It’s Not All Greek to Byron Scott, Who Still Has Unfinished Business

Byron Scott has officially become a member of the Greek team Panathinaikos, and an ex-Laker in the process, signing the two-year deal that could be worth approximately $3 million while also retaining the flexibility to terminate after one season.

In other words, Scott might not be done with the NBA. The out clause will allow him to listen to offers next spring and sign with a team for the stretch drive and playoffs after the conclusion of the European season.

He certainly isn’t done with Southern California yet. Scott will hold his youth camp beginning Monday at Chapman College, as scheduled, and then leave for Athens at the start of the following week. He will return for his charity golf tournament and dinner at Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point and then a second camp, this one at Santa Margarita High on Aug. 19-23.

And he thought the commute around Los Angeles was tough. But the desire to fulfill his commitments back home was part of the stipulation with his new team, so they agreed to the continent-hopping during training camp.

Scott, whose exact take from the contract will depend on team and individual performance incentives and the taxes that are paid on his behalf, spent the weekend playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe and is expected to announce his move in the next few days after returning home, probably Tuesday. A week later, he’ll go to Athens to be introduced as Panathinaikos’ newest American import, joining a list that includes Dominique Wilkins and Anthony Avent. Clipper center Stojko Vrankovic has also played there.

With Scott gone, Travis Knight all but a member of the Boston Celtics and George McCloud not wanting to come back, the Lakers have quickly gone from dealing with five of their own free agents to only two before the process has even become a week old. At least they have the comfort that Robert Horry, the most important one, almost certainly will re-sign.

Jerome Kersey is the fifth. His situation is identical to Knight’s--he wants to come back and the Lakers want him back, but they are restricted to an offer of $326,700.

That isn’t so much a concern for Kersey as what happens after that. The sides are prohibited from making side deals or even discussing potential future contracts, but he at least wants to hear that there’s a good chance he’ll be part of the Lakers’ plans beyond 1997-98. It’s a difficult answer to give someone who recently turned 35.

“If it looks like he will be a ‘one-shot Johnny’ next year, my advice for Jerome will be to go somewhere else and look long term,” said his agent, Dan Fagan.

Kersey’s departure wouldn’t sting like Knight’s, but it would hurt. The deepest team from last season would suddenly need to replace three major bench contributors without benefit of a first-round pick and only one real weapon to pursue someone else’s free agent, a deal worth either $1 million for this season or $2.15 million over the next two.

As it is, Sean Rooks is the backup at center and Corie Blount, his option having been picked up, is at power forward. Kersey is second-string at small forward.

Laker Notes

Help is on the way after all: San Antonio’s Tim Duncan, the No. 1 draft pick, said his favorite team growing up was the Lakers. Only three years before he becomes a free agent. Start the countdown. . . . Travis Knight, a power forward with the Lakers, might end up as the center in Boston, which means he will need to get stronger. If Rick Fox leaves as a free agent, or is renounced, the Celtics could end up with a small starting lineup: Chauncey Billups at point guard, Ron Mercer at shooting guard, Eric Williams at small forward, Antoine Walker at power forward, and Knight at center. . . . With the Hawks gutting the Omni this summer for renovations, the Lakers and other major draws will probably play in the Georgia Dome in visits to Atlanta this season. That means a return to the site of Olympic victory for Shaquille O’Neal. The lesser attractions will play in a smaller facility at Georgia Tech.