George’s Price Keeps Going Up

Their desire to sign Kobe Bryant to a three-year contract extension--and his apparent reticence--won’t be the only summer business for the Lakers, who could have as many as seven free agents from a roster already pressing the luxury-tax ceiling.

While there might have been no avoiding the player options of Samaki Walker and Lindsey Hunter, nor the short contracts of Mitch Richmond, Jelani McCoy, Slava Medvedenko and Brian Shaw, it was the Lakers who chose to get out early on Devean George, a preseason decision that could cost them plenty.

In October, General Manager Mitch Kupchak declined the fourth-year, $1.5-million option on George’s standard rookie contract, the same decision that set guard Ty Lue free after last season.

Five months later, as the Lakers embark on a critical stretch of games against upper-tier Western Conference foes, beginning with tonight’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, George is an NBA player in body and mind for the first time. Though his game can be erratic, he could become one of the more popular unrestricted free agents in a soft class.

Kupchak’s choice could have cost the Lakers millions. It also could have saved George’s career. In Coach Phil Jackson’s rotation for the first time, he’s averaging 7.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 21.5 minutes, and is a strong, athletic defender who often plays ahead of veteran Rick Fox in fourth quarters.

Perhaps none of it happens had he been assured of another NBA season, another easy paycheck.

“There’s no way of telling what would have happened had we picked up [the option],” Kupchak said. “There may be some kind of a tie-in to us not picking it up. You know, ‘Hey, it’s real now. This is serious. Wake up.’ ... It may have no connection to that, either. It may be just the process young players go through. Looking back on things, we’re comfortable with the decision and the bottom line is, for whatever the reason, he’s really come on and played well. And that helps us today.”

There are plenty of theories. Fox has had a subpar season, which led to more minutes for George. Bryant has played few minutes at small forward, which again meant more minutes for George. Also, the ultra-competitive Bryant has spent hours pushing the once-timid George to develop his game and his approach. And, George, from Division III Augsburg College, simply needed additional time to grow.

He shrugged and said he merely needed playing time but did not dispute the impact of the Laker decision, and his impending free agency. “I was very disappointed,” he said. “They basically said, ‘We don’t have any plans for you.’ So, now I’m out there trying to be seen.”

Now that the Lakers know what they have, they’ll be bidding, too.

“It’s rare when we lose a player that we want to keep,” Kupchak said. “We feel we’ll be in a great position to re-sign him. We like our young players who will be free agents.

“Our intentions are to sign Slava and Devean George.”

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The Lakers have won 21 consecutive home games against the Mavericks, dating to an overtime game at the Forum on Dec. 12, 1990.... Don Nelson’s handy hack-a-Shaq scouting report: Shaquille O’Neal made four of 16 free-throw attempts through three quarters Thursday at Golden State and 10 of 12 in the final quarter. Then he made one of four in the first half Friday against the Clippers, five of seven after halftime.

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TONIGHT

vs. Dallas

6:30, Fox Sports Net

Site--Staples Center.

Radio--KLAC (570).

Records--Lakers 46-18, Mavericks 46-19.

Record vs. Mavericks--2-0.

Update--The Mavericks rank first in the league in scoring and last in points allowed, moving Laker forward Robert Horry to observe, “They got a lotta O, but I don’t see a lotta D.” ... Since the Lakers won at Dallas on Feb. 3, the Mavericks traded Juwan Howard, Tim Hardaway and Donnel Harvey to Denver for Raef LaFrentz, Nick Van Exel, Avery Johnson and Tariq Abdul-Wahad. Van Exel is averaging 28 minutes and 10 points since the trade.

Tickets--(800) 462-2849.

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Tim Brown