Lakers Sign Second-Round Pick Van Exel

Nick Van Exel, the Lakers’ second-round pick and 37th overall in the NBA draft, signed a one-year contract Tuesday. Terms were not disclosed.

The 6-foot-1 point guard averaged 18.3 points, 4.5 assists and 1.8 steals as a senior in leading Cincinnati to the round of eight in the NCAA tournament. In two games for the Lakers’ summer league team, he has 18 points, nine assists and four steals. He and Duane Cooper will alternate starting at point guard in the summer games.

Van Exel was the second young guard signed by the Lakers in two days. On Monday, Doug Christie agreed to a five-year deal with a potential net worth of $7.3 million.

However, re-signing unrestricted free agent A.C. Green--which Laker General Manager Jerry West called his top priority--will be a longer process. The Lakers’ first offer was rejected by Green’s agent, Marc Fleisher, as “not in the ballpark,” and West said he’s awaiting word from Fleisher on their second offer. It is believed that, in the first year of that first proposal, Green would have doubled his 1992-93 salary of $1.75 million.

West also said he expects to decide next Monday or Tuesday whether to attempt to re-sign guard Byron Scott, also an unrestricted free agent. “This also gives him another week to see what’s out there for him,” West said.

In addition, West said he is working on offers for Tony Smith and Elden Campbell, who are restricted free agents, and is waiting for first-round draft pick George Lynch to hire an agent so contract talks can begin.