Kobe won’t add any fuel to Buss’ fire

HONOLULU -- The Lakers ended training camp in Hawaii with words of harmony from Phil Jackson and words of neutrality from Kobe Bryant, all in response to those spoken the previous day by Jerry Buss.

The uneasiness of the summer was flash-forwarded to October, blowing west from Los Angeles to the breezy humidity of Oahu after the Lakers’ owner said in an interview he would listen to trade offers for Bryant.

Bryant did not reveal much Thursday beyond a written statement, but he was believed to be surprised that Buss publicized the ingredients of their summertime conversation in Barcelona, the one in June in which Bryant told Buss he still wanted to be traded after an impassioned pitch from Buss.

“I don’t have anything for you guys. Zip, zero,” Bryant said Thursday to reporters, referring them to a statement he released earlier in the day.

“Dr. Buss’ comments today provided more insight to a conversation we shared in Barcelona earlier this summer,” Bryant said in the statement. “I have touched on this conversation and other conversations within the Lakers’ organization during the recent months and again at the Lakers’ media day. I have nothing further to add and look forward to the upcoming season with my teammates.”

Meanwhile, the Lakers tried to move onward, Jackson trying to take them there via insights of his own that touched on part of his coaching past.

“I had a basketball club in Chicago at the end of my stay there that had some disaffection with some of the people in the franchise and they were able to unify around the team and win the championship,” Jackson said. “That’s the important thing, is how are you going to unify? That’s the important thing for Kobe, that’s the message for him. If we unify and play ball, we’ll be all right.”

Jackson played down the comments by Buss.

“Even though his first initial statements [in May] were that we’re not interested in trading Kobe, when you have a disgruntled player, an unhappy player, whatever, you have to consider it,” Jackson said, referring to a written statement released by Buss several months ago. “I think he made that as a gentleman’s agreement with Kobe.”

Jackson spoke privately with Bryant on Thursday, declining to say anything specific about it other than to call himself a “sounding board.”

“He was distracted, obviously, today,” Jackson said. “It’s just a distracting thing in some ways. It’s much better now than [if it were happening] the first week, two weeks, three weeks of the season.”

Before Wednesday, Buss had not spoken publicly since Bryant demanded to be traded in May. His comments typically carry great weight because he speaks to reporters so infrequently -- once a year, on average -- and his thoughts ascended to a different level after he revealed he “would certainly listen” to trade offers.

Buss, who has watched the Lakers win eight championships in his previous 28 years of ownership, also said of the Bryant situation that, “You can’t keep too many loyalties. You’ve got to look at it as a business. He looks at it the same way I look at it.”

Buss said the Lakers had not received any offers worthy enough to trade Bryant, who has four years left on his contract but can terminate the deal in two years.

Sure enough, Buss’ comments were heard in every corner of the NBA, even in a particular city in Florida.

“I guess it’s business before loyalty. But, wow. He said that?” Shaquille O’Neal told reporters in Miami after hearing about Buss’ comments.

Bryant, Derek Fisher, Luke Walton, Andrew Bynum and Ronny Turiaf started for the Lakers in an exhibition game Thursday against Golden State at the University of Hawaii. The Lakers return today to Los Angeles and will have five days of practice before their next game, Thursday in Bakersfield against Seattle.

What numbers should Bryant put up this season in his new role of facilitator? “It depends upon how they’re playing him,” Jackson said. “If they’re double-teaming him, then he’s got to get 10-12 assists a night. He’s got other guys that are available. It’s a ‘read’ situation.”

Vladimir Radmanovic had a 20-point effort Tuesday against Golden State, but he still freelanced a bit too much for Jackson’s taste. “He’s certainly a wild card out there,” Jackson said. “Joker wild.”

mike.bresnahan@latimes.com