GM Won’t Fine O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal will not be disciplined for disparaging comments about General Manager Mitch Kupchak before Wednesday night’s game in Denver, Kupchak dismissing the rant as “Shaquille being Shaquille.”

“I don’t think comments like that are professional,” Kupchak said. “It certainly can be handled in a different way.

“I would hope for more professional behavior. Personally, it’s not important to me whether somebody likes me or our coach or each other. What’s important is they’re professional and they’re professional in their job.”

Kupchak said he would speak to O’Neal, though their schedules did not allow it Thursday.

O’Neal softened his commentary somewhat Thursday, suggesting the criticism was meant to be constructive.

“It’s like if I thought you could improve as a writer,” he said, “I’d tell you you should use more verbs.”

Since Jerry West retired going on four years ago and then resurfaced to take a job in Memphis, O’Neal has often been critical of Kupchak, West’s assistant for more than a decade.

Among Kupchak’s first duties as general manager was to negotiate a three-year, $83.1-million contract extension -- a maximum deal -- for O’Neal. In the news conference that served to announce that contract, O’Neal hugged Kupchak, but the relationship deteriorated from there.

It is extension time again. O’Neal and the Lakers are $9.5 million apart over two seasons, as the organization tries to gauge O’Neal’s worth into his mid-30s. At the same time, the O’Neal camp appears willing to let the negotiations drift into summer, so it can determine the direction of the organization.

O’Neal is concerned that negotiations with Coach Phil Jackson have broken down. Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton and Karl Malone, among others, can opt out of their contracts and leave by free agency, an exodus that could have O’Neal surrounded by young players and in a rebuilding situation through the end of his career. O’Neal can opt out after next season, a decision that would cost him the difference between his 2005-06 salary -- $30.6 million -- and what the market would bear.

O’Neal blames Kupchak for what he believes to be a chaotic period for the Lakers, Wednesday saying, “The general manager we have needs to take notes from me.... Because if I was general manager, with a team like this, there’d be no problems. No problems with the Diesel, no problems with the coach, no problems with the Kobester, no problems with the owner.”

Jackson said O’Neal’s attack was wrong.

“If Shaq was doing that for the defense purposes of myself and Kobe, that’s not necessary,” Jackson said. “I don’t know if he was or not.... But we’re not happy with that discussion. It was too personal and there’s no need for that.”

Contract negotiations will continue with O’Neal’s agents, according to Kupchak, who claimed not to be offended.

“You have to write part of it off to Shaquille being Shaquille,” he said. “I’m sure there’s a degree of frustration there, also.... It’s been a rough year. We’re all a little edgy.”

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The NBA apologized to the Denver Nuggets for Wednesday night’s late blown call, which aided the Lakers’ 112-111 victory in Denver. According to the National Basketball Referees Assn., Michael Henderson, the official who initially ruled Andre Miller’s shot did not hit the rim and therefore that the shot clock had expired, was suspended for three games. The association will fight the decision.

While Phil Jackson continued to insist the shot did not hit the rim, league vice president Stu Jackson found otherwise.

In a statement released Thursday, he said, “The ball, in fact, hit the rim.... This was an unfortunate call at a highly critical point in the game, and we very much regret the error.”

Of the heavy-handed apology, Phil Jackson said, “They must be very defensive about it.”

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Dennis Rodman attended the game as a guest of Laker owner Jerry Buss. The Lakers do not intend to sign him.

“We have no plans to make any roster changes,” Kupchak said.