The Shopping Begins for Aggressive Lakers

The Lakers began calling minutes after the opening of free-agent season, making or attempting contact with the agents for Karl Malone, P.J. Brown, Gary Payton, Juwan Howard and others late Monday night, and continuing their aggressive push Tuesday.

General Manager Mitch Kupchak lacks the funds available to some teams -- the Lakers are well above the salary-cap and luxury-tax thresholds -- but has something unique to offer: the opportunity to play beside a motivated Shaquille O’Neal and a sound Kobe Bryant, with the likelihood that the addition of a front-line free agent will make the Lakers the team to beat again.

Kupchak is expected to begin meeting with free agents soon, some as early as today.

He’ll be bearing the team’s mid-level exception, about $4.7 million, which can be split among free agents.

Kupchak has said he hopes to add two front-court players and a guard, at least, and that he believes he can accomplish it despite the financial restrictions. Although the mid-level might not be enough for some -- Brown, Payton and Howard appear to be hedging -- the Lakers believe others, Malone, for one, might come for less, freeing dollars to fill out the roster with players such as Scottie Pippen, Reggie Miller, Eric Piatkowski, Kendall Gill, Sean Rooks or Tyronn Lue. There may also be some interest in re-signing Mark Madsen. The Chicago Bulls contacted Pippen on Tuesday about returning to the city of his championships. In fact, Bull General Manager John Paxson called the signing of Pippen the team’s first priority, and Pippen could be lured with a promise of a post-career management position.

Dwight Manley, Malone’s agent, called the Lakers’ interest “very intriguing,” and yet predicted Malone’s negotiating period would be a busy one.

“One,” he said, “because so many people are interested and, two, because many of the teams are being aggressive.”

Malone, who has played all of his 18 seasons with the Utah Jazz, is a 14-time All-Star and ranks second in NBA scoring with 36,374 points, 2,013 behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He is almost 40 but is in remarkable shape. In 18 seasons, Malone has missed fewer games, 10, than O’Neal did last season, 15.

Brown’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said he would make Brown available for many teams, including the Lakers.

The Lakers spoke to Bartelstein about free agent center-forward Brad Miller as well, and Bartelstein said he might also bring clients Walt Williams and Eddie House into future discussions. However, some in the organization believe Brown, primarily a rebounder and defender, is the best of all free-agent fits for the Lakers.

“I’m not going in with any game plan,” Brown told the New Orleans Times-Picayune, “but I know it’s going to be crazy.”

Laker management also has pondered the future of Alonzo Mourning, who is drawing heavy interest from the Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs. Mourning, 33, missed all of last season with the Miami Heat and all but 13 games of the 2000-01 season because of a kidney ailment, though doctors have cleared him to play next season.

“Zo’s going to have a great market out there,” Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley told the Miami Herald. “I think people are a little concerned [about his health] and are going to be careful, but when you look at Zo, he’s really right in his prime and can still play the game.”

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Sacramento forward Keon Clark chose to remain with the Kings rather than opt out of his contract and become a free agent. The Lakers would have considered him as a possible solution at power forward.... Horace Grant, recovered from knee surgery and having moved recently from Orlando to the Santa Barbara area, continues to have interest in returning to the Lakers. Grant will be 38 on Friday.

The Lakers’ L.A. Pro Summer League roster will include draft picks Brian Cook and Luke Walton, second-year Lakers Kareem Rush and Jannero Pargo, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr. and former Kansas player Eric Chenowith. Players report Friday, practice twice Saturday and open their schedule Sunday at the Pyramid in Long Beach. Kurt Rambis is coach.