Jackson Open to Suggestions

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. —  Phil Jackson said Sunday he would have to sit down with Gary Payton in the near future so they could address Payton’s displeasure with his first 58 games as a Laker, and Payton suggested today in Atlanta.

If General Manager Mitch Kupchak or owner Jerry Buss had an opinion about how better to handle Payton’s situation, Jackson added, he would like to hear it. But all in all, Jackson predicted Payton’s feelings and the public nature of them would not injure the team.

Not seven months after Payton signed with the Lakers, the highest summer priority for Buss, Payton spoke openly Saturday of leaving the organization because he was disappointed with his playing time and on-floor role.

Buss accompanied the team on a four-game trip that concludes Wednesday in Houston, though Jackson did not say he’d discussed Payton with Buss. On his way from Continental Airlines Arena on Sunday night, Buss declined to comment.

Despite the recruiting efforts of the owner, Shaquille O’Neal and Magic Johnson, Jackson said he did not feel extra pressure to bend to Payton’s expectations.

“But you know, maybe I’ll talk with Mitch about it and see how he feels,” he said. “I know that [Payton’s agent, Aaron] Goodwin called him up on the phone and got involved in it. I don’t like to talk to agents, and I won’t in the season. But if there’s someone in the organization who wants to express a lobby interest, sure, I’ll talk to him.”

As Jackson understands it, it’s not the playing time that’s bothering Payton, but the confines of the triangle offense. According to Payton, it’s shades of both.

“As far as the offense goes,” Jackson said, “he’s got to find out how to work inside my offense and inside the team offense. That’s something that’s taken players a long time. It’s not unusual that a player’s going to find some difficulty. He’ll find his way.”

Asked if he thought it was rash for Payton to consider leaving the Lakers after one season, Jackson said, “He’s got to think about that. It’s his career.”

Payton, dressed in head-to-toe yellow, cast no new light on his Laker situation, saying he’d had his say.

“We just had to let it be known,” Payton said. “I’m not worried about it. It’s over now.... I can’t keep it on my chest all year long.”

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Horace Grant has seen the triangle offense turn flexible for the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and O’Neal, but few others.

“You have to give up a lot to come here and play in this offense as a superstar,” Grant said. “The triangle is not for a lot of people.

“It’s tough for a person like Gary in the triangle like this. It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be tough.”

While everyone else was at it, Grant had some demands himself.

“I want more minutes on the bench,” he said, smiling. “Not just minutes, quality minutes. Warmups on, all that.”

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Just remember how the story ends.

Jackson, on the relationship between The Original Two, O’Neal and Bryant: “People don’t understand, they’re like brothers. They’re like Cain and Abel, just scrumming over the blood and the fruit. You know, who’s going to have which sacrifice that means the most to God, you know? So, they have their little disagreements, but they are very attached in each other’s minds, and in the team way too. I think both of them have been together for long enough to have adopted each other’s plights and their cares. And sometimes their concern does get personal, but that’s normal things you have in a family.”

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Karl Malone has started lateral-movement drills, well ahead of schedule, and expects to have limited involvement in a practice today in Atlanta.

Payton said he expects Malone to play Friday against the Seattle SuperSonics, two games before the Lakers play in Utah.

“That’s my medical decision,” Payton said. “He’s coming back Friday.”

Then he turned to Malone. “Friday,” he said. “Tell them Friday.”

Malone smiled and shrugged. He’s getting close.

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Bryant has motions hearings today and Tuesday in Eagle, Colo. He is not expected to play in Atlanta on Tuesday night.