Bryant Avoids War of Words

There’s rarely anything substantial to be gleaned on media day for NBA teams, where optimism flows predictably from fountains of exuberance amid talk of imminent success in every city.

Then there are the Lakers, whose first official day of media access to players brought numerous subplots to the surface, all comfortably within the span of two hours at HealthSouth Training Center on Monday.

Kobe Bryant, speaking publicly for the first time since felony sexual assault charges against him were dropped last month, would not talk about criminal or civil proceedings.

Bryant also passed up a chance to engage in a cross-country battle of words with Shaquille O’Neal, ignoring his former teammate’s escalating criticism of him by saying, “We had great times, we had some not-so-great times.... I sincerely just wish him the best.”

O’Neal, despite being traded to the Miami Heat, apparently still carries some cachet within the organization: Forward Brian Cook requested jersey No. 34 this season. Cook, who wore No. 34 most of his high school and college career, had his plea denied. He will wear No. 43.

“I don’t know if they’re going to retire it or what,” Cook said. “They wouldn’t let me get it.”

Gary Payton’s old No. 20, however, will be worn by forward Jumaine Jones, who asked for and received it without a fight.

Vlade Divac will wear his familiar No. 12, although that probably won’t happen until the season opener Nov. 2 against the Denver Nuggets. Divac, who sustained a herniated disk two weeks ago after making a spin move during an informal workout, will probably miss all eight exhibition games.

Divac, 36, will undergo further treatment Thursday, receiving the last in a series of three epidural shots, a team spokesman said.

“I hope I’m ready for the opener,” Divac said. “I hope earlier, but realistically, it takes time.”

On top of that, Devean George is expected to miss another six to eight weeks because of surgery on his left ankle in July.

The injuries, coupled with the fact that only six players are back from last season, will throw open the competition as training camp begins today at the University of San Diego.

There are plenty of players who have abilities to prove, careers to forge.

Center Chris Mihm, drafted seventh overall in 2000, has averaged only 6.9 points while playing for six coaches with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.

Point guard Chucky Atkins must replace both Payton and Derek Fisher, who left for Golden State as a free agent.

Forward Caron Butler averaged 15.4 points as a rookie with the Heat, but he tumbled to 9.2 points last season, struggling with a knee injury sustained in a knee-to-knee collision last October.

“I feel like a lot of people out there thought I lost a step or something,” Butler said. “It was just that I had an injury. I averaged nine and five [rebounds] on probably one leg.... Now I’m going full force and I’m ready to go.”

Meanwhile, Lamar Odom, back in Los Angeles after a successful one-year stay with the Heat, professed newfound maturity and pledged to play a satisfied second fiddle to Bryant.

“I consider myself a good to great teammate,” said Odom, indicating his personality has improved “like good wine” since leaving the Clippers after four up-and-down seasons.

“If you leave [wine] in the cellar, it gets better with age and matures,” he said. “I’m a different person in my head. I’ve grown up.”

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The Lakers signed two free agents, former USC forward Jerry Dupree and guard Tierre Brown, who played at McNeese State and last season with Charleston in the NBA Development League.

Dupree averaged 7.2 points last season for the Long Beach Jam of the American Basketball Assn. Brown averaged 18.6 points in the NBDL and has averaged 3.3 points in 58 NBA games with the Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers and New Orleans Hornets.