Rider Forgiven for Being Late

After meeting with Isaiah Rider and hearing his story of ungainly gridlock and unfair public characterizations, Laker officials said Wednesday they were willing to forgive the player’s most recent tardiness, if not forget it.

Rider reported to Staples Center nearly an hour later than required Tuesday night. He incurred a fine, was benched for the first half against Indiana, and then played a season-low four minutes.

Coach Phil Jackson, whose rules don’t extend much beyond being on time and ready to play, met with Rider, whose seven-plus seasons in the NBA are speckled with lapses of punctuality. Rider was five minutes early to Wednesday’s practice and was expected on the team’s charter flight to Seattle, where they will play the SuperSonics tonight.

“We’re trying to get an understanding where we can deal with communications and a certain amount of responsibility and respect,” Jackson said. “One of the things I’m sensitive to with J.R. is his portrayal has carried a certain impact in the media. He’s being watched as sort of an outcast--that’s a term he used--that sets him up for being noticed. We’re trying to be sensitive to that issue. We’d just as soon not talk about it other than to say we have talked, we will deal with it and hopefully we can resolve this.”

Shaquille O’Neal, a Laker captain, said Tuesday night that he leaves the discipline to Jackson. He amended that slightly on Wednesday afternoon.

“I lead by example,” O’Neal said. “I live all the way in the mountains. If I can get here by 10 [a.m., for practices], everybody else should be here at 10.”

Rider had been marginally late for Laker business before, once on a technicality during training camp and once when he did not receive a wake-up call in a San Antonio hotel. General Manager Mitch Kupchak spoke with Rider after Tuesday’s game, and Kupchak and Jackson later agreed that the club and the player continued to share similar goals.

“It’s a simple solution,” Kupchak said. “He was late. He knows he was late, like some of our other players have been late this year, some more than others. I haven’t seen a late sheet, but Isaiah hasn’t been the only player who’s been late to something.

“At some point, there’s a standard we measure up to as far as if habitual tardiness turns into a problem that affects your performance as a team. We’re not there. We don’t feel anything he’s done this year has affected the performance of the team. We’re pleased with the progress we’ve made and we know if we can get him to play like he can play by January, in other words getting familiar with the offense and his teammates, we’ll be better.”

In a brief meeting with reporters outside the Lakers’ practice facility, Rider said he was displeased that part of a loud postgame conversation he had with Kupchak was reported, though it was held within easy earshot of several news agencies. Rider promised to punish those reporters, though he specifically ruled out murder and kidnapping, and insisted several times that he was very serious.

Rider is viewed as a project in the triangle offense. Many Lakers predict big numbers for him when he becomes more familiar with the nuances of it, particularly if it comes in time for the playoffs.

“I don’t think the players are disgruntled with Isaiah,” Kupchak said. “I think they understand what’s at stake here. I think they want to see it work. There have been situations in the past with other teams and players--and maybe even Isaiah--where a group doesn’t want a player. We don’t see that. One of the things we have going for us is it’s a stable, mature group, by and large. From time to time we have a moment of insanity, but by and large it’s a stable coaching staff and a stable group of players. So we don’t see a problem.”

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The Lakers are considering offers for guard Tyronn Lue, who is on injured reserve. The Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic are believed to be most interested.

TONIGHT

at Seattle, 7

Channel 9

* Site--KeyArena.

* Radio--KLAC (570).

* Records--Lakers 11-4, SuperSonics 7-9.

* Record vs. SuperSonics (1999-2000)--3-1.

* Update--In their first game after Coach Paul Westphal was fired, the SuperSonics held Portland to 30-of-77 shooting in a 105-93 win Tuesday night. Nate McMillan is interim coach.