Turiaf Weighing Offer in Spain

The Lakers have until Wednesday to sign Ronny Turiaf or the second-round draft pick will accept a more lucrative contract offer to play in Spain, his agent said.

Turiaf has played five games in a rehabilitation stint with the CBA’s Yakama (Wash.) Sun Kings, just about enough time for the Lakers to decide whether they want him this season, agent Bouna Ndiaye said Thursday.

“I think if they don’t make a decision, we’ll probably take another job in Europe,” Ndiaye said. “He’s shown that now he can play. Two big teams in Spain have offered him so much more money than the NBA. The only thing is, Ronny wants to play in the NBA and that’s his goal, but we can’t wait another month.

“He is getting in shape. Now they have to make a decision. Next week will be the deadline for sure. We’re going to make it Wednesday.”

Turiaf, who underwent open-heart surgery in July, is averaging 9.8 points and 5.2 rebounds for the Sun Kings. He has three more games before Wednesday.

The Lakers could offer him the league minimum of $399,000, probably prorated to games played. Turiaf has been offered a contract worth $700,000 in U.S. money by a pro team in Barcelona, Ndiaye said.

The Lakers, who paid more than $100,000 for Turiaf’s heart surgery after an enlarged aortic root was discovered by team doctors, have had player-personnel evaluators at his CBA games. They have not, however, had formal contract negotiations with the former Gonzaga forward.

“As we’ve said in the past, there were several steps that needed to be taken after he got the doctor’s OK,” Laker spokesman John Black said. “He’s still somewhere in the midst of that process. At some point in time we assume we’ll be signing him and he’ll be a Laker. He’s not ready for that at this time.

“When we determine he’s at the point where he’s ready to be in the NBA, the assumption is we’ll sign him. We fully expect that he’ll be a member of our team at some time in the future.”

The Lakers would have to waive a player or shorten the roster via trade if they signed Turiaf.

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Phil Jackson has never gone through a six-game losing streak in 15 seasons as an NBA coach. But that is what Jackson will have should the Lakers fall tonight to Philadelphia.

From Jackson’s viewpoint, the five-game skid the Lakers have been in since Christmas Day has been hard enough.

“I’m sleepless some nights,” Jackson said after practice Thursday. “But we’re getting through it.

“I’ve told them as long we’re improving as a basketball team, and sometimes that’s hard to measure in wins and losses ... but our schedule up to Utah was against playoff teams from last year. But here we are with a five-game losing streak. And we’re fighting to get off of it.”

Defense is the main thing Jackson is looking for from the team to get back to winning.

“We need more pressure defense,” Jackson said. “We’ve been getting away from what was good for us earlier in the year, putting pressure on the ball and making guys have to bring it down court under duress.”

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When asked whether the Lakers were still in the hunt for the Indiana Pacers’ Ron Artest, Jackson said, “It’s something you have to talk to Mitch [Kupchak] about. But right now it looks like no one’s in it. I don’t know what’s happening. It’s been a monthlong saga.”

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TONIGHT

vs. Philadelphia, 7:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570, 1330.

Records -- Lakers 15-16, 76ers 16-16.

Record vs. 76ers -- 0-1.

Update -- Allen Iverson may lead the NBA in scoring (33.2), but he made only 15 of 48 shots and scored a combined 35 points in losses to Sacramento and Phoenix. Still, the Lakers are mindful that Iverson can get hot at any time. “We have to try and contain him by keeping a body between him and the basket,” Smush Parker said. “It’s going to take a team to stop him.”

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Turiaf’s totals

Laker draft pick Ronny Turiaf is playing for the Yakama Sun Kings of the CBA. His averages and game highs through five games:

AVERAGES

* Minutes...20.4

* Points...9.8

* Rebounds...5.2

* Assists...1.4

HIGHS

* Minutes...27

* Points...17

* Rebounds...9

* Assists...5