Van Exel Trade Talks Heat Up

Officials from the Lakers and Orlando on Tuesday were contemplating a trade that would send Nick Van Exel to the Magic in exchange for a first-round pick in today’s draft that the Lakers would turn into their point guard of the future, unheralded Jason Williams from the University of Florida.

The developments on the eve of a draft in which the Lakers are now scheduled to pick 26th stem from the most serious talks they have had with any team in their attempt to trade Van Exel and end the sometimes-troubled five-year association. What remained was for the Magic to decide to go ahead with the deal to add an all-star to pair in the backcourt with Penny Hardaway, far from a certainty because Orlando, with three selections in the top 15, might take Williams for itself.

The consideration for the Magic is whether to go with a proven player at the point, and the salary-cap flexibility that Van Exel could bring since he is a free agent in a year, or for the potential of Williams. The Lakers, having long ago put Van Exel on the trading block, would find a solution and a successor in the same move.

League sources said the teams also are discussing a separate deal that could involve Elden Campbell, giving the Magic a center it so desperately needs, and Horace Grant. In another attempt to bolster themselves at power forward, it was learned, the Lakers also recently approached the Boston Celtics about reacquiring Travis Knight--a move that would thrill Knight--but those talks did not develop into anything of substance.

Whether the Lakers and Boston had something going separately with Van Exel could be another matter--officials from other teams said the Celtics were calling around to gauge what they could turn around and get for Van Exel. Still, the Van Exel-to-Orlando option appeared far more likely.

The Magic has picks 12, 13 and 15 today, interrupted only by the Houston Rockets, also searching for a point guard. Chances are good Williams will last until those first choices, setting up the possibility for the trade to go through, but not for sure since the Pistons are considering Williams at No. 11.

Though Williams will be the second point guard taken either way, several scouts agree he has as much raw talent, or more, as Arizona’s Michael Bibby, just not the stability or the publicity. But Williams also has a prominent negative--he first signed with Providence, transferred to Marshall before playing for the Friars, then transferred to Florida and played 20 games for the Gators before being kicked off the team Feb. 17 for disciplinary problems.

The Lakers could make that trade and still keep their first-round pick, at No. 26. Predicting the possible choices there is difficult enough any year and near impossible this time in a draft in which the selection process is so uncertain it could get scrambled before the lottery teams are even done.

The third-best point guard, Nebraska’s Tyronn Lue, could be there in case the Williams trade does not happen, but it’s not likely, especially with the possibility the Lakers could lose him to the Clippers at No. 22 if Bibby doesn’t go No. 1. Among the several realistic options for the Lakers are Sam Jacobson, Ricky Davis, Ruben Patterson and Miles Simon.

One could also slip to their second-round pick, No. 31. The Lakers also choose 45th, at least before considering trades for the choices, aware that four rookies have no chance of making the team.

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LAKERS Draft at a Glance

* WHAT THEY NEED: Point guard, because Nick Van Exel is apparently heading out. Small forward, to protect against the possible departure of free agent Rick Fox. Rebounding. Outside shooting.

* WHAT THEY DON’T NEED: Shooting guards, unless the plan is to move Kobe Bryant to point guard or small forward. Center.

* BEST PICK EVER: Magic Johnson over the also-considered Sidney Moncrief at No. 1 in 1979, changing the history of basketball.

* WORST PICK EVER: George Lynch at 12 in 1993.