It’s Glove in Hand

Gary Payton unofficially became a Laker Tuesday, committing for next season and perhaps beyond, joining Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant on what in the next few days could become one of the great NBA rosters assembled.

NBA regulations forbid teams from signing free agents until July 16, but on Tuesday afternoon Payton telephoned Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak and told him to expect him for next season, Payton’s agent said.

Karl Malone, who also is fielding interest from the San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings, could join him as early as today.

Both players would take massive pay cuts in order to fortify the Lakers, whose run of three consecutive championships ended in the Western Conference semifinals two months ago, sending Kupchak on a mission to rebuild a roster that had grown old and thin. Still, the Lakers again will be well over the luxury tax threshold.

Payton has said he would accept the Lakers’ mid-level exception, which probably will be worth about $4.8 million. The Lakers offered that as a starting point to a four-year contract, though Payton might prefer a shorter deal, perhaps for one guaranteed year and an option.

Agent Aaron Goodwin estimated Payton gave up about $35 million -- offered, Goodwin said, by the Portland Trail Blazers in a sign-and-trade scenario -- to join the Lakers, in part because he was so impressed by Malone’s willingness to accept less money to enable the Lakers to pursue Payton. The two perennial All-Stars spoke Sunday, and clearly Payton expects Malone to sign with the Lakers.

“The basis of the conversations we had,” Goodwin said, “was that Gary had a chance to make money or a chance to make history.

“He didn’t want to let Karl down, either. He looked at this as an opportunity for both of them.... I know that Karl being there was one of the reasons he made his decision.”

Malone, who will be 40 on July 24, apparently has left the Utah Jazz after 17 seasons in search of a championship, which thus far has eluded him. In the spirit of that, Malone could accept a $1.5-million exception and help fill in the front-court gaps that helped sink the Lakers last season.

Probably not entirely comfortable allowing Malone into the Laker lineup without a fight, Pacific Division rival Sacramento has taken up talks with the Jazz about sign-and-trade possibilities. League champion San Antonio is another potential suitor. If they sign Jason Kidd, the Spurs are expected to have about $4 million left over that could go to Malone.

In a single week, the Lakers could add -- unofficially still -- their best point guard since Magic Johnson and their best power forward, maybe ever. Mindful of league rules in the negotiating period, Kupchak would talk only generally of the team’s interest in Payton.

“It would be our intention to sign him as soon as we are able to sign him,” he said. “That would be our intention.”

Later, in a statement released by the team, Kupchak said, “The Los Angeles Lakers have been in negotiations with Gary Payton over the last several days. It is the Lakers’ intention to enter into a contract with Gary Payton once the moratorium period ends.”

The big obstacle was cleared Tuesday, and while the decision is not binding, the sentiments appeared to be. Payton will be 35 in two weeks. Like Malone, he is nearing the end of his career. Like Malone, he has numerous individual achievements but not an NBA title. This would be his chance to reach for it, with a Laker team that has often been there before.

“What we decided to do,” Goodwin said, “was come to L.A. and help restore the Lakers.”

Barring a change of heart over the next seven days and assuming Malone’s inclusion, the Lakers’ starting lineup to begin next season could be O’Neal at center, Malone at power forward, Bryant at shooting guard, Payton at point guard and Devean George at small forward, at least until Rick Fox is healthy. Coach Phil Jackson might also choose to start Derek Fisher in the backcourt alongside Payton and move Bryant to small forward.

Either way, Jackson’s light touch with veterans will be beneficial if four superstars are asked to share the basketball and, presumably, the glory.

Payton is 6-4, a willowy point guard who ranked second in the league with an average of 8.3 assists per game and third with 3.55 assists for every turnover. In a season split between Seattle and Milwaukee, he averaged 20.4 points, more than two points higher than his career average.

Payton is a two-time All-NBA first-team player, nine times first team All-Defense and in 1996 was the league’s defensive player of the year. That’s how he became “The Glove.” He is a nine-time All-Star, a two-time Olympic gold medal winner (1996 and 2000) and is one of eight players in league history to have 15,000 points, 6,000 assists and 1,000 steals.

Where Malone reached two NBA Finals and lost them both to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, Payton reached one Finals, in 1996, and lost -- to the Bulls.

“He wants to win,” said Jack Ramsay, who coached 21 seasons in the NBA. “I think he’ll just play within the system.

“He’s a smart guy and this is his chance. He doesn’t have many opportunities left. I would expect for him to fit right in.”

Malone is 6 feet 9 and 260 pounds, much of that, it seems, in his shoulders and arms. He averaged 20.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists last season, his 18th, and has averaged 25.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists in his career.

At 39, Malone ranked seventh in the league in free-throw attempts and free throws made and 10th in defensive rebounds per game, suggesting a continued willingness to play inside.

Among his career highlights:

* Named in 1996 one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players.

* Twice an NBA MVP, in 1997 and 1999.

* Eleven times an All-NBA first team player.

* Fourteen times an All-Star.

* Second in career points (37,374) to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387).

* Tied Abdul-Jabbar this season with his 17th consecutive season averaging 20 points or more.

* The league’s all-time leader in free throws made and attempted.

* An Olympic gold medalist on the Dream Teams of 1992 in Barcelona and 1996 in Atlanta.

The Lakers would be so happy to have him, there is already speculation that Magic Johnson might give his permission for Malone to keep the No. 32 he wore with the Jazz. The Lakers have retired that number, which Johnson wore.

Taking Payton at his word and assuming Malone joins him, the Lakers would start the summer with 12 players, including point guards Payton, Fisher and Jannero Pargo and power forwards Malone, Slava Medvedenko and Brian Cook. In the best of all off-season scenarios, Kupchak would add a backup center for O’Neal and a shooter, perhaps free agent Eric Piatkowski or Jon Barry.

If the Lakers fail to sign Malone, they would have to sign or trade for a power forward. Their mid-level exception would be gone, and so, too, their shot at P.J. Brown or Juwan Howard.

They would have their $1.5 million exception, the minimum for a 10-year veteran, which might not be enough to coax back Robert Horry. Other options might be Mark Madsen, Sean Rooks, Popeye Jones or Jason Caffey.

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Bryant’s recovery from knee surgery is expected to take about three months, according to his surgeons, which almost certainly will prevent him from playing in the Olympic qualifying tournament. Drs. Richard Hawkins and Dick Steadman told the team Tuesday that during Bryant’s knee surgery, they removed scar tissue from behind his patella tendon and smoothed a rough area behind his kneecap. Also, they removed what they termed “a loose body.”

Staff Writer Mark Heisler contributed to this report.

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Point Taken

A comparison of Gary Payton’s numbers in 2002-03 to those of Laker point guard Derek Fisher:

*--* PAYTON FISHER 80 Games 82 40.1 Minutes Per Game 34.5 665-1,466 FG Made-Attempted 339-775 454 Field Goal Percentage 437 250-352 FT Made-Attempted 100-125 710 Free Throw Percentage 800 54-182 3-Pt. FG Made-Attempted 85-212 297 3-Pt. FG Percentage 401 4.2 Rebounds Per Game 2.9 8.3 Assists Per Game 3.6 20.4 Points Per Game 10.5

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Gary Payton’s Career Record

(table data not included)