Players Are Anxious for Shaw to Clear Waivers

As of late Thursday night General Manager Mitch Kupchak had heard nothing about a waiver claim on guard Brian Shaw, but he also didn’t know that he would.

The Laker players milled about a tiny visitors’ locker room here, some asking reporters for news on Shaw.

Though the Miami Heat had admitted to some interest in Shaw, by the final hours of the waiver process it appeared that Coach Pat Riley was leaning away from acquiring the veteran guard. The 48-hour period expires this morning.

“We’ll continue to develop the roster we have,” Riley told reporters in Miami.

It remains possible, even likely, that Shaw, unclaimed and having taken a 60% pay cut for the good of the luxury tax threshold, will again be on the bench at Staples Center tonight, when the Lakers play the Phoenix Suns.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Kupchak said.

Other than the occasional snipe about free-throw shooting, the Laker season had begun quietly, with the Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant relationship growing, with a strong, deep roster, and with a victory Tuesday over the Portland Trail Blazers. Coach Phil Jackson said he was not concerned about morale issues, and that seemed to be true enough.

As long as Shaw returns, the players--O’Neal among them--appear ready to dismiss the transaction as unavoidable.

“I don’t think we treat it like dust under the carpet,” captain Rick Fox said.

“It is family to us, in terms of what we accomplished the last two years. The business of the game supersedes the sensitivity of it.

“I can’t speak to how Brian feels right now. I can only hope his love of his teammates and the things we accomplished together doesn’t change because of that.”

Fox said he called Shaw on Thursday and left a message.

Jackson spoke to Shaw on Wednesday, and came away fairly convinced that Shaw would return, if able.

*

Bryant wore a red, white and blue band on his right wrist that read, “God Bless America.” He said he would sign and auction his flag shoes, with proceeds going to the families of the Sept. 11 victims. He also was considering breaking out the shoes, or ones like them, on Nov. 11, Veterans Day....O’Neal said he would not play on a U.S. team in the World Basketball Championships next summer in Indianapolis.

TONIGHT

vs. Phoenix, 7:30

Fox Sports Net

Site--Staples Center

Radio--KLAC-AM (570)

Records--Lakers 2-0, Suns 1-1.

Record vs. Suns--(2000-01) 3-1.

Update--The Lakers have won 19 of the last 23 games in the series, and the Suns have lost four in a row at Staples Center.

Tickets--(800) 462-2849.