Kupchak on everything but Bryant

With the sports world seemingly snapping up every word about Kobe Bryant, there were only six words mentioned about him Tuesday by Mitch Kupchak.

“I think enough has been said,” the Lakers’ general manager said in his annual pre-draft meeting with beat reporters.

Kupchak declined to say anything further about the Lakers’ unhappy star, choosing instead to talk about trade possibilities, next week’s draft, the upcoming free-agency period and the future of Coach Phil Jackson.

Privately, Lakers officials are hoping they can ride out Bryant’s storm because the team’s top priority is keeping him. There are no signs, even behind the scenes, that the Lakers plan on trading him despite his public demand three weeks ago to be shipped out.

The Lakers are hoping that the less that is said about him publicly, the better chance he would return with a calm head for training camp in October.

Meanwhile, Kupchak has continued to work the phones even though the Lakers and Indiana Pacers have broken off trade talks for six-time All-Star Jermaine O’Neal. During his 45-minute meeting with reporters, his office phone and cellphone rang numerous times.

“Clearly, the events of the last seven weeks have led to an illusion that the Lakers may be more desperate to make a move, so there have been an awful lot of phone calls and a lot of dialogue, which sometimes is good. People have a reason to call,” he said. “There’s been a lot more talk this year than there has been in years past.”

At the same time, Kupchak could not guarantee the team would make a significant trade.

“I can’t say that,” he said. “You cannot say that until a deal is made. They change on a hairpin.”

Kupchak could afford to be more authoritative in other areas, including a contract extension for Jackson.

Jackson spent three hours Tuesday at the Lakers’ offices in El Segundo, a fairly quick comeback for someone who had hip-replacement surgery seven days earlier. He has one year left on his three-year, $30-million contract, and an extension could be forthcoming.

“It’s really up to Phil,” Kupchak said. “We’d like to extend his existing arrangement. He wanted to get through the physical portion of the surgery and make sure that he could physically do this again. I think he’ll be fine. He should be in better shape this year than he was a year ago. And I know a year ago he was in much better shape than he was two years ago.”

Kupchak was relatively open about one of the Lakers’ main needs: a veteran guard, which obviously can’t be acquired in the June 28 draft.

The Lakers have three picks -- 19, 40 and 48 -- but probably will not take a guard in the first round. If they don’t acquire one via trade, they will try to sign a guard with their mid-level exception of five years and about $30 million. The free-agency period begins July 1.

“We like Jordan Farmar,” Kupchak said. “We think he has a bright future in this league, but having said that, we probably need another ballhandling guard in addition to Jordan Farmar.”

Free-agent possibilities include Denver’s Steve Blake, Milwaukee’s Mo Williams and Earl Boykins, and the Clippers’ Jason Hart. Chucky Atkins and Gary Payton are both unrestricted, but a reunion with them will not happen. Detroit’s Chauncey Billups and Sacramento’s Mike Bibby can opt out of their contracts but will ask for more money than the cap-strapped Lakers can afford.

Kupchak also provided in-house injury updates, saying he expected Kwame Brown (ankle) and Lamar Odom (shoulder) to be fully recovered from surgery in time for training camp.

He also alluded to the possibility of bringing back center Chris Mihm, who missed last season after undergoing reconstructive ankle surgery in November. He has not played since February 2006.

“When he got hurt last year, he was on course to have his career-best year numbers-wise,” Kupchak said. “So if he can get back to the way he played a year ago before he got hurt, I don’t know why we wouldn’t want him back.”

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com