LAKERS : Off-Season Isn’t Missed by West

The start of training camp last weekend for the Lakers meant an end to a long, frustrating off-season for General Manager Jerry West.

Elden Campbell, Doug Christie, Duane Cooper, George Lynch, Tony Smith, Sedale Threatt and Nick Van Exel all signed, some after negotiations that lasted until the final week or two before camp. The A.C. Green situation took up much of the summer before he signed with Phoenix. Sam Bowie came in a trade.

Was this the worst off-season West has experienced in his 12 years as the team’s top basketball executive? “By far,” West said.

At least the Lakers didn’t have to pay the $84 million that Charlotte did for Larry Johnson.

Asked what he would do if a player or agent came into his office and asked to top that figure, West said: “Jerry Buss would get a quick call from me saying, ‘Hey, we’ve got a bank robber here.’ ”