BY SAM SMITH
Chicago Tribune
LOS ANGELES - (KRT) - So what if this Lakers' thing does come apart? There were lots of smiles going into Game 5, so many that coach Phil Jackson said he had to warn the team about being "too giddy."
Afterward, it was the same issues. Shaquille O'Neal stalked out of the locker room suggesting the ball didn't go into him enough, that the team became selfish. Translation: Kobe messed it up. Kobe Bryant said O'Neal could get the ball anytime he wanted and the team wasn't aggressive enough: Translation: Shaq's too lazy, unmotivated and out of shape.
Nothing's really changed. And even if the Lakers go onto the NBA Finals and win, it seems unlikely the Bryant-O'Neal pairing can survive.
Nothing is out of the question, but here's one scenario to clip and save: Yao Ming to the Lakers in three years to pair with Bryant.
Think about it: I'm sure Houston is a fine place, but Yao is on the way to becoming perhaps the world's most famous athlete. Billboards of him are everywhere in Asia. It makes the most sense if he's going to remain in the NBA, certainly for marketing, to play on the West Coast with its huge Asian population.
It was interesting last week when O'Neal again insisted he would not be taken for granted and expected a contract extension beginning at about $30 million per season. The Lakers are offering $10 million less per year.
"I can continue to get guys to come play with me for nothing,'' O'Neal said. "I won't be devalued. Never, ever devalued. I will never take less than what I am worth. I'm the one that's bringing the players in anyway.
"I've been the general manager of this team for the last two years. So I don't want to hear about blah-blah-blah, blah-blah-blah. Because I'm the one who's bringing them in. I'm the one making the phone calls. ... Everybody wants to play with the Diesel because I make things easy. They double- and triple-team me, and I kick it out to you for a nice, easy, wide-open three. Add years to your career.'' <= Hey are you listing Ray? Get out of Seattle !
Or .. Reggie, mabey finish off with a ring and come back to LA. Payton and Malone gave up, you can too 
Perhaps. But the Lakers have this very big issue of Bryant's free agency. They are determined not to lose Bryant, who, assuming he is not convicted in his sexual-assault trail, is considered by ownership the premier attraction. O'Neal is 32, wants $30 million-plus per year for two or three years after he is 34, misses at least 15-20 games with injuries every season already, and seems to have lost some of the explosiveness and quickness that made him a dominant scorer. He's at career scoring lows this season in the regular season and playoffs.
Without O'Neal and Bryant together, the Lakers' future is questionable. So they could be patient. Re-sign Bryant, who is guided by the new salary rules and could be paid "only" about $15 million a year. And trade O'Neal this summer.
O'Neal has made it clear he's not going to be happy without that contract extension given all his recent barbs at general manager Mitch Kupchak. So sacrifice a few seasons while working to get Yao, who seems best as a complementary center who could fit better with the dashing Bryant. It's unlikely Houston would make a deal, especially with the Lakers. So the Lakers just have to begin clearing salary-cap space and wait the three years. Bryant would only be 28 then, the age when Michael Jordan first started winning championships. That's plenty of time for a long run with Yao.
The McGrady factor
So what to do with O'Neal? Trading him still would shock the NBA. The Lakers would have to deal him out of the Western Conference, which means they'd only see him in the Finals if both get there. That's unlikely. The best option is Orlando, where O'Neal still owns his home and has said he plans to live after he retires and would even like to own part of the franchise.
Enter Tracy McGrady. Or exit, if you will.
McGrady, in interviews with Florida newspapers last week, effectively rejected top draft prospects Emeka Okafor (he said Okafor is much shorter than 6-10) and Dwight Howard and seemingly demanded a trade.
"The dilemma for the franchise is, `Do you want to try and win now or wait two or three years for a guy to develop?'
" McGrady said. "I'm not trying to wait that long to win. ... I just think that it would be best to go get a guy ready to fill a role and contribute right away. But if we can't change the team this summer, I just think the best thing would be for me to move on."
The Magic is in a desperate situation and going nowhere even with the No. 1 pick. McGrady can opt out of his contract after next season, so his market value will be limited unless he agrees to sign. The Clippers, eyeing Bryant, would love a shot at McGrady and probably would package the No. 2 pick with some of their young players. But it probably wouldn't suit McGrady, and having the top two picks in this draft isn't going to excite anyone in Orlando. McGrady mentioned he'd like to play in Houston, but even Steve Francis isn't enough to compensate for McGrady, the league's leading scorer.
T-mac to the Clipps would bring that franchise from the depths of hell. IMO
But O'Neal, whom the Magic lost in 1996 to free agency, is appealing, especially if he can draw talent like he says. And in the East, even at lesser effectiveness, he should be that dominant scorer again and get Orlando back into the playoffs.
Figure the Magic package McGrady, the No. 1 pick and some of their bad contracts for O'Neal and perhaps lesser and future draft picks. Bryant and McGrady can't really play together, but it could be a curiosity for a year. Or the Lakers could trade McGrady to Detroit or Indiana, two other teams McGrady mentioned he'd sign with because of their lack of playoff scoring.
McGrady wouldn't stay with the Lakers, but his leaving after a year would begin opening the salary-cap room to eventually lure Yao. It would require patience and a few down seasons for the Lakers.
It's certainly a long-term scenario and perhaps fanciful. But how much longer can O'Neal glare at Bryant after losses? Something's got to give. Or someone's got to go.
Safe at home
By the way, McGrady said he told Team USA coach Larry Brown he was withdrawing from the Olympics in Athens because of terrorism concerns, not because he was getting married, which was the story that came out.
"I woke up and read that in the papers and I was shocked," McGrady said. "Next thing I know, my girl is calling me and saying, `I didn't know we were getting married.' I had concerns about the whole thing and decided to stay home and be safe."
Hawks like Harris
The Hawks are said to be leaning toward Mavericks assistant Del Harris for their head-coaching job. Harris had a shot at the Cavaliers' job before Paul Silas, but rejected it. Now, Don Nelson's staff isn't as secure and Harris, coaching this summer's Chinese Olympic team, is looking for opportunities.
The Hawks also talked with former coach Mike Fratello, who looks to be the best candidate given his success in previous jobs. Fratello also is talking to the Hornets about the general manager job but prefers to return to coaching.
Goodbye, Greg
If the community has anything to do with it, free-agent Greg Ostertag probably is done in Utah. A Salt Lake City TV station ran an Internet poll asking how big a contract the Jazz should offer. "Let him walk" got 87 percent.
Ostertag grew up in the Dallas area and the Mavs are said to have interest. They supposedly would like the Jazz to re-sign Ostertag to a short-term deal matching that of Utah native Shawn Bradley and make the trade. Said Ostertag: "They need a rebounder and shot-blocker, which I can be. It would be my ultimate dream to play in Dallas."
Big talk
Prepster Dwight Howard is lobbying the Magic. Said Howard: "I'm gonna be the No. 1 pick. I'll get them to decide that when they see me work out."
Whither Phil?
The best sign Phil Jackson may return to the Lakers is Byron Scott taking the Hornets job. Scott supposedly has been the choice of Kobe Bryant to replace Jackson, but Scott supposedly was told not to count on that.
<= Last I checked Phil still had some room on his toes for rings. Not to mention he could always get his ears pieced.
