Jackson: ‘Big’ Deals One-Sided

As the Lakers and Miami Heat moved a day closer to Christmas in South Beach, Coach Phil Jackson provided a history lesson when asked about the Shaquille O’Neal trade.

“The problem with trading dominant players of that size is you never get in return what you bargain away,” Jackson said. “That’s the biggest problem with trading big guys if you go back historically and look at the trades. It’s an unfortunate thing but sometimes one player is more effective than maybe four players.”

Jackson cited the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain trades as successful blueprints for Laker teams that gave away multiple players in each deal.

“It takes a tremendous amount of culture to kind of germinate it the right way. I think Dr. Buss had that in mind and knew what he was trying to get accomplished, but still in all, it never quite seems to match up,” Jackson said, referring to Laker owner Jerry Buss.

The Lakers received Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and the Heat’s 2006 first-round selection for O’Neal. Butler was traded to Washington as part of the Kwame Brown deal and Grant was waived to save almost $30 million in luxury taxes.

Jackson, who coached O’Neal through three championship runs, said it would not be awkward seeing him and acknowledged O’Neal would be revved up for the game.

“I’m sure he’s going to do something with [Dwyane] Wade as far as playing against Kobe [Bryant],” Jackson said. “He’s got that tendency as far as trying to give incentives to his players and I’m sure he’s going to try and get his guys going. That’s appropriate. He’s the leader and the captain of the team.”

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Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak, hoping to set the record straight, said he called O’Neal’s agent on behalf of Buss after O’Neal was traded to the Heat, contradicting recent comments made by the Miami center. Kupchak said he tried to arrange a post-trade meeting between Buss and O’Neal but never heard from O’Neal or his agent, Perry Rogers.

“I called Perry Rogers immediately after the trade and explained to him that Dr. Buss liked Shaquille, that this was a business decision and he’d like to invite him to lunch or dinner,” Kupchak said. “Perry Rogers never got back to me. Quite frankly, I understand if he didn’t get back to me, but the offer was extended because I made it.”

Attempts to reach Rogers on Friday were unsuccessful.

O’Neal said recently that Buss was not an “honest businessman” because he did not divulge the real reasons why O’Neal was traded in June 2004. O’Neal suggested Buss simply chose Bryant over him.

Buss told The Times he would trade O’Neal “100 out of 100 times” because his body was breaking down.

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Bryant, who signed a five-year, $45-million endorsement deal with Nike in June 2003, will wear his first Nike signature shoe, the Zoom Kobe I, Sunday against Miami. Bryant was accused of sexual assault a month after signing with Nike; charges were dropped in September 2004. ... Guard Laron Profit had surgery Friday to repair a ruptured Achilles’ tendon in his left foot and is expected to miss the rest of the season.