Trading Shaq Won’t Be Easy

A coaching decision is not expected until sometime next week and trade talks involving Shaquille O’Neal have slowed through the long NBA draft weekend, so the Lakers Friday took a breath between summer tasks.

In Dallas, where the interest in O’Neal has been most ravenous, the Mavericks introduced their draft choices and, afterward, simulated marginal interest in all matters Shaq.

As O’Neal’s trade-me campaign entered its second week, the Mavericks and a handful of others have maintained a curiosity in O’Neal, though insiders are beginning to believe that if a trade is to be made, perhaps only a three-way deal could bring O’Neal and not otherwise gut the recipient.

Getting into the spirit of things, O’Neal did enough hinting around Las Vegas this week to get the attention of Sacramento King owners Joe and Gavin Maloof. And, if not Mark Cuban, why not the Maloofs?

The names of Brad Miller, Peja Stojakovic and Doug Christie have been knocked about in the Laker offices and perhaps even passed along informally to the Kings, though talks between Mitch Kupchak and King General Manager Geoff Petrie have been only breezy.

More than a few general managers are getting the sense the Lakers don’t really want to part with O’Neal, though sources close to owner Jerry Buss suggest the owner was considering trading O’Neal whether or not he asked for it.

The Indiana Pacers, who in Jermaine O’Neal have one of the league’s few inside players who would do a reasonable job replacing the Lakers’ O’Neal, have for the moment backed out of discussions with the Lakers, sources said.

Not only has Shaquille O’Neal insisted he be traded, but that he go to a championship contender. And now the Pacers have been led to believe O’Neal has some weather issues as well, preferring a warmer climate than that in Indianapolis. If the narrowing continues, it will leave only one franchise -- the Lakers.

Kupchak and his scouts -- Gene Tormohlen, Kevin Greevey, Irving Thomas and Adam Filippi -- went through the remains of Thursday’s draft Friday, locating desirable unclaimed players for their summer-league team, a team that so far has no coach.

So, the Lakers shop O’Neal and they measure Kobe Bryant, who now has a trial date, Aug. 27. They’ve told Phil Jackson to leave and Wednesday night the coaching staff, Jackson included, went to dinner, an occasion one attendee called sad.

They’re pretty sure O’Neal wants to go. They think this is how Bryant wants it, though a fear drifts through the franchise that it will make these changes, some at his bidding, only to have Bryant walk.

This is how Buss, on vacation in Italy, left Kupchak and his staff, and many in the organization must now strain to see a satisfactory conclusion -- that is, with O’Neal and Bryant on the same floor and with the organization healthy and winning again.