Lakers Fill In a Few Foxholes

Free-agent swingman Rick Fox has agreed to contract terms with the Lakers.

“We’ve reached a verbal agreement with him, he’s going to play for us,” Laker public relations director John Black said Tuesday. “He’s going to come to Los Angeles on Thursday and we expect that he’ll sign the contract that day.”

Contract terms were not announced.

Fox, 28, averaged 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.2 steals with the Boston Celtics last season--his sixth with the team.

The 6-foot-7 Fox, who tied a North Carolina record by playing in 140 career games, was the 24th overall selection in the 1991 NBA draft.

Fifth in the NBA in steals last season, Fox was one of only two players in the league who averaged 15 points, five rebounds and two steals. The other was Atlanta’s Mookie Blaylock.

Fox is averaging 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.24 steals in his career.

Fox figures to contribute significantly for the Lakers during the upcoming season, since they have lost forward Travis Knight and guard Byron Scott. Knight signed a free-agent contract with the Celtics, and Scott signed to play with Panathinaikos AC of Athens, Greece.