Two Triangle Pieces Missing

Shaquille O’Neal sat on a folding chair and Kobe Bryant was on his way to Philadelphia, where he will attend his grandfather’s funeral Wednesday, and the Lakers went ahead with training camp anyway.

On Saturday morning, day one at Stan Sheriff Center on the campus of the University of Hawaii, Phil Jackson presented Triangle 101 to the likes of Samaki Walker, Mitch Richmond and Lindsey Hunter, two of whom could be in the starting lineup come Oct. 30.

Jerry West and General Manager Mitch Kupchak watched as Jackson, then Tex Winter, then Jackson again reintroduced the offense that has won eight of the last 11 NBA championships.

Walker practiced primarily as a center, though he could be the starter at power forward. Hunter played the point, where he almost certainly will start until Derek Fisher returns from foot surgery, a month or more into the season. Richmond was the shooting guard, Bryant’s position.

Bryant is expected to return Thursday, perhaps in time for the afternoon practice. After holding one practice a day last year, when the team trained in Los Angeles, Jackson has ordered two-a-days here. The team and its personnel are staying at a downtown hotel near the practice facility, which has made transportation simple.

O’Neal isn’t expected to participate in much of training camp, so he will spend a lot of time in that folding chair. He did shoot some free throws.

Bryant said Friday that he would require about two weeks to return to running shape.

“Camps are really not for those guys as much as it is for players who are new to our system, who are trying out to see if they can help our team, our players who we’d hope to get some experience,” Jackson said. “We’re not concerned about those two.”

The camp’s early days, Jackson said, would be spent on the triangle and on keeping players healthy. Besides O’Neal and Fisher, Mark Madsen isn’t expected to return from ligament damage in his left wrist until opening night at the earliest, and Richmond already has experienced swelling in one knee.

“We want to stay away from the enthusiasm, where guys get hurt,” he said. “Usually what happens, you go a little too hard, you don’t take enough time for stretching, and you get an injury early in camp. That’s one thing we want to avoid.”

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Trying to revive his career after spending last year pursuing business opportunities, Dennis Scott, 33, is wearing No. 24 for the first time since attending Flint Hill Prep Academy in Virginia. “I’m treating this like I’m starting all over,” Scott said. Laughing, he added, “It sure would look sweet, a three-peat with 3D.” ... Hunter said he learned some triangle basics under Doug Collins in Detroit, so it’s not entirely mystical to him. ... Madsen ran through some drills with a light brace on his left wrist. ... Jackson called guard Isaac Fontaine “Isaiah” at least once, which can’t be good. ... Also in town: special consultant Bill Sharman, assistant general manager Ronnie Lester, scout Gene Tormohlen and television correspondent James Worthy.