Bryant Remains on Sidelines in Coach Search

Phil Jackson and Laker owner Jerry Buss each continue to wait for the other to make a firm commitment before moving toward a possible reunion.

And as that holding pattern emerges, Kobe Bryant remains silent and in the background.

In July, Bryant identified Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski as his preferred coach, but the Laker guard has been left out of the loop this time around.

He has not been consulted for input, backing up what General Mitch Kupchak said last week about Bryant not being involved in the coaching search. Nor will he have veto power when the next coach is selected, Laker officials say.

And that appears to be by mutual agreement. Bryant has floated more praise toward Detroit Piston Coach Larry Brown than Jackson but does not want an active role in the search, already aware of perception that he contributed to the departures of Jackson and Shaquille O’Neal.

Jackson met Monday with New York Knick President Isiah Thomas and is being courted by the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers, but he has not been in contact with the Lakers since dining with Buss on Tuesday night.

“We have not discussed our coaching job,” Laker spokesman John Black said Thursday. “There’s no other plans to get together at this point.”

There are a host of issues if Jackson is to reunite with the Lakers, including the on-court personnel of a team that finished 34-48 and tied for 11th in the Western Conference, 11 games behind the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies.

Jackson is said to like the potential of Lamar Odom and Caron Butler, and he knows what he gets from Bryant, but ...

“He’s not going to waste time rebuilding a team,” said Charley Rosen, a former Continental Basketball Assn. coach who has been a friend of Jackson’s since 1973 and has written 12 books on basketball, including “The Pivotal Season” about the 1971-72 Lakers.

“He’s going to be 60 in September. He’s had health problems. He’s too competitive. That’s one of the reasons why he shies away from rebuilding projects. Losses really, really eat at him. He hides it from the media to some extent. He just suffers.”

There are other, more specific, factors.

“It depends on Kobe,” Rosen said. “What’s Kobe going to do, [say] ‘I’m sorry, I’m going to behave myself from now on ...’ He’s said things like that before. He talks about teamwork and togetherness when the cameras are on, and then he does what he wants.

“Is [Jackson] going to trust this kid? Then, who else do you bring in? What kind of players would Phil need to run the triangle offense? Who’s available? Is Buss willing to take a salary-cap hit if he has to? Can you bring in a strong personality? How is Kobe going to react?”

The Lakers are already more than $20 million over the salary cap for next season, not including the cost of signing their first-round draft pick and the possibility of picking up a $5.4-million option for center Vlade Divac.