Jackson Adds Last Words to ‘The Last Season’

The Lakers began training camp Tuesday, but Phil Jackson, author, took the daily intrigue award with the paperback release of his tell-all diary, complete with a new noteworthy epilogue.

Criticism of Kobe Bryant was not edited out of “The Last Season” -- after all, it became a bestseller last October partly because of its high degree of detailed conflict -- but a gentler tone was struck toward Bryant in the extra 16 pages at the book’s end.

Like the book itself, the epilogue is a series of journal entries, including one last November in which Jackson sympathized with Bryant after being peppered with questions from reporters and talk-show hosts during a monthlong book promotion tour.

“The only difficult moments emerged when the interviewers kept pounding away at Kobe’s troubles in Colorado,” Jackson wrote. “I found myself, despite the criticism I had given him, becoming very protective, even defensive. I was no longer his coach or mentor. In fact, I was quite sure he was angry at me for the things I wrote about him in the book. Yet I still feel a great deal of compassion for the young man, for the difficulties he endured while awaiting trial, and for the challenges he will face in repairing his tarnished image. Even though the trial was called off, in the minds of many of his detractors, a verdict has still been rendered: guilty.”

Jackson also wrote that getting away from the Lakers “probably saved my soul,” springing him free from countless dramas and allowing him to spend more time with family.

Jackson also wrote about the lengthy courtship process with the Lakers, which included an awkward night in Jerry Buss’ luxury suite in April.

“I’ve spent little time in my life as a ‘fan.’ It felt even stranger, though, to sit in the owner’s box for two hours and exchange maybe a total of two sentences with Dr. Buss,” Jackson wrote. “ ... I don’t think he really wanted to be seen conferring with his ex-coach. I’m not surprised. Jerry likes to separate business from pleasure, even though there is always a message to everything he does. In this case, I’m pretty sure he wants me to know he is very interested in me coming back.”

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Long-range Laker plans provided for a run at Yao Ming or Amare Stoudemire in summer 2007, but they signed maximum contracts to stay with their respective teams, leaving the Lakers, and others, rolling the calendar back to 2008 for the next crop of young free agents that could include LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade.

Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak declined to comment specifically on the recent signings and pointed out other ways to enhance the roster. The Lakers will be below the salary cap after the 2006-07 season.

“Cap flexibility is certainly a tool that would give us flexibility down the road,” he said. “Draft choices, trade exceptions, talented young players are all ways to give us flexibility and a way to improve the team.”

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Draft pick Ronny Turiaf, who underwent open-heart surgery in July, appeared at training camp and shot a few baskets on the side but is still considered a longshot to return this season.