Richmond Still Seeks His Spot and His Shot

Mitch Richmond, All-Star game MVP, Dream Team II member, rookie of the year, 22.1-point career scorer, all of that as a Golden State Warrior, Sacramento King and Washington Wizard, is playing 13 minutes a game as a Laker.

At times, he has been an end-of-the-quarter substitute, foul-trouble insurance, or a matchup experiment. As a result, his shot and his grasp of the triangle offense have been slow to come, none of which is unexpected.

It’s courageous for a big-time player to talk about a lesser role, about chances for championships over sure-thing minutes and points, more so to man the bench for 48 out of 53 minutes, as Richmond did a week ago in Houston, and laugh about it.

“He has no ego in it,” Samaki Walker said. “That shows his character. He doesn’t let his ego get in the way. His actions speak so loudly. Some guys say they just want to win, but their actions say different. Not Mitch.”

Richmond was 36 in June. His right knee, which he said suffered some damage to the medial collateral ligament last season, is improving but remains weaker than the left. As he integrates his game into the Lakers’, he also rides an arduous rehabilitation program, with an eye toward total fitness by January, or February, in plenty of time for the postseason.

“I’m comfortable where I’m at,” he said Friday night. “I know I can help this team. I know what Phil [Jackson] is doing, making sure my legs are better.

“I knew I wasn’t going to play 35 minutes, and I didn’t want to. I’m definitely accepting of it, and I’m counting on these legs for a couple more years, anyway. Definitely it’s something of a tough adjustment, but I accept that.”

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Jackson said he would wait at least another day before activating guard Derek Fisher and forward Mark Madsen. The team will have a full practice today, its first in 10 days. If all goes well, Jackson said, he would make Fisher and Madsen available for Sunday’s game against Denver.

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Shaquille O’Neal had X-rays taken on his right big toe before Friday’s game, and the tests were negative. O’Neal, who had surgery on his small left toe before training camp, has experienced pain in both areas, and often limps away from games. He was diagnosed as having arthritis in the right toe, for which he will be treated as needed.

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O’Neal has a clunker now and then. He scored 10 points on four field goals Wednesday in Denver, about two years since a similar game at Atlanta when he scored nine points. ...Walker had Thanksgiving at the Marina del Rey home of Downtown Julie Brown, a friend since he played at Louisville.