Crispin Is a Surprising Contender

While it remains to be seen if the advent of legal zone defenses will soften Laker Coach Phil Jackson’s view of small players, rookie guard Joe Crispin has been impressive in an assertive, sub-6-foot kind of way.

Derek Fisher’s injury could convince Jackson to open the season with a surplus of guards. In that case, a Crispin-Mike Penberthy decision would be interesting. Penberthy was useful last season as a three-point shooter, and has experience in the triangle offense.

Still, Crispin has been a pleasant presence in a Laker camp otherwise loaded with veterans.

A South Jersey and Penn State product who will marry a Mechanicsburg, Pa., woman in July, Crispin admitted a curiosity about the roster’s final 14, but not an obsession.

“I’m a big one-day-at-a-time guy,” he said. “My faith is my life. I’m very black and white in it. If God wants me here, I’ll be here. If not, I’ll be fine.

“That’s why I feel like I can relax and play ball. I came in hoping for an opportunity to play well, and I’ve gotten that. It’d be one thing if I came here and didn’t perform well or didn’t show them what I can do.”

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Jackson would love to have a power forward other than Robert Horry play well enough to earn the starting job, primarily because Horry is so valuable late in games.

And while everybody is batting around the names of Samaki Walker, Slava Medvedenko and Jelani McCoy, Horry is partial to Dickey Simpkins.

“Y’all forget about Dickey,” he said. “Dickey can play [power forward], because he knows the offense.”

Soft-spoken but with a reputation as a tough guy, Simpkins played overseas last season after being cut by the Seattle SuperSonics in camp. Simpkins’ edge is six seasons with the Chicago Bulls, and a working knowledge of the triangle as a center or power forward.

“In this system, you have to be able to do both,” Simpkins said Saturday night.

As for the final cuts, Simpkins said: “It’s going to be what it’s going to be. Hopefully, Phil knows what I can do.”

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A Vlade Divac elbow bloodied Kobe Bryant’s lower lip Saturday night, and while the incident left a nasty gash, Bryant was unconcerned.

“I’m a married man,” he said. “I don’t have to be pretty.”

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Later, when Sacramento’s Hedo Turkoglu fouled Bryant with more than the required diligence, Shaquille O’Neal nearly shoved Turkoglu over the scorer’s table. O’Neal took a flagrant foul, and did not apologize.

“He fouled my man, I fouled him,” O’Neal said. “He don’t like it, tell him to come over here.”

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The Lakers and their staff will be honored Wednesday at a reception and lunch at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel. The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the L.A. Sports Council will host. Information and tickets: (213) 580-7524.... The team did not practice Sunday, and today will hold an open practice at Staples Center for 8,500 pre-selected school children.... The Lakers (1-4) play the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night at the Arrowhead Pond.