Van Exel Status Still a Question

The Lakers were forced to begin contemplating the possibility of a long stretch without Nick Van Exel after it was determined Saturday he would leave the team in Orlando, Fla., and return to Los Angeles for further examinations of his right knee.

The all-star point guard last week had X-rays and an MRI to determine the cause of a clicking in the joint, which Van Exel said feels like a knuckle cracking. Those tests came back negative Tuesday and he was cleared to play the next night at Phoenix, but he said before the game the leg still did not feel right and didn’t play. He also missed Thursday’s game against the Nuggets, but said that was because of a stomach ailment.

Arthroscopic surgery on the knee is a possibility, if only for diagnostic purposes. That procedure usually results in a two-week healing period. But if the operation involves repair or cleaning out the joint, Van Exel will be sidelined longer.

For now, all the Lakers know is that he will miss today’s game against the Magic in the opener of a six-game trip, and that nothing more will be certain until after the examination by team physician Dr. Steve Lombardo. It’s doubtful Van Exel will rejoin the team any time soon during the longest swing of the season--their second game of the trip is Tuesday at Milwaukee.

That keeps Derek Fisher in the starting lineup. And the Lakers in a difficult situation, down to one full-time point guard and potentially without an emotional leader.

Van Exel, his frustration obvious, walked away from reporters after practice Saturday.

TODAY

Los Angeles at Orlando

* 12:30 PST

* Channel 4

Site--Orlando Arena.

Radio--KLAC (570).

Records--Lakers 36-15, Magic 27-27.

Record vs. Magic--1-0.

Update--The Lakers came to the wrong place to get sympathy for their injury woes at point guard. The Magic has lost Darrell Armstrong for the rest of the season and Mark Price for at least three more weeks, while Penny Hardaway has missed the last three games and is not expected to play today. That leaves Derek Harper, likely to be joined any day by Spud Webb as a free-agent signee.