Buss Hopes Kupchak Will Stay With Team

Owner Jerry Buss, brimming with enthusiasm over Shaquille O’Neal’s most-valuable-player victory, said Tuesday he hoped and expected that General Manager Mitch Kupchak would remain with the team.

Kupchak, who has been in the Laker front office since 1986 and general manager since 1994, has been contacted by and has had at least preliminary discussions with the New Jersey Nets for a potential major front-office job.

“That could be a very, very important job, and anybody that works for me, I think, always has the opportunity to investigate other opportunities,” said Buss, who gave the Nets permission to speak with Kupchak.

“I don’t expect Mitch to go, quite honestly, but I do think he’s entitled to his day in court.

“Other teams have interviewed Mitch. . . . But he’s a Los Angelean, and we expect him to stay. We hope so.”

Buss also indicated that he believes both the team and O’Neal are interested in signing the center to a contract extension when O’Neal becomes eligible at the end of this season.

Buss, who noted that O’Neal’s original seven-year, $121-million deal four seasons ago was more than six times what he paid to buy the Lakers, said, “I think he wants to and we certainly want to have him finish his career here.”

O’Neal is eligible to receive a three-year extension starting with the 2003-2004 season and concluding with the 2005-2006 season that would be worth more than $75 million.

What has Buss seen in O’Neal this season?

“I think his devotion to the game,” Buss said. “Focus, totally focused, totally devoted to winning. I don’t think there’s been a doubt in anybody’s mind that he was on a mission to see if he could lead us to win a championship. . . .

“This is a very good team. I think they’re at their peak. And barring injuries and unforeseen things, I’m very confident.”

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Coach Phil Jackson said he wasn’t bothered that O’Neal fell a vote short of winning the award unanimously.

“Those things happen, you know? And there always should be a dissenter out there,” Jackson said. “It’s a landslide, as far as I’m concerned.”

Said Executive Vice President Jerry West, “God, I feel sorry for the guy who didn’t vote for him.”

And, according to Jackson, what does having an MVP recipient mean to his team?

“That you better step up and win a championship, is what that means.”