It’s Early but Payton Is Loving It

The sign in the fifth row in green and purple, Milwaukee Bucks’ colors, asked, “Why Payton Why?” on Wednesday night, and so it was clear that the young man hoisting it had missed Tuesday night.

Gary Payton, along with Karl Malone, is having a pretty excellent time as a Laker, pushing the basketball and finding Shaquille O’Neal and Malone on the wing, driving the lane and having options that strain his imagination.

“We’re just getting a feel for each other,” Payton said. “It’s going to take four or five more games in preseason before we’ll be really at full tilt.”

As they began to grow comfortable with the triangle offense, their fresh teammates and the expectations that come with them all, Malone and Payton said they couldn’t help but think about how much better they’ll be soon, when Kobe Bryant is healthy and whole.

“I thought about that, really, the whole night,” Malone said. “That this is going on now, imagine when Kobe’s on the floor.”

Said Payton: “We’re playing well right now, but wait until we get that other piece back with us. When he’s on his roll, and I’m on my roll, and Shaq is on his roll, it’s going to be hard for people to stop us. And, Karl. So, we’re just waiting, waiting until he gets back and his knee gets settled and he gets settled in. It’s going to be even better.”

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After participating in Wednesday morning’s light practice, Bryant left the club to attend his preliminary hearing in Eagle, Colo.

While the organization hoped Bryant would return by Friday afternoon’s practice, it would not hold him to it.

“Obviously, his hearing [today] is going to put a lot of things in motion,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “So, he’s going to maybe have to take some time, have a plan, get some things laid out. We’re not trying to infringe on that, but sometime in the near future we expect him to be on the court.”

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Jackson, who also has a contract extension in the works, missed the on-floor histrionics affected by O’Neal in the first exhibition game, but, like many, heard about them.

“He’s doing that for you guys,” Jackson said. “If I’m to understand it correctly, there’s a significant amount of commitment on both parties toward fulfillment of the contract for the next three years. I mean, that’s the best thing that’s possible. There’s things going on here that do not have any value on the outcome of this particular year.... It’s tough for anybody to look ahead that far, and yet we know what his value is to this league and we want him to be on this club and be a part of it.”

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Luke Walton, on election night, after being offered condolences on brother Nate’s gubernatorial campaign, “You mean he lost?”

He smiled.

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Bryon Russell, who sprained his left ankle in Tuesday’s game against the Warriors, did not play Wednesday.... The Lakers lost Wednesday’s game, 99-83. Payton had 11 points, O’Neal 10 and Malone eight in limited action. With those three on the court, the Lakers outscored the Warriors by four.