Who’s Backup Captain?

Ron Harper won’t be back, and while Mitch Richmond is expected to be a capable replacement in the back court, he won’t be team captain, a role Harper occupied with dignity.

Shaquille O’Neal again will be one captain. The other, assuming Phil Jackson anoints two, would seem to fall to Rick Fox, Derek Fisher, Brian Shaw or Kobe Bryant.

Fox and Bryant served occasionally last season, when O’Neal or Harper was injured. Jackson liked the idea of having Bryant meet with officials at half-court before games, because he believed a slasher such as Bryant needed to have a relationship with them.

Still, Bryant is only 23, and Jackson prefers to lean on his veterans.

In the most tumultuous of times last season, Fox and Shaw organized near weekly team gatherings, away from the madness, and Jackson adored them for it.

“They were the guys who said, ‘This is our team. We’re not going to let the distractions enter in. We’re going to play together,’ and they were sure everybody played together,” Jackson said last week.

Fox said there had been no conversations about the identity of the second captain, but he knew there had to be another.

“Shaq doesn’t like talking to the officials,” he said, smiling. “So, in that respect, you need a voice.”

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Day two for Bryant brought sore legs and a stiff back, but nothing out of the ordinary.

On Thursday night, he practiced with the team until 7 p.m. and skipped the bus ride back to the hotel. He played one-on-one with Devean George and then lifted weights. He walked out of Stan Sheriff Center at 10 p.m., and was back in the gym Friday morning.

“It was some good work today,” he said on his way back into the weight room. “The guys look good.”

After a full summer of weight work, Bryant said, “This is the strongest I’ve ever been.”

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It looks as though the Lakers need a common foe. During Friday morning’s scrimmage, Shaw tossed Joe Crispin to the floor as the rookie made his way up court, Dickey Simpkins regularly chopped Peter Cornell’s forearms, and Jelani McCoy was violently fouled.

“I know they’re tired of playing each other,” assistant coach Frank Hamblen said. “I don’t blame them. I’m tired of seeing them play themselves too.”

They play the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night.