Green Can Make Big Leap

Devin Green could soon find out just how far he has come since the days of the Norfolk State-Hampton rivalry.

No disrespect to the unheralded Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, where conference games typically draw a couple of thousand fans, but Green has never been in a more important game than tonight’s exhibition between the Lakers and Sacramento Kings.

Phil Jackson said Thursday that injured veteran forward Corie Blount would make the team, leaving Green and Laron Profit apparently fighting for the final roster spot. (There’s a chance rookie Von Wafer will be waived by Monday’s deadline instead of Profit or Green, although it is slim.)

Green, an undrafted 6-foot-7 guard out of Hampton, has averaged 4.5 points in exhibition play and has been a pest with his on-ball defense.

Profit, acquired from the Washington Wizards as part of the Kwame Brown trade, has the experience edge, playing 110 games with the Wizards over the last three seasons. He has averaged 4.8 points in exhibition play.

Green does not have a guaranteed contract and Profit does, although the Lakers are believed to have received cash from the Wizards as part of the Brown trade. Though the money was not specifically earmarked for Profit, it is believed to be enough to pay at least part of Profit’s salary if the Lakers waive him.

Coach Phil Jackson was impressed with Green after watching him play in three summer league games.

”... He stood out in every performance that I went to watch,” Jackson said. “He does a lot of good things on the court. It’s not about just scoring or shooting.”

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The Lakers have made only 18 of 85 three-point attempts (21.2%), with Lamar Odom making four of 22 (18.2%) and Sasha Vujacic making two of 10 (20%).

“Eventually it becomes a factor as the season goes on, but at this point early in the year, it’s not a big deal for us,” Jackson said.

The Lakers set team records last season with 1,813 three-point attempts and 644 three-point baskets.

“We don’t want to live at the three-point line,” Jackson said. “This team last year was three-point happy and crazy. It’s just not the way I like to play basketball.”

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The Lakers waived guard Tony Bobbitt, who averaged 2.5 points in two games for them last season, and former UC Irvine center Adam Parada. ... Utah Jazz center Robert Whaley was suspended for two games for punching Parada in Tuesday’s exhibition.