There Is Much Work to Be Done

The Lakers are a game away from the end of their season, when more important matters will begin.

They have decisions to make on coaches and players, the former because of Rudy Tomjanovich’s midseason resignation and the latter because only one game separates the Lakers from the 12th-place Golden State Warriors, who beat the Lakers, 126-99, Monday night in front of 20,024 at the Arena.

What could have been a quiet off-season after a round, maybe two, of playoffs will instead become a carousel of coaching candidates and player-contract evaluations.

“It’s going to be a very active off-season for the Lakers,” said Coach Frank Hamblen, who may or may not be around to see the results.

Vlade Divac does not have a guaranteed contract next season, and Luke Walton is a restricted free agent.

Chucky Atkins, Brian Cook, Devean George, Jumaine Jones and Slava Medvedenko have one more year on their contracts, making them valuable commodities for teams that wish to acquire expiring contracts to free up salary-cap space after next season.

Caron Butler also belongs with that group. Since he is a restricted free agent after next season, the Lakers could decide to trade Butler instead of signing him to a long-term contract.

As the Lakers tumble further into the bottom half of the league, their needs are many. There are too many small forwards, too few big bodies and a lack of depth at point guard.

Some needs will be addressed in the draft, where the Lakers are heading toward a lottery pick. They also have two second-round selections.

“Very busy,” George said of the next few months, referring to possible roster moves.

There’s also the void created by Tomjanovich’s departure halfway through the first year of a five-year, $30-million contract.

As a petition circulates among front-row season-ticket holders demanding that owner Jerry Buss rehire Phil Jackson, the former coach of the Lakers continues to linger in the background as a possibility.

The Lakers are also expected to consider Flip Saunders and monitor whether Larry Brown will leave the Detroit Pistons.

Meanwhile, Hamblen is one of five coaches whose contracts expire in July.

Hamblen and four Laker assistants -- Chris Bodaken, Melvin Hunt, Larry Smith and Mike Wells -- signed five-year deals last July that were to be terminated if Tomjanovich resigned because of health reasons. When that happened Feb. 2, they knew their summer would be difficult.

“I get anxious sometimes,” Hunt said. “Everybody wants to know what’s next. It’s part of the business, though.”

The picture becomes clearer if Jackson and the Lakers reunite.

Hamblen would probably return as an assistant. Kurt Rambis and Brian Shaw, who filled front-office roles before being moved to the bench as assistant coaches in February, would stay on as assistants.

Other than that, “it’s certainly been a season, hasn’t it?” Hamblen said Monday.

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The Warriors went on a 47-10 run that began midway through the third quarter of Monday’s game. Kobe Bryant had 22 points on nine-for-27 shooting.... Butler did not play because his 1-year-old daughter suffered an asthma attack in Los Angeles.... Divac was suspended by the league for the final two games because he elbowed Dallas Maverick center Shawn Bradley in the face during Sunday’s Laker loss.... Forward Lamar Odom is scheduled to undergo surgery today to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The procedure will be performed by Drs. Lewis Yokum and Dan Kharrazi of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Group. Odom will not be able to return to basketball until August.... Bryant’s jersey was the fifth-highest seller among all players this season, based on sales at the NBA store in New York. Miami Heat center Shaquille O’Neal had the highest-selling jersey.

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UP NEXT

Wednesday at Portland, 7, Channel 9 -- The Lakers are in a staggering 2-18 slump heading into their season finale. They are 2-0 against this season against the Trail Blazers.