes $163,000 cut for salary-cap purposes. Jack Haley signs offer sheet.

It’s getting expensive to be a Laker.

A year ago, Magic Johnson gave up $100,000 in salary so the team could acquire Terry Teagle, although, as Johnson noted, he could afford it. His give-back amounted to less than 1% of his total income.

And if giving at the office is a contest, the title goes to the newest Laker, Sedale Threatt. He took a $163,000 cut in pay, or 21%, to enable the Lakers to trade for him.

Due to earn $775,000 this season in Seattle, Threatt accepted a cut to $612,000, since that was all the Lakers had under their salary cap.

He will get a raise to $795,000 next season, which will still leave him down $143,000 from his original contract.

Said Threatt Thursday: “It’s all right. It’s worth it.”

Down the road, it will be tangibly, too.

The Lakers extended Threatt’s contract--three more seasons, according to Seattle President Bob Whitsitt--with a $183,000 raise in each. Also, Threatt will have the option of becoming a free agent after two seasons.

Threatt arrived Thursday and went directly to practice. He already knew most of his new teammates, including Johnson, who called him several nights ago to assure him he was wanted.

“I’m definitely happy,” Johnson said. “I’m one of the happiest guys in camp.”

Because of his recent wedding, someone asked.

“That too,” Johnson said.

Johnson averaged 38 minutes a game last season. The Lakers would like to play him less so he can push the pace more.

Threatt is generally described as more of a shooting guard--he started 57 games there last season--but has played the point, too.

“We’ve been looking for somebody and to get somebody like this is exciting,” Johnson said.

“He can shoot, too. He can really defend. He always harasses me. Now he can harass someone else.”

Although he started in Seattle after Dale Ellis’ departure, Threatt was part of a six-man logjam. K.C. Jones asked Whitsitt to move Threatt.

Wednesday, Jones said in Seattle that Threatt had been too concerned about minutes and shots and stewed on the bench.

“Everybody there wanted those minutes,” Threatt said. “(Jones) just had too many guys.

“It was just a matter of playing well and then having to come out because you have to split the time. You knew you were going to come out, no matter how well you played or how bad you played.”

Volunteering to slide down the ramp and break the logjam, Threatt put his house for sale last summer. This week, he and Johnson got their wishes.

In a few years, it will pay off, formally.

The Lakers, needing a backup center to replace Mychal Thompson, extended an offer sheet to Jack Haley of UCLA, now a New Jersey Net. The Nets are trying to find the money to sign rookie Kenny Anderson and the Lakers hope they will let Haley go.

Laker Notes

The SuperSonics had a chance to trade Sedale Threatt for a No. 1 pick in last summer’s draft but didn’t pursue it. The Lakers got him for No. 2s in 1994, ’95 and ’96. . . . The deal was held up until the Lakers and Threatt could make a new deal under the salary cap rules. When the league office finally approved, both sides had to agree that no promises had been made about future compensation. . . . Magic Johnson, on not having to surrender money this season: “If there’s a big man coming, I will. I just want No. 6.” He has won five championships.