New Offense Is Taking Its Shape

Karl Malone returned home to Newport Beach, his one-day visit over and done as the Lakers adjusted from their brief contact with the past to more immediate concerns.

The Lakers’ exhibition opener is Tuesday in Anaheim against Seattle. It will be the first look at a new offense, new coach and, most important, a new lineup trying to carry out a different ideology.

A year ago, Shaquille O’Neal, Malone and Gary Payton were among the starting five. The first unit Tuesday probably will be Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, Chris Mihm and Chucky Atkins.

The triangle offense is out, the hurry-up offense is in, and the intricacies and complexities of the system have been slowly piling up at the players’ feet, enough so that Coach Rudy Tomjanovich ended Sunday’s practice nearly an hour early, moments after a fast-break drill.

“Sometimes you can overdo the coaching,” Tomjanovich said. “We’ve given them too much info. I don’t know how they’ve done it really. All the new terminology, it’s enough to confuse you. These guys have been great. We haven’t had anybody not get it.”

The transition hasn’t been seamless.

Devean George and Luke Walton, two of six holdovers from last season, have been out because of injuries. Vlade Divac, penciled in at starting center, has not played in training camp because of a herniated disk in his back. Grant sat out two practices because of neck soreness.

“What I’ve learned about the NBA is it just ain’t going to be perfect,” Tomjanovich said. “There’s going to be things like that. You’ve just got to keep moving on and somebody in the rotation will be knocked out. It just gives you a better look at some other guys.”

For those who are healthy, Tomjanovich’s offense appears to be taking shape. But is it more palatable than the triangle?

“I can’t say I prefer one or the other,” Bryant said. “The triangle had its weaknesses but also had its strengths too. It’s just different systems.”

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Tomjanovich probably will undergo a minor medical procedure during the All-Star break in February as part of his continued recovery from bladder cancer.

Tomjanovich, diagnosed with cancer last year, has had two similar maintenance procedures this year. He is typically restricted to his home for a day or two after each procedure.