Horry Arrives Bulked Up

Now he’s more of a power forward no matter what.

Whether Robert Horry is moved from his familiar small forward spot probably won’t be known for weeks, and Laker Coach Del Harris is doing his best to downplay the possible switch, but that was a bulked-up Horry at College of the Desert in Palm Desert on Friday for the first day of Laker training camp. Just in case.

Actually, Horry said he would have done the same off-season work even without speculation that he may step up in weight class, that he was just trying to get stronger for every circumstance. So, he went from bench-pressing 245 pounds “on a good day” to 275 earlier Friday and increased his weight from about 220 pounds on the 6-foot-10 frame last season to 235 for the start of his first full Laker campaign, most noticeable in the upper body.

“I’ve already noticed it in pickup games,” he said. “A lot of times, I’d be hit going for a layup and not even move. It used to be that I’d get hit and knocked off balance.”

Said Harris: “He’s thicker, isn’t he. You always have guys who come out [for a new season] a little bigger, but that’s not always what you want--bigger in the wrong areas. But Robert obviously has a nice change in his physique.”

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What became apparent during summer league at Cal State Long Beach, when Derek Fisher got most of the playing time, all but became official Friday. Kobe Bryant won’t compete for the starting job at point guard, a competition that even seemed likely to incumbent Nick Van Exel last season.

The Lakers, of course, have been down this road before, making U-turns as to whether Bryant should play there and then giving him backup minutes during the second-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz. The difference this time is the presence of free-agent acquisition Jon Barry, another player with experience as the ballhandler. Bryant has grown enough since the end of the season to move to the front court instead of Eddie Jones when Harris opts for a small lineup.

That shift will allow more minutes for Bryant, just at small forward. It also makes that easily the deepest position on the Lakers, with Rick Fox and Horry capable of starting and Bryant and Jones contributing major minutes in reserve roles. The depth chart at point guard, meanwhile, goes from Van Exel to Fisher to Barry, and then maybe Bryant.

“I’m not one who gets too hung up on labels,” Harris said. “I would like to use Nick and Derek, and then if I need a third guy go with Jon Barry at that position. As opposed to manufacturing a point guard, we’ve got three guys who can do it. But could he [Bryant] in certain situations? Yes.”

Meanwhile, Jones, an all-star at guard even while playing some along the front line, now should stay there almost exclusively. The decision to go with Bryant in a small lineup comes because he has grown over the summer, from about 6-5 and 190 to 6-6 and 203, making Bryant better suited than Jones to handle the more physical position.

“You could say 6-7 because of the hair,” Bryant said.

Which he has this season, a change from the bald look of 1996-97.