NBA Executives Are Watching West’s Every Move

A thousand rumors are running from agent to executive to player to reporter this tense weekend, and only 900 of them involve the Lakers, Scottie Pippen, Jerry West and Elden Campbell.

The other 100 involve Eddie Jones, of course.

With the NBA trading and free-agent signing period set to start this week, and league executives working maniacally toward it, this is the chaotic calculus of this strange new world:

A new labor agreement + West’s desire and proven ability to add talent to his young team + more than 200 free agents - Michael Jordan = Something big in Lakerland (maybe).

Watch which way West goes, say many NBA veteran executives and observers, because much of what happens league-wide will pivot on the Lakers’ movements.

“West is so good at his trade--he’s the Jordan of the executives,” said one of West’s main competitors, Scott Layden, Utah Jazz vice president of basketball operations.

“I’m sure that he’s got something going on. And they’re going to be back and competitive. If he ends up with a [Tom] Gugliotta or someone like that, I wouldn’t be surprised at all.

“I’d fly to L.A. and pay homage to him. He’s unbelievable. Really, when you’re talking best NBA executives, name who’s second. It’s not even close.”

So far, the main names attached to the Lakers’ maneuverings have been Gugliotta, the Minnesota free-agent forward, and Pippen, the Chicago Bull free-agent holdover.

Both moves would necessitate a sign-and-trade package with Campbell and possibly Jones, and either addition would shore up perceived weaknesses at power forward (Gugliotta), with proven veteran leadership (Pippen) or with opening the floor for more fluid passing and cutting (both).

Other possibilities, either by trade or utilization of the $1.75 middle-class exception, include forwards Charles Oakley, Horace Grant and, to a lesser extent, Derrick Coleman and Jerome Kersey; and point guards Kevin Johnson and Derek Harper.

“We know there’s going to be some changes,” Laker swingman Kobe Bryant said. “You know, Jerry West with his magic.”

But the Gugliotta transaction, which seemed to be a very real possibility earlier this week, has run into salary-cap complications that may kill the deal.

And Pippen is reportedly close to signing with Houston, since his rumored preference to join the Lakers has been squelched by the Bulls’ demand for either Jones or Bryant (or both) in any sign-and-trade scenario.

Things could change come Tuesday (the presumed trading start date), and the Laker players remain confident in West’s instincts and drive.

“We have a couple of surprises coming,” said Shaquille O’Neal, who has repeatedly said he would most appreciate the addition of a hard-working power forward by his side. “Once everybody fits in, we’ll be sweet.”

Surprises?

“Surprises,” O’Neal said with a huge smile. “Gifts.”

Late last week, however, West sounded like an executive whose best chess moves have been thwarted--at least for now.

“It’s very awkward,” West said. “It’s frustrating because we’re all not used to dealing in such a short time period.”

As of Friday, West said, despite hundreds of discussions and alternative plans and alternative-alternative plans drawn up by him and General Manager Mitch Kupchak, the Lakers had no unofficial agreements with free agents or deals ready to be finalized.

“Mitch and I have been on the phone a lot,” West said. “I don’t know what more we can do. We’ve explored a ton of possibilities. . . . But most people have to understand, us included, that it takes two parties to make a deal.

“There’s just so much more to making a deal than just hoping and wishing you can make a deal. You need two parties to agree on someone.

“For us, anything we would do probably would have to be in the form of a sign-and-trade. Those things are a lot more difficult to pull together because you’re not just talking about two teams--you’re talking about two teams and an agent, so that further complicates it.”

One big issue for the Lakers, who are over the cap: Do they trade the still-valuable Campbell and his

$7 million-a-year salary for a player such as Oakley who counts $10 million against the cap and might play only one more season, but could be the last piece to a complicated puzzle?

Also, West said, because so much has to happen so fast, the few teams with salary-cap maneuverability are loath to make an inopportune move.

“I think teams with cap space are all holding out for what they think will be the very best offer,” West said. “The finality for this is pretty darn quick. You always feel like you’re rushing.”

Another constant issue, apparently settled for now in the affirmative, is whether Jones is a Laker untouchable, even if Pippen is the bait.

Jones, who has seen his name come up in trade speculation for most of the last two or three seasons, says he hopes and expects to remain a Laker, but has no control over it.

Especially with the wild times ready to begin.

“The way things are going, if all the rumors are true, it may be a whole new team here,” Jones said with a laugh.

Once everything is decided--in a whirlwind two- or three-day period as the Lakers start training camp at UC Santa Barbara--Jones said he wants to take a long look at who is left on the Lakers, assuming he is one of them.

“Oh, I can’t wait,” Jones said. “I mean . . . from trade rumors, things have been said, this guy may be here, this guy may be there . . . just to see how the team looks, you know what I mean? Just to see the new faces we have in, just on the court at once.

“To see, you know, what we’ve got.”