Top Brass Has Work Yet to Do

The big question was officially and triumphantly settled on Wednesday, but it hardly took care of all the Laker issues left to discuss, debate and decide on this summer.

Now Phil Jackson, Jerry West, Mitch Kupchak and Jerry Buss have only about a dozen other things on their plate, and here’s a look at a few of the more interesting ones:

* Whom will Jackson bring in as his assistants?

Jackson has complete control over his staff, and sources indicate that he probably will hire former Bull assistants Jim Cleamons and Jimmy Rodgers.

It is unclear, the same sources say, whether he will retain any holdover Laker staffer--Kurt Rambis, Larry Drew or Bill Bertka. All three will speak with Jackson soon, and Rambis and Bertka have been assured that they can remain with the Lakers in some capacity.

* Will Shaquille O’Neal decide to opt out of his current contract to become a free agent? And why don’t the Lakers seem too worried about it?

There are signs that O’Neal might exercise the clause by the June 20 deadline and erase the final four years and $81.47 million of his original seven-year deal.

But that might only be a prelude to his signing a longer deal with the Lakers--say, for another seven years--on Aug. 1, when players can start to sign new deals.

Under such a potential scenario, O’Neal would make less money over the next four seasons than under his original deal, but would be assured of gigantic money for three years longer, all the way to 2006-2007.

“We think this is the place for him,” Kupchak, the general manager, said Wednesday. “I think he believes that. . . .

“Subjectively speaking, I don’t think he can continue to run from team to team. Sooner or later, you’ve got to plant a tent, say, ‘Hey, I’m going to be here with Phil, five years, whatever, seven years, we’re going to do it.’

“My guess is that’s how he’s thinking as well.”

* Will the Lakers shore up a need area--power forward or point guard or whatever else Jackson wants--by trading Glen Rice, acquired in the middle of last season for Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell, before the June 30 draft?

Jackson sounded a little vague on the subject, and West said it was not the proper time to address it.

“I don’t think there’s any reason why Glen Rice couldn’t fit in this system or even on this team,” Jackson said.

“I’ve yet to really review the tapes and sit down and talk to Jerry about all of the aspects of the team’s personality and their athletic talents and how they fit together from last year’s puzzle.”