L.A.'S STORYHEATING UP

By PETER VECSEY

May 13, 2007 -- ROD Thorn's "bold" admission last week that he tried to trade Jason Kidd to the Lakers right up until the deadline is a dead giveaway the Nets' guard was intimately involved in New Jersey's game plan.

In fact, Kidd was fully in favor of joining the Lakers, sources said at the time and reiterated within the last few days. At the same time, he understood completely L.A.'s reluctance to surrender Andrew Bynum as the principal player in the package.

"If I were the Lakers I wouldn't have given him up for me, either," Kidd told confidants.

For whatever reason, management throughout the NBA is coming clean. Lakers VP Jim Buss went on L.A. radio a few days ago and all but guaranteed major roster revisions after the draft lottery positions are set May 22. (Here's hoping Adam Silver inherited Russ Granik's ad-lib writer).

If a major trade isn't done by the end of June, Jerry's son said, fans should be upset, "because as a fan, I would be upset." Evidently, no one - including Bynum, contrary to widespread reports - is untouchable exempting Kobe Bryant. The idea is to build a title contender now, not three or four years from now. I could've have sworn he said the Lakers aren't afraid to exceed the luxury cap.

Buss also acknowledged he doesn't like it when Phil Jackson puts down his players in the press (he plans to talk to him about it) and claimed the Zen Hen had a say with the team's makeup in the last few years. Last summer in an organizational meeting, Buss revealed Jackson signed off on the team and said he could go far with that roster.

"For Phil to make comments about being frustrated about the personnel is a copout," Buss said.

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A couple hours after the Jazz had taken a 2-0 lead on the Warriors, a friend of mine had a brief phone conversation with Andrei Kirilenko (20 points, nine rebounds, six blocks and five assists) who was having a late-night dinner with his wife and several guests.

"Great game. It's a shame your amazing stats are going to be overshadowed by 'divine intervention.'"

Kirilenko laughed and thanked my friend, who went on to tell him how glad he was the Jazz were playing the Warriors "because their free-flowing style plays into your free roaming effectiveness."

He then asked Kirilenko what Stephen Jackson was thinking by continuing to try and take him one-on-one down the lane.

"You must have had three blocks against him alone."

"I call it the human factor," Kirilenko responded. "Computers do not play, humans do."

"I'd call it the ego factor," my friend replied, "meaning Jackson kept believing he could take you."

"Yep, the human factor," Kirilenko insisted.

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Was it the title-tested, misery-motivated Pistons' pressure at both ends, or playoff pressure that thoroughly unnerved the Babyback Bulls in the second half of Game 3? How tight did their short arms get (five field goals) in the final 12 minutes? They couldn't even make shots that no longer mattered.

How much of a chance do the Bulls have when Tayshaun Prince, the Pistons' defensive specialist, consistently outscores Luol Deng, Chicago's leading point producer? Prince, by far, is the NBA's most under-publicized player.

Had Rick Carlisle remained Detroit's coach, do you think he would be starting Tayshaun over Michael Curry by now? Carlisle, by the way, appears infinitely more relaxed (and enlightening) in front of ESPN's camera than he does on the sideline. I do believe he's found a new home.

I rarely find fault with Scott Skiles' decision making, but excluding Chris Duhon from his shortened seven-man rotation in the second half of Game 3 was a grave injustice to the player and a solemn disservice to the team. Duhon has been a vital, hard-working, multiskilled component for three seasons. Why kill his confidence now? Especially when Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Andres Nocioni and Deng were spraying blanks.

Not that they need extra incentive to get up for the Bulls, but Rip Hamilton takes special pleasure in smothering Hinrich. I'm told Hamilton feels Hinrich has been given far too much unearned (World Championship spot/third-team all-defense) credit.

Could the habitually distracted Rasheed Wallace be any more disrespectful to Flip Saunders during team huddles? Regal talent, boorish behavior. What would "Jefferson Street" Joe Gilliam say about his offspring's incivility?

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O.J. Simpson was refused service at an upscale Louisville steakhouse on the eve of last weekend's Kentucky Derby. His lawyer claimed the incident was about race, which the restaurant owner denied.

"I didn't want to serve him because of my convictions of what he'd done to (the Brown and Goldman) families," Jeff (no relation to Jack) Ruby said. "The way he continues to torture the lives of those families ... with his behavior, attitude and conduct.

Yeah, there's that, but there's also the minor detail that no one in his/her right mind wants to be in the same room with Simpson and cutlery.

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According to reports, Ricky Williams tested positive again last month. Nothing new to this story, he contends, merely a "re-hash." ... Bobby Brown is taking ex-wife Whitney Houston to court, battling over the custody terms for their 14-year-old daughter. Sensing the delicate nature of this issue, Brown referred all comments to his spokesman, Alec Baldwin. ... Finally, Shawn Kemp wanted to offer his annual Mother's Day reminder, "To those I've already touched, the check is in the mail. To the rest of you lovelies, I'm working as fast as I can."

Buss also acknowledged he doesn't like it when Phil Jackson puts down his players in the press (he plans to talk to him about it) and claimed the Zen Hen had a say with the team's makeup in the last few years. Last summer in an organizational meeting, Buss revealed Jackson signed off on the team and said he could go far with that roster.

"For Phil to make comments about being frustrated about the personnel is a copout," Buss said.

LOL, its the summer of sequels, I guess. I guess Phil better ask Larry about the best alleys or side streets to meet the press to give "proper" interviews about his players. Just imagine an owner who doesn't like his coach to go after his players in the press. Just bizzare.

Yes. The problem is that when you look at the source of the article, even if some of the things mentioned here are true (who knows), you can't give them any credibility, due to the source.

The idea is to build a title contender now, not three or four years from now. I could've have sworn he said the Lakers aren't afraid to exceed the luxury cap.

This is so true. When you have a guy like Kobe on your team, at the hieghts of his game, then yes' you want' to build around him immediately the best talent you can. Bynum is a long term sollutuion, Kidd would have been an immediate solution to make a run. If you wait for Bynum to develop, if he does, then by that time Kobe will be on the down side. The Lakers could have taken Kidd and probably another big name at the time, exceeding the luxury cap.